A community-informed look at the housing ecosystem of the Laguna Pueblo

New Mexico

2024–2025

Housing, data sovereignty, research

Partner profile

Laguna Housing Development & Management Enterprise (LHDME), originally established in 1963 as the Laguna Housing Authority (just the second incorporated tribal housing authority in the US), serves as the tribally designated housing entity for the Pueblo of Laguna. They work to develop and preserve quality housing for low- and middle-income tribal members, help families obtain and maintain housing, and promote financial education and housing advocacy.

A path toward meaningful action

Home to the Kawaik (“lake people”) for centuries, the Pueblo of Laguna is the largest of New Mexico’s Keresan-speaking pueblos. With almost 8,300 enrolled members and over 3,800 living across the six communities of Encinal, Laguna, Mesita, Paguate, Paraje, and Seama, the Pueblo maintains a significant number of homes to meet the needs of its people. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comprehensive assessment and needs analysis of the Laguna Pueblo housing ecosystem, and to provide an accurate, cohesive picture of both the current realities and future possibilities for housing in the Pueblo.

This project, funded by Enterprise Community Partners and the Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest, is intended to serve as a useful reference and guiding document for those tasked with housing-related decision-making for Laguna Pueblo. Compiling existing data and community members’ insights, this assessment provides a holistic account of the housing landscape in Laguna communities, highlighting the needs, challenges, and opportunities that comprise it. The key takeaways and implications of these findings also inform a series of recommendations for Laguna Housing Development & Management Enterprise and pueblo officials and administrators to consider as they strive to provide for the housing needs of Laguna Pueblo members.

The overarching objectives of the study were to: 1) generate a holistic and community-informed account of the strengths, challenges, needs, and opportunities related to housing in Laguna Pueblo communities; 2) identify potential partners, funding sources, and important policy areas that could lead to sustainable housing solutions; and 3) develop a series of recommendations, informed by these findings, for consideration by LHDME and pueblo leadership as they make decisions related to housing in Laguna communities.

Project partners

  • Enterprise Community Partners

    A national nonprofit with over 40 years of experience addressing the shortage of affordable homes in the US, advocating for equitable housing policy, and building and managing community-centered homes. 

  • Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest

    A regional nonprofit helping tribes navigate complex land-lease and lending frameworks, empowering families through education and equitable asset-building, and promoting cultural, economic, and housing resilience across the Southwest.

I just hope and pray that one of these days we’re going to be able to house everybody. Someone will be able to come in, qualify, and get their keys in two weeks instead of 2–3 years.”

– LHDME employee

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Oversight committee

  • Jamie Navenma

    Executive Director, LHDME

  • Tracy Cheresposy

    Development Program Coordinator, LHDME

  • Nina Vallo

    Resident Services Director, LHDME

  • George Brown

    Procurement/Maintenance Supervisor, LHDME

  • Dominic Torrez

    Development Director, LHDME

This project relied on a multi-pronged methodological approach that included:

  • Reviewing existing studies and strategic plans provided by LHDME

  • Reviewing literature related to housing in Indian Country and New Mexico

  • Analysis of publicly available federal housing and economic data

  • Community surveys

  • Key opinion leader interviews

  • Community meals (focus groups)

  • Firsthand mapping of community housing structures and their conditions

What we found

The housing challenges faced by the Pueblo of Laguna are firmly rooted in the history of settler colonialism — characterized by land theft, cultural persecution, and forced assimilation — that has so profoundly shaped the lives of Indigenous peoples throughout the Americas. The legacies of this history persist in the form of systemic racism and discrimination that reduce opportunities for economic mobility and access to capital, ultimately exacerbating the housing challenges Laguna Pueblo members experience.

The work of fostering and improving housing conditions in Laguna Pueblo goes back generations, providing an important foundation upon which subsequent housing initiatives can be launched. To better understand the present state of this ongoing situation, Sweet Grass brought together and collected multiple forms of data, all with LHDME’s guidance and assistance to ensure they were informed by those living in Laguna communities first and foremost.

Community survey results suggest that 61% of Laguna Pueblo households are “overcrowded” by HUD standards (i.e., more than one resident per bedroom with a door). This is far higher than the pueblo’s census-derived overcrowding figure of 16%, and it dwarfs the US national average of 3.4%.

Variations in Laguna Pueblo's overcrowded household rates. Community data shows nearly 4x the census estimate and 18x the national average.

Strategic coordination across partnerships, funding opportunities, and political advocacy is at the heart of addressing the housing challenges present in Laguna Pueblo communities. Our research aimed to assist this vital effort by compiling and elaborating potential avenues, connections, and strategic points of interest that can help LHDME achieve their ongoing mission of providing safe, comfortable, and affordable housing for Laguna Pueblo members. By compiling and analyzing interviews with local housing experts, secondary research, and environmental scans, this research provides a roadmap for LHDME to utilize as they navigate the complicated terrain of housing development. Creative engagement with internal and external partners, concerted efforts to access funding mechanisms that may offer greater flexibility than the federal sources traditionally utilized by tribal housing entities, and deeper advocacy for tribal, state, and federal representatives and policies that understand the unique challenges of achieving housing stability in reservation-based economies, are all key features of this roadmap.

The recommendations generated by this research offer concrete guidance toward further improving access to quality housing options for all members of Laguna Pueblo. Rooted in the perspectives of the world’s foremost experts on housing-related matters in Laguna Pueblo — the people of Laguna Pueblo themselves — the recommendations offer ideas and possible paths forward, some of which include:

Build self-sufficiency and promote economic mobility through workforce development related to construction and home maintenance.

Number 1

Facilitate Laguna Pueblo-specific homebuyer education programming and workshops to help clarify and expedite the home-buying/homebuilding process for tribal members.

Number 2

Address the need for more homeownership options for middle-income buyers by partnering with experienced CDFIs that understand the complexities of buying and building homes on trust land.

Number 3

Deepen internal partnerships among Laguna Pueblo entities and with external organizations.

Number 4

Promote cultural knowledge transmission between generations through programs focused on traditional home building and home maintenance.

Number 5

Accommodate a desire for multigenerational/multi-family housing through additions and improvements to existing homes.

Number 6

Address the need for specialty housing for elders and those with disabilities with the help of outside funding.

Number 7

The findings of this housing needs assessment provide a comprehensive and community-driven picture of the housing challenges and opportunities within the Pueblo of Laguna. The study affirms what members of Laguna Pueblo already know: beyond basic shelter, housing is at the core of family, culture, well-being, and is central to a thriving future for Laguna communities. Overcrowding, aging infrastructure, accessibility barriers, and a lack of middle-income housing represent substantial hurdles, yet the strength and resilience of Laguna Pueblo members remain the foundation for sustainable solutions. Through collective effort, careful strategic planning, and purpose-driven partnerships, these challenges can be addressed in a culturally mindful, community-centered manner.

The future of housing in Laguna Pueblo will have the greatest chance for success if it is guided by the voices and lived experiences of its community members, supported by the best available resources, and anchored in the history and culture of the Kawaik people. 

Sweet Grass project team & services

Michael Brydge
Principal & Research Director

Project supervisor, tool design, client communication, data collection, literature review, report writing

Max Van Oostenburg
Associate Research Director

Project management, tool design, client communication, data collection and analysis, literature review, report writing

Jackie Carter
Associate Research Director

Literature review, report writing

Jodi Wolfe
Senior Designer

Graphic and layout design, creative direction, data visualization

Research

We actively engage in collaborative partnerships to gather stories and insights that lead to strategic decision-making and systems change.

Creative

We use strategic visuals and messaging to demonstrate each organization's distinct personality and values.