Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing

What Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing does

Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing (OSLH), legally the Oglala Lakota Housing Authority, is a Tribally Designated Housing Entity chartered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and originally established in 1963 as the first Indian housing authority in the United States before being reorganized under its current charter in 1998. The organization provides affordable rental housing, homeownership pathways, tenant services, property maintenance, and related infrastructure programs to enrolled Oglala Sioux tribal members across the 3,463-square-mile Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, operating through nine district maintenance offices (Pine Ridge, Wounded Knee, Eagle Nest/Wanblee, LaCreek, Pass Creek/Allen, Wakpamni, Oglala, Porcupine, Medicine Root/Kyle) plus a Rapid City field office.

OSLH's core operations center on a portfolio of 1,130 affordable rental units (including elderly housing at Cohen Home and Cherry Hill, USDA apartment communities, Tribal HUD/VASH units, and LIHTC units) and more than 500 built homeownership units. Specialized programs include the Tipi Zannika (Healthy Homes) Mold Remediation Program, the Safe House Project for children, the Elderly Energy Program, HUD-VASH veteran vouchers, the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Homeowner Assistance Fund (both COVID-19 era), the Makoce Na Mni Waste water/wastewater/solid-waste initiative funded by the Bush Foundation, the Ojilika Zannika youth wellness program, and the Going Green on Pine Ridge solar initiative. The organization is governed by a nine-member Board representing each political district under Oglala Sioux Tribe Ordinance 20-63.

OSLH operates as a federally and tribally funded housing authority rather than a commercial enterprise. Revenue is generated through competitive grants and subsidies — primarily HUD Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG), USDA Rural Development grants, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Affordable Housing Program grants, low-income housing tax credits, and tribal appropriations — with documented awards exceeding $14 million since 2007. Rents are determined by tenant income levels under HUD regulations and OSLH's Annual Calculation Rule; homeownership homes are delivered through mutual-help programs with affordability-based pricing. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on conventional construction methods and a community-led go-to-market motion delivered through district offices, tribal council channels, tenant service representatives, and direct community engagement. Headcount is 101–250 employees, and the current CEO is Janelle Price (as of November 2024).

Name

Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing

Legal name

Oglala Lakota Housing Authority

Website

https://oslh.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Tribally Designated Housing Entity chartered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe, providing affordable rental housing, homeownership, tenant services, and infrastructure programs to enrolled Oglala Sioux tribal members across the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and surrounding communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tribal Affordable Housing Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments (921150), Residential Property Managers (531311)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural, Tribal & Special-Population Housing Programs (FSALAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA), Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing Benefits & Rent Subsidy Administration (BPAIAKAG), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Affordable housing services
• Tribal housing management
• Rental housing programs
• Homeownership assistance
• Community development

Headquarters

HQ city

Pine Ridge

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Subsidies: OSLH operates primarily as a federally and tribally funded housing authority. The majority of funding comes from HUD Indian Community Development Block Grants (ICDBG), USDA grants, Federal Home Loan Bank affordable housing program grants, and other federal housing programs. Revenue is not generated from commercial sales but rather through competitive grant awards and low-income housing tax credits.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing operates as a Tribally Designated Housing Entity providing safe, sanitary, and affordable housing to enrolled Oglala Sioux Tribal members on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It manages 1,130 affordable rental units (including elderly, USDA, HUD-VASH, and LIHTC units) across nine districts, supports homeownership through mutual-help programs, and delivers tenant services, maintenance, and specialized grant-funded programs (veteran housing, elderly energy, emergency rental/homeowner assistance, mold remediation, youth wellness, and water/wastewater infrastructure). Revenue comes primarily from federal grants (HUD, USDA, Federal Home Loan Bank) and rental income rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing operates as a Tribally Designated Housing Entity providing a comprehensive portfolio of housing programs and services to Oglala Sioux Tribal members on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The core offerings include 1,130 affordable rental housing units across multiple districts, homeownership programs, tenant services, and maintenance operations. Specialized programs address specific needs including elderly energy assistance, veteran housing vouchers (HUD-VASH), emergency rental assistance (ERAP), and homeowner assistance (HAF). The organization also runs innovative housing development programs including the Tipi Zannika mold remediation program, Safe House Project for children, Rural Innovation Fund for energy-efficient housing, Title VI housing development, and the Makoce Na Mni Waste water/wastewater infrastructure initiative. The portfolio spans from basic rental housing to community development, infrastructure improvement, and youth wellness programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Makoce Na Mni Waste (Good Earth and Water): Bush Foundation Innovation Grant project addressing water, wastewater, and solid waste management systems on the Pine Ridge Reservation
• Tipi Zannika (Healthy Homes) Mold Remediation Program
• Tipi Isam Waste
• Safe House Project
• Ojilika Zannika (Healthy Young Ones)
• Going Green on Pine Ridge

Products and services

• Rental Housing Program Affordable rental housing program providing 1,130 rental units reservation-wide for enrolled Oglala Sioux Tribal members, including elderly housing, USDA apartment communities, Tribal HUD/VASH units, and LIHTC units.
• HomeOwnership Program Mutual-help and homeownership programs supporting Oglala Sioux Tribal families in purchasing homes, with partnerships through Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing and Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial (CDFI).
• Tenant Services Tenant Service Representatives providing property management, move-ins/outs, annual re-certifications, home visits, and occupancy compliance for thousands of tenants across nine districts.
• Maintenance & Modernization Inspection and maintenance of low-rent units including electrical, plumbing, heating, painting, pest control, and special project tasks across nine district maintenance offices.
• HUD-VASH Choice Voucher Rental Assistance Rental assistance program for Native American veterans, providing HUD-VASH Choice Vouchers for housing support on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
• Emergency Rental & Utility Assistance Program (ERAP) COVID-19 emergency rental and utility assistance program for heads of household on or near the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, administered through the Rapid City and Pine Ridge offices.
• Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) COVID-19 Financial Hardship Homeowner Assistance Fund providing assistance for utilities, windows, doors, appliances, and heating/cooling systems for tribal homeowners on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
• Elderly Energy Program Utility assistance program for near-elderly and elderly tribal members (55+) to help cover propane, electric, and wood heating costs.
• Tipi Zannika (Healthy Homes) Mold Remediation Program Indian Community Development Block Grant mold remediation program remediating mold in bathrooms, basements, and kitchens across low-rent units, having renovated 697 houses from 2009 through 2018.
• Safe House Project Safe houses for children placed in Oglala, Porcupine, Kyle, and Pine Ridge using houses donated by Oglala Lakota College construction trades students.
• Tipi Isam Waste (ICDBG 16) Rehabilitation Program Indian Community Development Block Grant 2016 program rehabilitating 30 boarded low-rent units with $1,000,000 in grant funding.
• Rural Innovation Fund (Energy-Efficient Housing) HUD Rural Innovation Grant program to design and build 18 energy-efficient and low-maintenance low-rent houses, with two houses placed in each of the nine districts.
• Title VI Housing Development First HUD Title VI Guaranteed loan in South Dakota for infrastructure and lot development, placing 45 South Dakota Governor's Homes as low-rent units throughout the Reservation by 2018.
• Makoce Na Mni Waste (Good Earth and Water) Bush Foundation Community Innovation Grant project addressing water, wastewater, and solid waste management systems on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
• Ojilika Zannika (Healthy Young Ones) SAMHSA Native Connections grant program working with youth ages 10-24 on substance abuse prevention, suicide prevention, mental health, and life planning in housing clusters.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oglala Lakota CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2019Oglala Lakota College donated houses built by their construction trades students to OSLH for use as safe houses for children. Three houses were placed in Oglala, Porcupine, and Kyle, with a fourth being placed in Pine Ridge. OSLH collaborates with the college on workforce development and housing construction.
• Dacotah BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerDacotah Bank of Aberdeen, SD serves as the member bank that submits OSLH's proposals to Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, enabling access to affordable housing program grants.
• Peggy LunzmanminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndividual who assisted with grant applications and proposals to Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines for housing renovation projects.
• GRID AlternativesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGRID's Tribal Program staff worked with OSLH and tribal members to install grid-tied solar systems for veteran homeowners on Pine Ridge Reservation, bringing renewable energy opportunities to the community.
• Ecological ActionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDenver-based high school sustainability club that held fundraisers and participated in solar photovoltaic workshops, contributing to solar installation projects on Pine Ridge Reservation in partnership with OSLH.
• Oglala Sioux TribecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOSLH is chartered by the Oglala Sioux Tribe and works closely with tribal leadership, tribal council, and tribal programs on housing, water/wastewater infrastructure, solid waste, and community development initiatives.
• Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for HousingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership organization working to support homeownership opportunities for tribal members. Contact at PO Box 3001, Pine Ridge, SD 57770, (605) 867-1555.
• Mazaska Owecaso Otipi FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDFI (Community Development Financial Institution) partner supporting homeownership financial services and opportunities for tribal members. Contact at PO Box 1996, (605) 867-1018, www.mazaskacdfi.org.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency working with OSLH and tribal stakeholders on solid waste management compliance and infrastructure improvements.
• Indian Health ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal agency with Memorandum of Agreement with OSLH for Wounded Knee Lagoon renovation project, addressing health and sanitation infrastructure.
• Thunder Valley Community Development CorporationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the Oyate Omniciye Comprehensive Plan through HUD Sustainable Housing and Community grant, which included 19 reservation entities and informed the Makoce Na Mni Waste project stakeholder engagement.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Choctaw Nation Housing Authority: TDHE serving the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma, providing a similar suite of HUD-funded housing and community development programs. One of the larger and more diversified tribal housing authorities in the country.
• Three Affiliated Tribes Housing Authority (Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation): Tribal housing authority on the Fort Berthold Reservation in North Dakota. Comparable Plains tribal housing operation with similar funding structure and rural service challenges.
• Cheyenne River Housing Authority: TDHE serving the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in central South Dakota. Same HUD funding structure, same Lakota community served, and same operational model of tribal housing management across a large rural reservation.
• Navajo Nation Housing Authority: Tribally Designated Housing Entity serving the Navajo Nation, providing rental and homeownership programs funded by HUD and other federal sources. Largest tribal housing authority in the U.S. and the most direct functional peer to OSLH in terms of structure, mission, and funding model.
• Rosebud Sioux Tribe Housing Authority: Tribal housing authority serving the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Same geographic region (South Dakota reservations), comparable size, and serves the same Sicangu Lakota population — making it a highly comparable peer.
• Ho-Chunk Housing Authority: Tribal housing authority serving the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. Same Plains-region context, same HUD-funded TDHE model, and comparable scale of operations.
• Standing Rock Housing Authority: Tribal housing authority serving the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation spanning North and South Dakota. Comparable operational scope, federal funding profile, and tenant-base characteristics as OSLH.
• Cherokee Nation Housing Authority: TDHE serving the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma, providing affordable rental housing, homeownership programs, and special veteran/elderly housing. Operates with the same regulatory framework and HUD block-grant funding model as OSLH.

Broad incumbents

• National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC): National advocacy and member-services organization serving all tribal housing authorities across the U.S. Indirect peer/ecosystem participant that influences HUD policy, training, and funding access for organizations like OSLH.

Others

• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Indian Housing: Primary federal funding and regulatory counterpart for all tribal housing entities including OSLH. Not a competitor but the partner/funder whose programs shape OSLH's entire operating model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ogalala-sioux-lakota-housing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing