Minnesota Band Takes Back Land To Ease Tribal Homelessness
LEECH LAKE RESERVATION, Minn. (AP) — An American Indian tribe in northern Minnesota has decided not to renew nearly 350 waterfront lot leases, meaning non-tribal cabin owners will have to vacate their cabins.
Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe leaders tell Minnesota Public Radio they want to reclaim the land as part of a plan to address the reservation’s growing homelessness problem. That means nearly 75 cabin owners will have to sell their cabins to a band member, move the structure off the property or leave the cabin behind. Though the cabin owners lease the land, they still own the cabins.
Leech Lake Natural Resources Director Levi Brown says the lots will be consolidated and homesteaded by 80 tribal families. There are 500 homeless tribe members looking for places to live on the reservation.
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What lakes does this involve. Will owners receive any money. How soon does this take affect
It affects cabins on Leech Lake, Cass Lake and a few other lakes. The cabin owners can sell their cabins to a band member, move the structure off the property or leave the cabin behind. They own the cabins but lease the land from the tribe. It takes effect when the leases come up for renewal.
Being homeless since April 1, 2016, and a Leech Lake member, I would like to be added to the list for waterfront homes as they come up to non-renewed leases for non members. Please let me know what needs to be done to include me on the list. As a person who has been fighting cancer this year as well as not knowing when I will be put out at any given time at temporary housing at family members homes to not jeopardise their living in a home that does not allow for additional persons or my Emotional Support Dog.