Bill Overview
Title: Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2021
Description: This bill sets forth requirements for the processing of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The bureau must notify lenders upon receipt of such documentation, perform a preliminary review of such documents not later than 10 days after receipt, and approve or disapprove of such documents within 20 or 30 days, depending on the type of application. Additionally, the bill sets forth requirements for the bureau regarding (1) response times for the completion of certified title status reports, (2) notification of delays in processing, and (3) the form of notices and delivery of certain reports. The bill also provides relevant federal agencies and Indian tribes with read-only access to the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System maintained by the bureau. The Government Accountability Office must report on digitizing documents for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the completion of mortgage packages for residential mortgages on Indian land. Finally, the bill establishes within the bureau's Division of Real Estate Services the position of Realty Ombudsman.
Sponsors: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Target Audience
Population: Native Americans living on or affected by tribal trust land transactions
Estimated Size: 4200000
- The bill is specific to tribal trust lands, impacting Native Americans who live on or have interests in these lands.
- It is specifically concerned with residential leases, business leases, and land mortgages, which suggests it targets Native Americans who are involved in these transactions.
- According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are approximately 4.2 million Native Americans and Alaska Natives, but not all of them live on tribal trust lands.
- The Bureau of Indian Affairs serves the over 570 federally recognized tribes in the United States.
- Not every Native American is part of a federally recognized tribe or involved in real estate transactions on tribal trust lands.
Reasoning
- The policy concerns Native Americans living on or involved with tribal trust lands, which is a specific subset of the Native American population.
- The budget limits indicate that only a limited number of people can benefit from the policy initially, requiring strategic allocation to those most engaged in real estate activity on tribal lands.
- Tribal trust land dealings affect those who engage in or rely on timely processing of mortgages and leases for stability, thus the impact might skew towards individuals and businesses in this sector over those not involved in such transactions.
- Given the technological implementation requirements, the benefits may require time to materialize and be more apparent in longer-term wellbeing scores.
Simulated Interviews
real estate agent (Gallup, NM)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I often face delays when helping clients apply for mortgages on tribal lands.
- Faster processing would help my clients secure their homes more quickly.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
tribal leader (Rapid City, SD)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could reduce administrative burdens on our tribe.
- Streamlined processes would free up resources for other community needs.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
small business owner (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Faster lease processing would help my business expand more efficiently.
- I'm hopeful about gaining better access to land for business growth.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 8 |
teacher (Flagstaff, AZ)
Age: 27 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I may see indirect benefits through improved community resources if the tribal economy strengthens.
- This seems more relevant to business owners and real estate professionals.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
retired (Billings, MT)
Age: 65 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate any efforts that modernize our systems.
- It's about time this process was streamlined.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
mortgage lender (Tulsa, OK)
Age: 39 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy should help us approve and process mortgages faster, benefitting our clients and business.
- More transparency and efficiency are always welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
legal advocate (Minneapolis, MN)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 6.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy could empower more tribal members to secure land and housing without legal hang-ups.
- Legal clarity and efficiency benefit all parties.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
engineer (Anchorage, AK)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving land transaction efficiency could indirectly benefit infrastructure projects.
- I see potential for growth and better opportunities.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
counselor (Bismarck, ND)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Any policy that can enhance financial stability through better land access is positive.
- It might increase confidence in pursuing land-related ventures.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
software developer (Santa Fe, NM)
Age: 33 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited about the potential for improved digital solutions on tribal lands.
- Tech can be a big win for process efficiency and accessibility.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 10 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 10 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 10 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 3: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 5: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 10: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Year 100: $5000000 (Low: $3000000, High: $8000000)
Key Considerations
- The BIA's ability to handle increased administrative tasks and potential IT system upgrades without causing service interruptions.
- Tribal land ownership laws and how they interface with federal and state regulations, which may affect how quickly benefits from the bill materialize.
- Potential resistance from stakeholders who prefer current practices over new automated or streamlined processes.