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Cherokee Nation says DoD training helped build 21 housing units for veterans
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Summary
A Cherokee Nation official said the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training was used to build 21 two- and three-bedroom rental units for veterans; a public commenter who moved into the development said it cut their housing costs by about $500.
A Cherokee Nation official said the Department of Defense's Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) helped the tribe build 21 rental housing units intended for veterans.
"The Innovative Readiness Training or IRT is a Department of Defense program," the Cherokee Nation official said, adding, "At the Cherokee Nation, we used that to build 21 housing units, that serve our veterans." The official said the project provided hands-on training for military personnel while creating local housing stock.
The project produced two- and three-bedroom units, the official said, and was presented as a partnership that yields both community benefit and practical, deployment-ready experience for service members. The official also highlighted a veteran who worked with the Durbin Feeling Language Center to teach Cherokee as part of community activities tied to the housing effort.
A public commenter and veteran who spoke about living in the development described personal improvements after moving in. "I just thank God for everything that he's done for me," the commenter said, and later stated they had moved to the community last May and served during the Vietnam era. The commenter said the new home reduced their housing costs by about $500 compared with what they had been paying for a small two-bedroom apartment.
The commenter also described continuing community contributions, saying they completed a Cherokee degree program and taught at the Emergence School, and praised other veterans living in the development. The Cherokee Nation presenter noted the housing addition is named after a former council member who was also a veteran.
No formal votes or motions were recorded in the transcript; the statements in the meeting were presented as informational remarks and public testimony. The transcript did not provide budget details, construction contractors, or a timeline for further housing development.
