Tuesday, Sep 27 2011 8:22PM
California tribal leader, Vincent Armenta, raises awareness for housing needs
In Santa Ynez, California, controversy surrounds the Band of Chumash chairman, Vincent Armenta, on his plans for the property around the northwest corners of highways 154/246 in Santa Ynez, California, The Santa Ynez Valley Journal reports.
It's been rumored the chairman considered adding a casino to the area, but Armenta soundly denied the accusation at a town hall meeting in which 200 tribal members showed up. Armenta stated that he has no intentions of developing a casino and his government is simply attempting to develop land for his tribal people.
The tribal government assured its people the section of land, which is two miles east of a casino, will offer housing to tribal members to help ease overcrowding on the rest of the tribe's 137-acre reservation. Approximately 1,300 natives on the reservation are aging and in need of better accommodation, according to Armenta.
"There’s no more land on our existing reservation for tribal housing,” Armenta added. "Tribal governments, particularly ones with successful economic self-determination programs like ours, have a moral obligation to our membership to acquire land for the long-term survival of our tribe."