Construction progress continues on the Osage Nation Senior Housing complex for Hominy north of downtown, along State Highway 99.
As building efforts continue on 10 duplexes for the Hominy Senior Housing complex, the Eighth ON Congress voted to pass a funding-related appropriation bill for the project (ONCA 24-01 sponsored by Congressman Scott BigHorse) during the Eighth Special Session on Nov. 7. Those 10 duplexes will comprise a total of 20 housing units for Osage and Native American elder households seeking to live in the Hominy area.
According to ONCA 24-01, the bill is “An Act to amend ONCA 23-34, an appropriation for the Senior Housing Complex in Hominy, to change the recipient of the appropriation from the Executive Branch to the Capital Asset Fund.” Passed in April during the Hun-Kah Session, ONCA 23-34 (sponsored by Congressman Otto Hamilton) is a $3 million appropriation of tribal funding for the Hominy Senior Housing project to the Executive Branch.
During a Congressional Appropriations Committee meeting held during the special session, BigHorse said he agreed to sponsor the bill because “the monies need to be in capital assets so that we can track it by project (with other ongoing construction projects).”
The Hominy Senior Housing project is also being funded with American Rescue Plan Act funding that was previously appropriated by Congress. The $3 million mentioned in ONCA 24-01 comes from two funding sources including $1 million out of the Nation’s retained revenue fund and $2 million out of the Nation’s general fund. Congress approved the $3 million in ONCA 23-34 to help fund the senior housing project due to inflated construction and material costs.
Appropriations Committee Chair and Congresswoman Jodie Revard said the ONCA 24-01’s intent is “just cleaning up some language from our bill that we passed during (prior session).”
ONCA 24-01 passed unanimously with 11 “yes” votes and one absence from Hamilton on the final day of the special session. Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear signed the bill to take effect afterward.
Hominy is the third community within the Nation’s Reservation to receive ON senior housing. In 2022, the Nation built and opened a new 20-unit senior housing complex in Fairfax, as well as a 10-unit addition to the Pawhuska senior housing complex. Each housing unit includes two bedrooms, new appliances, vehicle garage and above-ground storm shelter.
Osage Nation Senior Housing provides maintenance-free and affordable rental housing to Native American elders residing on the Osage Nation Reservation. Rental rates are based on annual household income of residents. Osage preference applies to this service. To find out more information, please visit www.osagenation-nsn.gov/services/housing
