One of the goals in developing affordable housing in the Native American community is to provide a foundational platform that strengthens cultural connections and enhances the health and well-being of its members. Native American cultural practices guide us to engage in a relational way, to honor interconnectedness, and to respect balance. Native affordable housing communities provide spaces, programs, and partnerships that highlight the community’s strength, resilience, responsibility, and cultural connections. To have the most impact, affordable housing projects should be developed in a manner that enhances community-based engagement and that shares economic benefits, cultural empowerment, and community support.

The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), a 501(c)(3) Native nonprofit, does just that. While serving Native Americans in Oregon and Southwest Washington, with the mission “to enhance the diverse strengths of (its) youth and families in partnership with the community through cultural identity and education,” NAYA is the leading affordable housing developer for Native people in the region.

NAYA began its journey as an affordable housing owner in 2008, when it took the lead from the former Low Income Housing for Native Americans in Portland Oregon. LIHNAPO transferred to NAYA its portfolio of properties, including Tistilal Village, which was built in 1970. Thus began NAYA’s journey into affordable housing development that has since produced more than 280 units across seven different properties. This was accomplished through the layering of tax credits, Indian Housing Block Grants, public bond dollars, traditional construction loans, grassroots fundraising, and strategic partnerships.

NAYA’s affordable housing work is guided by the NAYA Board of Directors’ Real Estate Committee and NAYA staff. NAYA’s work incorporates guiding principles to ensure decision-making is balanced and rooted in culture. These principles include Native culture and pride, community input, partnership, self-determination, identity and sense of belonging, stewardship, reclamation of land, fiscal responsibility and equity, support services, sustainability, economic development, and organizational/strategic priorities. Adherence to guiding principles ensures that NAYA’s work in affordable housing meets the community’s needs in ways that extend beyond providing a place to live; it includes providing support services, programming ways to connect with culture and community, incorporating Native art and design aesthetics, naming traditions that support land back, and stewarding the resources that it takes to develop a project in a way that benefits and uplifts under-resourced communities.

The recent redevelopment of Tistilal Village is a great example of NAYA’s guiding principles in action. In partnering with Colas Construction as general contractor for the project, NAYA recognized the importance of shared values, shared histories, and shared economic prosperity. Colas Construction is the largest Black-owned general contractor in the region and has family connections to the Portsmouth neighborhood where Tistilal Village is located. NAYA recognized that with the right partner, the redevelopment of Tistilal Village had the opportunity to empower our community through thoughtful engagement and to invest in the economic development of marginalized communities. In viewing the project as an interconnected part of our shared experience and making decisions based on the guiding principles, the Tistilal Village reconstruction project provided opportunities for new contractors to grow.

Andrew Colas, CEO of Colas Construction, provided this example from the project: “We look to extend economic opportunities to historically excluded businesses and when you are able to partner with an organization like NAYA where this is also part of their mission, it’s not just about what Colas Construction wants to do but what we all want to do, which makes it exciting. One of our subs was The Electric Company, and as a newer company, this was the largest project that they had completed to date. Certain owners would see using a newer company as a big risk, but NAYA felt just the opposite — they were excited to include The Electric Company and saw it as an opportunity for that company to grow. The Electric Company did great on the project and (has) since added two new projects of similar size. So, working on Tistilal Village has essentially changed the trajectory of this company in a really positive way.”

As a construction attorney in the industry for over 15 years in both the private and public sectors, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to engage in new ways of building projects that intentionally focus on values like NAYA’s guiding principles. But it can also be invigorating. Inclusive/equitable contracting is one way of advancing the principles of partnership, fiscal responsibility and equity, economic development, and stewardship. Using inclusive/equitable contracting practices ensures that construction projects become investments in communities, as opposed to simply transactions, and it requires a curious, humble, and self-reflective approach to identify barriers and obstacles that may impact businesses built in marginalized communities. Access and opportunity are key components, and genuine efforts require deep understanding and mitigation of the disparities created by systems.

The work of inclusive/equitable contracting can occur during the request for proposals stage, in the interviewing and scoring process, during contract negotiations, and even when issues arise during a project. Not all clients are ready for this approach, and it takes a certain amount of courage to be adaptable and open to assuming more risk. Working with a trusted partner and having deep genuine relationships that are built on more than just a single project can make all the difference. Understanding true risk versus assumption or bias is another way to open the door to an alternative approach.

Molly Washington (N’dee/Apache) is the owner and Ya’ itąh’ (holder/steward) of N’dee Law LLC, a state-certified Native-owned, minority-owned, woman-owned, emerging small business law firm. Contact her at 503-577-8411 or molly@ndee-law.com.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91��Ƶ guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

No AI was used in the creation of this article.

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Diversity on the jobsite and within the various departments of a construction company has numerous benefits, but building and retaining a truly diverse workforce takes an unwavering commitment to equity within organization walls. That commitment requires organizations to invest in the needs of all of its people and divest in systems that are causing harm.

The most important first step is to actively engage in genuine efforts to self-reflect on ways that a company might be actively instituting or perpetuating systems that exclude, devalue, and oppress Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC), women, gender-nonconforming people and people who identify as LGBTQIA+. If a disproportionate number of people within these groups are unable to access or advance within a company, its systems must be reviewed for bias and institutional racism, sexism, transphobia and homophobia. Once identified, each of these issues must be addressed with intentionality and focus.

Is this task a substantial undertaking? Absolutely. Is the reward worth the effort? Without a doubt. Companies that choose not to invest resources in this level of self-exploration and honesty might never reach their full potential and instead will continue to limit themselves, the success of their projects, their partnerships and their people.

Access and advancement are imperative

Construction typically does not require a college degree at its entry point, eliminating the time investment and debt associated with other well-paying professions. It provides interesting work that pays a living wage and benefits. Although construction is not immune to economic downturns, it can be more sustainable because the government typically invests in it first to bring back economic growth. For someone without equitable access to a construction career, there is no opportunity to avail oneself of these benefits. Importantly, if some people are denied this opportunity at the outset due to bias and systems of exclusion, construction companies and the industry itself will never realize the true benefits of a diverse workforce.

A diverse workforce is valuable because it encourages innovation and elevates new perspectives. In construction, each project is different and the road to success includes distinct facets. Each person involved in a project brings a unique set of skills and abilities, adding to the company’s overall ability to identify issues, solve problems, and deliver a successful project. The more diversity in experience, perspective and ingenuity, the better the ability to offer the best solution. In addition, when employees feel that their company is committed to diversity, and feel included, their investment and ability to innovate is increased.

Building a diverse workforce requires construction companies to reach out to marginalized groups, place value on the diversity of their lived experiences, and prove to them that there are opportunities to work and be promoted. At the outset, simply seeing construction as a career path might mean the difference between access and obstacle. This requires companies to recognize that there is something to the mantra “you can’t be it if you can’t see it.” Construction companies should ensure that anyone who has worked for them has the ability to “be it.” This includes identifying and eliminating obstacles and barriers, including systems of oppression, within their own processes and practices.

Ultimately, companies have the power to decide whether BIPOC, women, gender non-confirming people, or people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are seen as valuable to the company and are recognized as leaders deserving of advancement. Furthermore, not only do these new leaders serve as examples of success to motivate others within the organization, but they also introduce people within their own communities to the idea of a career in construction. Community-centered organizations like Oregon Tradeswomen Inc., Latino Build, and programs administered by Portland Opportunities and Industrialization Center, Constructing Hope and Girls Build are great examples of how the next generation of nondominant culture leaders are helping our diverse youth “see it.”

An inclusive and respectful workplace is required

Creating access for marginalized groups is the first step. Organizations must then be prepared to engage in the self-reflection necessary to institute policies, processes and practices that help them retain the people who have overcome institutional obstacles to access construction careers – people who historically have been pushed out. In essence, retaining a diverse workforce requires companies to create inclusive and respectful work environments for all employees.

Part of the self-reflection required for a company to create an inclusive and respectful work environment for all of its employees is analyzing the intersections of discrimination, opportunity and power within the organization itself. Using equity analysis is a beneficial tool in this regard. It helps identify racial, gender and other disparities that interfere or harm organizations, as well as provides ways to mitigate or eliminate those disparities. It assists organizations to align with outside equity initiatives and create processes and programs to support recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce.

Organizations that use equity analysis can proactively identify unintended consequences before damage is done by evaluating policies and practices, and then developing creative solutions to address concerns. If these issues are not identified and addressed in advance, the ability to recover and rebuild trust with those harmed can be arduous and, at times, insurmountable.

Final thoughts

A company that creates access and opportunity, as well as an environment and culture where all employees feel included and respected, reveals it has an ability to retain a diverse workforce. If companies want to attract and retain the best people, they need to create the best work environments. Ensuring access to the construction industry, valuing different lived-experiences, identifying and rectifying systems of exclusion and oppression, and utilizing equity analysis are good initial efforts for a company to become respected and sought after. At the very least, these are important steps to take to ensure a company is valuing its most important asset – its people.

Molly Washington is a real estate and construction industry group attorney with Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC. She focuses on equity. Contact her at 503-796-2878 or mwashington@schwabe.com.

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed in the preceding commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Daily Journal of Commerce or its editors. Neither the author nor the 91��Ƶ guarantees the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein.

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