(a) Primary objective

The national objectives of this chapter are—

(1) to assist and promote affordable housing activities to develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing in safe and healthy environments on Indian reservations and in other Indian areas for occupancy by low-income Indian families;

(2) to ensure better access to private mortgage markets for Indian tribes and their members and to promote self-sufficiency of Indian tribes and their members;

(3) to coordinate activities to provide housing for Indian tribes and their members with Federal, State, and local activities to further economic and community development for Indian tribes and their members;

(4) to plan for and integrate infrastructure resources for Indian tribes with housing development for tribes; and

(5) to promote the development of private capital markets in Indian country and to allow such markets to operate and grow, thereby benefiting Indian communities.

(b) Eligible families

(1) In general

Except as provided under paragraphs (2) and (4), and except with respect to loan guarantees under the demonstration program under subchapter VI, assistance under eligible housing activities under this chapter shall be limited to low-income Indian families on Indian reservations and other Indian areas.

(2) Exception to low-income requirement

(A) Exception to requirement

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance through affordable housing activities for which a grant is provided under this chapter to any family that is not a low-income family, to the extent that the Secretary approves the activities due to a need for housing for those families that cannot reasonably be met without that assistance.

(B) Limits

The Secretary shall establish limits on the amount of assistance that may be provided under this chapter for activities for families who are not low-income families.

(3) Essential families

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for a family on an Indian reservation or other Indian area if the recipient determines that the presence of the family on the Indian reservation or other Indian area is essential to the well-being of Indian families and the need for housing for the family cannot reasonably be met without such assistance.

(4) Law enforcement officers

A recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for a law enforcement officer on an Indian reservation or other Indian area, if—

(A) the officer—

(i) is employed on a full-time basis by the Federal Government or a State, county, or other unit of local government, or lawfully recognized tribal government; and

(ii) in implementing such full-time employment, is sworn to uphold, and make arrests for, violations of Federal, State, county, or tribal law; and

(B) the recipient determines that the presence of the law enforcement officer on the Indian reservation or other Indian area may deter crime.

(5) Law enforcement officers

Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter to a law enforcement officer on the reservation or other Indian area, who is employed full-time by a Federal, State, county or tribal government, and in implementing such full-time employment is sworn to uphold, and make arrests for violations of Federal, State, county or tribal law, if the recipient determines that the presence of the law enforcement officer on the Indian reservation or other Indian area may deter crime.

(6) ¹ Preference for tribal members and other Indian families

The Indian housing plan for an Indian tribe may require preference, for housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts provided under this chapter on behalf of such tribe, to be given (to the extent practicable) to Indian families who are members of such tribe, or to other Indian families. In any case in which the applicable Indian housing plan for an Indian tribe provides for preference under this paragraph, the recipient for the tribe shall ensure that housing activities that are assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for such tribe are subject to such preference.

(6) ¹ Exemption

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.] and title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.] shall not apply to actions by federally recognized tribes and the tribally designated housing entities of those tribes under this chapter.