Navajo Nation Council approves Phase II of Hardship Assistance for remaining tribal members

The Navajo Nation Council has approved Phase II of Hardship Assistance for remaining tribal members through the Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program. (Stock photo)

The Navajo Nation Council has approved Phase II of Hardship Assistance for remaining tribal members through the Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program. (Stock photo)

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Elizabeth Begay, acting Navajo Nation controller, informed the Navajo Nation Council that out of the $361,508,000 allocated to the Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program, $319,532,000 has been paid out to approximately 308,000 enrolled members.

However, due to the change in the Navajo Nation’s enrollment count to 399,494 members, around 90,000 members have yet to receive hardship assistance with a remaining balance of $41,979,377 to be allocated to them.

Out of those 90,000 members, approximately 1,000 applicants who met the original Nov. 30 deadline did not provide necessary documents, like their C.I.B., to qualify to receive assistance.

Additionally, about 9,000 applicants who missed the deadline have been placed on the waitlist.

The remaining 80,000 members are those who did not apply for the hardship fund assistance.

Begay expressed her concern that the remaining balance would not accommodate the 90,000 enrolled members. However, with various council delegates sponsored Legislation No. 0094-21, which enacts the Navajo Nation Cares Fund Phase II Hardship Assistance, all 90,000 members would receive financial assistance.

“Our relatives who had challenges with their paperwork are left in the dark and it is up to leadership to make sure they can access these funds through legislation,” Crotty said.

Crotty — along with four other council delegates — expressed community members’ concerns and questions over the inability to check on their application statuses through the hardship hotline as they are waiting on the funds to pay bills and expenses.

However, Baker Tilly, the contractor that was assigned to oversee the portal and call center put their services and records on hold due to the expiration of the contract coming to a close in September 2021.

“There’s folks from my area that are really inquiring and keep inquiring with me as I speak right now asking when they will be given an answer,” said BFC Vice-Chair, Raymond Smith Jr. (Klagetoh, Wide Ruins, Houck, Lupton, Nahat’á Dziil).

As of June 29, the Office of the Controller has been able to retrieve those applicant’s information from the contractor, Baker Tilly.

On June 25, the 24th Navajo Nation Council voted to approve Legislation No. 0094-21 with a vote of 23 in favor and 0 opposed during a special session meeting. The legislation would grant those eligible Navajos who timely submitted their applications for Navajo CARES Act Hardship Fund Assistance Program, along with the necessary documents needed.

Those enrolled members shall be awarded funding that is comparable to the amount awarded to other Navajo Nation members who received the $1,350 assistance check for adults and $450 for kids.

If those enrolled members do not apply within 30-days after Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez signs and approves the legislation, then the legislation offers them to reapply under the Phase II Hardship Fund Assistance Program which utilizes the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds

Information provided by the Navajo Nation

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