Navajo Nation citizens have spent decades in need of new and improved housing across their reservation. In response, Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren is working with ZenniHome in a public-private partnership to bring sustainable and affordable factory-made housing to its citizens.
The Navajo Nation awarded ZenniHome a $50 million grant from its Community Housing and Infrastructure Department and another $24 million from the American Rescue Plan Act to expand production of houses by building a second factory at the former Navajo Generating Station site.
The company's 3-bedroom homes are priced at $200,000 and will include water, sewer, electricity and basic appliances. That includes off-grid options to provide water, internet, sewer and electricity for homes too far from utilities.
According to a press release, many homes with similar amenities being built on the Navajo Nation sell for between $400,000-$500,000.
ZenniHome has already secured a 75-year lease with the Navajo Nation at the former generating station site where many former employees were impacted by the closure in 2019. It currently employs 135 Navajo workers.
Navajo officials say the expansion will create 500 direct jobs at the factory and another 5,000 indirect jobs.
President Buu Nygren says this is a way to help people stay in their communities.
“People are hoping that we all move off the reservation, and that we all move into the big cities,o there's just more land up for grabs,” he said. “But as the leader of the Navajo Nation, my main goal is to make sure ‘how do I continue to build out the necessary infrastructure so that our people want to live here.’”
President Nygren hopes to have the first home installed on the reservation by this summer.
Support for this coverage comes from the Thornburg Foundation.
