Housing Resources

Finding and keeping a stable home in the Bay Area is hard. This page gathers housing resources for Muwekma Ohlone tribal members, Ohlone people, members of other California tribes that are not federally recognized, and the wider California Indian community.

Many federal Native housing programs serve only members of federally recognized tribes, and we label those clearly below. Most local programs on this page are open to anyone who meets their income or other rules.

If you need housing help now

  • Dial 211, or search the 211 Bay Area directory, for shelter, rental assistance, and housing services near you. Open to all.
  • BAAITS Housing Resources: Bay Area American Indian Two-Spirits keeps a list of local and national housing services, including homeless services and youth programs. Community-compiled list; check each service's own rules.

Find affordable rentals

  • Doorway Housing Portal: Search and apply for affordable housing listings and waitlists in all nine Bay Area counties, and sign up for email alerts. Open to all eligible applicants.
  • DAHLIA San Francisco Housing Portal: San Francisco's portal for affordable rental and ownership listings. Open to all eligible applicants.
  • Santa Clara County Housing Authority: Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) programs and affordable rental properties in Santa Clara County. Open to all eligible applicants.
  • Find your local public housing agency: HUD's directory of housing authorities, which run public housing and voucher programs. Open to all eligible applicants.

Know your rights as a tenant

  • California Attorney General: Tenants' Rights: State guidance on renters' rights. Open to all.
  • California Courts Self-Help: Landlords and Tenants: Plain-language help with eviction notices, court forms, and repairs. Open to all.
  • Free legal help for low-income renters: Bay Area Legal Aid provides free civil legal help to low-income people in the Bay Area, and the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley provides free legal services on housing and other issues in Silicon Valley. Income limits and service areas apply.
  • California Indian Legal Services (CILS): CILS represents clients in matters of federal Indian law. Its FAQ says you do not have to be enrolled: if you can show you are a member of, or affiliated with, a California tribe that is not federally recognized, CILS can help when your case involves federal Indian law. CILS also says it does not take ordinary cases, such as a standard eviction, only because the client is Indian. Native-serving; federal recognition not required, as stated by CILS.

Buying a home

  • CalHFA Homebuyer Programs: California Housing Finance Agency loans and down payment help for eligible homebuyers. Open to all eligible applicants.
  • HUD-approved housing counseling: Free or low-cost homebuyer education and counseling. Open to all.
  • HUD Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee: A home mortgage program with a low down payment and flexible underwriting, used through approved lenders. HUD lists eligible borrowers as American Indians or Alaska Natives who are members of a federally recognized tribe, along with federally recognized tribes and tribal housing entities. Federal recognition required.

Native housing programs: who is eligible

These programs matter to California Indian communities, but please read the eligibility notes carefully.

  • HUD Office of Native American Programs (Codetalk): Runs the Indian Housing Block Grant, Indian Community Development Block Grant, Tribal HUD-VASH, Section 184, and other programs. These generally flow through tribes and tribal housing entities. Generally limited to federally recognized tribes and their designated housing entities.
  • BIA Housing Improvement Program: Grants for home repairs, modest replacement homes, and down payment help. Applicants' income must be at or below 150 percent of federal poverty guidelines, among other rules. The BIA says you must be a member of a federally recognized tribe and live in an approved tribal service area. Federal recognition required.
  • California HCD Tribal Affairs and California Indian Assistance Program: Helps California tribes and tribal housing entities use state housing and infrastructure funding. These programs fund tribes and tribal entities, not individual households. Eligibility rules differ by program.
  • Strategic Growth Council Tribal Housing Pre-Development Fund: State grants to help tribes prepare affordable housing projects. The Council says both federally recognized and non-federally recognized California Native American tribes on the Native American Heritage Commission's contact list are eligible; non-federally recognized tribes must also be registered as a legal entity in good standing under California law. The 2026 application window closed August 11, 2026. For tribes, not individuals; open to tribes that are not federally recognized, as stated.

Please read

This page is a starting point, not legal or financial advice. Programs, funding, and rules change often. Please confirm eligibility directly with each program, and talk with a qualified lawyer or housing counselor about your situation.

Listings were checked on November 10, 2026. Know a housing resource we should add? Please contact us.