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Tule River Indian Housing Authority reports continued emergency assistance and outreach using county HAP funds
Summary
Tule River Indian Housing Authority Executive Director Nolley McDermott told the Tulare County Task Force on Homelessness on 2025-06-01 that county HAP funds have supported motel shelter placements, daily meal outreach and distribution of about 100 essential-needs bags in the Porterville area, serving 23 people to date.
At the June 1, 2025 meeting of the Tulare County Task Force on Homelessness, Tule River Indian Housing Authority Executive Director Nolley McDermott reported on the tribe'9s emergency housing and outreach work in Porterville funded in part by county HAP dollars.
McDermott said the authority has served 23 participants under its program and distributed about 100 "essential needs" bags containing full-size hygiene items and first-aid kits. The program has operated two motel-based emergency shelter placements in Porterville and runs daily meal outreach in town.
McDermott described the program'9s principal barriers: limited housing on the reservation, refusal or banning from tribal property that blocks access to tribal services, few motels willing to participate (two are currently used), transportation constraints and long waits for county behavioral-health appointments. She added that some program exits were due to arrests or vandalism, and that several participants were difficult to engage persistently.
The authority reported outcomes to date: five participants housed in permanent units, three gained employment, one currently in longer-term shelter, four arrests tied to companions or associates, and several exits for vandalism or noncompliance. McDermott said work is ongoing with the tribal council to address long-term housing shortages on the reservation; a current tribal waiting list was reported at more than 455 people.
McDermott requested stronger behavioral-health and substance-use supports and more emergency housing partners to expand options for tribal members who are not eligible for tribal assistance when they are banned from reservation properties. Task force members acknowledged the tribe'9s ongoing partnership and said the authority'9s outreach staff have been active partners in county coordination.
Ending: McDermott provided contact information for program staff and asked task force partners to consider motel and service partnerships and managed-care coordination to improve access to behavioral health and transportation for tribal participants.
