PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 28, 2025
Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County is pleased to announce a new role at Habitat for
Humanity of Clallam County, the Native American Housing Liaison. This position was initiated
by Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), in recognition of the need to better reach Native
Americans seeking homeownership and funded through HUD Section 4.
Historically, the engagement of Native American families with Habitat for Humanity
homeownership programs has been very low. Fewer than 5% of Habitat homes nationwide
have been purchased by Native Americans.
Recognizing the need to better engage Native Americans, HFHI sought to create a pilot
capacity-building initiative to better understand the housing needs and desires of Native
American communities. They identified Clallam County, with five tribal communities (including
the Hoh), as uniquely positioned to host this effort. Learnings from this pilot program will be
shared across the HFHI network to help affiliates in other communities around the country that
are rich in Native populations.
“We are delighted to be offered this opportunity by Habitat for Humanity International,” said
Habitat Clallam CEO Colleen Robinson. “This fits perfectly within our mission of serving all
within Clallam County, and we are excited to lead the way for Habitat for Humanity nationwide.”
After a lengthy application process, Habitat Clallam received a capacity-building grant from the
Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the project, and hired Rick Dickinson,
former Center Director for the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship. In this new role, Dickinson
is leveraging relationships that he has built within the tribal communities both at CIE and as a
tribal enterprise board member.
The grant from Habitat for Humanity International allows Habitat Clallam to bring on an
additional staff without adding to overhead, helping us focus our funding on the most important
issue of all – providing affordable housing to those in need. This critical support enables us to
expand out capacity and strengthen our impact in the community while remaining fiscally
responsible.
“Our goal for this position is to build relationships within our local tribal communities in order to
get a better understanding of how Habitat’s model of homeownership might better serve the
needs of Native Americans both here in Clallam County and across the country,” said
Dickinson. “My job is to listen, and I’m excited to build relationships with our local Native
communities and deepen Habitat’s understanding of Native housing issues.”
