FHB Logo Facebook LinkedIn Email Pinterest Twitter Instagram Plus Icon Close Icon Navigation Search Icon Navigation Search Icon Arrow Down Icon Video Guide Icon Article Guide Icon Modal Close Icon Guide Search Icon Skip to content
Subscribe
Log In
  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Videos
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House
  • Podcast
Log In
Design

Molly Jones McCabe: Tribal-Housing Advocate

Red Feather Development is in its 20th year of working with tribal communities to build safe and adequate housing.

By Aaron Fagan Issue 250 - April/May 2015

Describe where your mission has taken you and where it’s going.

When Red Feather Development was formed back in 1995, it was a grassroots organization building one house at a time, and for many years that model worked. In recent years, though, we’ve heard from our funders and the tribal communities we serve that they would like to see a broader impact. We still honor our original mission, which is addressing the great housing needs in tribal lands, but rather than just building one house at a time, we’ve expanded our programs to include DIY workshops that give tribal homeowners the knowledge, tools, and materials they need to improve their housing situation. For example, we do a workshop on weatherization, and we also have heard great feedback on a home-repair and maintenance workshop for women.

We’ve always done health and safety renovations, but now they are a more formal part of our program offerings, because a new home remains out of reach for a large segment of homeowners.

What does the lack of adequate housing mean in tribal communities?

That depends on how you look at it. Every tribal community is different. The two tribal communities we are focusing on right now are the Northern Cheyenne in eastern Montana and the Hopi in northern Arizona. What we see is that a lot of people have homes, but these homes are not necessarily healthy or safe. We are trying to address issues of incomplete plumbing systems, incomplete kitchens, and lack of adequate heat. Most homes have wood or coal stoves, which usually are not very efficient or healthy heat sources. This year we are going to launch a DIY maintenance workshop for wood and coal stoves.

Overcrowding also is a huge issue. Some of our new construction accommodates multifamily or multigenerational scenarios. We try to approach these challenges and inadequacies from a number of different angles so that we address the unique demands of each situation.

How have your initiatives evolved?

When we delivered a workshop in the past, we were going to communities where specific needs were discussed and then developed into a workshop Red Feather staff would deliver. Now we focus on training tribal partners to deliver the workshops. That is the new model we are using to create self-sustaining programs.

How much of building is about building successful relationships?

There is a long history of strained relations between native communities and outsiders. Even though we have worked with the Hopi and Northern Cheyenne for quite a while, we’re still outsiders. Because we know our place, they have come to trust our motives. We don’t just swoop in, build a house, and then leave.

One thing I have learned is that you have to let go of your ego, let go of anything you think you know, and just listen. We may think we know the answers and solutions to the challenges we see, but if it’s a solution that I bring to, let’s say, the Hopi, it’s not going to be nearly as successful as a solution the Hopi community brings to us. I may be Native American, but I’m not Hopi. And a solution that might work for the Hopi might not be a solution that would work for the Northern Cheyenne. The right home for a Hopi might not meet the needs of a Northern Cheyenne tribal member. In fact, it won’t.

If you think about it, Native Americans are among the first green builders. We have found that we have a lot to learn from our tribal partners if we listen and incorporate their ideas, building traditions, and local materials. Transparency, collaboration, and a multifaceted approach that includes not just direct services but also economic development has been critical to Red Feather’s credibility and success.

What about your work doesn’t get talked about enough?

A 2003 report by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights estimated that about 90,000 tribal families were homeless or underhoused and that tribal communities nationwide faced an immediate housing shortfall of 200,000 homes. The reasons for substandard housing are as complex as the solutions. With the help of our sponsors—Gulf & Basco, Heritage Natural Finishes, Home Depot, In Good Company, Kodiak Building Partners, Metal Sales Manufacturing, and Therma-Tru Doors—we were able to bring the price of our latest project, an 1100-sq.-ft. home, down to $65 per sq. ft. We are always looking for skilled volunteers to come build or for people who have materials to donate.

Web extra: For more on this interview, read the Extended Tailgate.

Illustration: Jacqueline Rogers

Sign up for eletters today and get the latest how-to from Fine Homebuilding, plus special offers.

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters
×

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

New Feature

Fine Homebuilding Forums

Ask questions, offer advice, and share your work

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Sign up Log in

Become a member and get full access to FineHomebuilding.com

Up Next

Video Shorts

Featured Story

Fine Homebuilding – July 2023, Issue #316

Find online articles on timber-framed solar canopies; the right footings; the best toilets; choosing insulation; compact cordless routers; and much more.

Featured Video

SawStop's Portable Tablesaw is Bigger and Better Than Before

The 10-in. Jobsite Saw PRO has a wider table, a new dust-control port, and a more versatile fence, along with the same reliable safety mechanism included in all SawStop tablesaws.

Related Stories

  • Podcast 569: Members-only Aftershow — Rob Yagid’s Addition
  • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
  • New House, Old Shell
  • Reduce Embodied Carbon With Simple Forms

Discussion Forum

Recent Posts and Replies

  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
  • |
View More Create Post

Highlights

Fine Homebuilding All Access
Fine Homebuilding Podcast
Tool Tech
Plus, get an extra 20% off with code GIFT20

"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Video

View All Videos
  • Podcast 569: Members-only Aftershow — Rob Yagid’s Addition
  • Brick Veneer Details for an MCM House
  • Podcast 555: Members-only Aftershow — Talking with Keegan McAuliffe of Capra Home Concepts
  • Podcast 552: PRO TALK With Architect and Builder Marcos Santa Ana
View All

Green Design

View All Green Design Articles
  • Podcast 562: PRO TALK With Builder and Author Dan Kolbert
  • Podcast 559: Members-only Aftershow — Carbon Costs of Construction
  • Electric House Made With Cross-Laminated Timber
  • All Access: Biggest Builders' Show in Years
View All Green Design Articles

BOOKS, DVDs, & MERCH

Shop the Store
  • Pretty Good House
    Buy Now
  • 2023 Tool Guide
    Buy Now
  • Code Check Building 4th Edition
    Buy Now
  • 2022 Fine Homebuilding Archive
    Buy Now
  • Shop the Store

Fine Homebuilding Magazine

  • Issue 316 - July
    • Timber-Framed Solar Canopies
    • Build a Transom Above a Stock Door
    • Understanding Toilet Design and Efficiency
  • Issue 315 - June 2023
    • How to Craft a Copper Roof
    • 5 Lessons from Building in a Cold Climate
    • The Advantages of Cellular PVC Siding
  • Issue 314 - April/May 2023
    • 7 Options for Countertops
    • Tool Test: Wood-Boring Bits
    • Critical Details for Ductless Heat Pumps
  • Issue 313 - Feb/March 2023
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
    • Fine Homebuilding Issue #313 Online Highlights
    • Practical System for a Seismic Retrofit
  • Issue 312 - Dec 2022/Jan 2023
    • Tool Test: Cordless Tablesaws
    • Gray-Water System for a Sustainable Home
    • Insulate a Cape Roof to Avoid Ice Dams

Fine Homebuilding

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Membership & Magazine

  • Online Archive
  • Start Free Trial
  • Magazine Subscription
  • Magazine Renewal
  • Gift a Subscription
  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Preferences

Taunton Network

  • Green Building Advisor
  • Fine Woodworking
  • Fine Gardening
  • Threads
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Copyright
  • Terms of Use
  • Site Map
  • Do not sell or share my information
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility
  • California Privacy Rights

© 2023 The Taunton Press, Inc. All rights reserved.

X
X
This is a dialog window which overlays the main content of the page. The modal window is a 'site map' of the most critical areas of the site. Pressing the Escape (ESC) button will close the modal and bring you back to where you were on the page.

Main Menu

  • How-To
  • Design
  • Tools & Materials
  • Video
  • Blogs
  • Forum
  • Reader Projects
  • Magazine
  • Members
  • FHB House

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Podcasts

  • FHB Podcast
  • ProTalk

Webinars

  • Upcoming and On-Demand

Popular Topics

  • Kitchens
  • Business
  • Bedrooms
  • Roofs
  • Architecture and Design
  • Green Building
  • Decks
  • Framing
  • Safety
  • Remodeling
  • Bathrooms
  • Windows
  • Tilework
  • Ceilings
  • HVAC

Magazine

  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Magazine Index
  • Subscribe
  • Online Archive
  • Author Guidelines

All Access

  • Member Home
  • Start Free Trial
  • Gift Membership

Shop the Store

  • Books
  • DVDs
  • Taunton Workshops

More

  • FHB Ambassadors
  • Reader Projects
  • Podcast
  • FHB House
  • Customer Support

Account

  • Log In
  • Join

Newsletter

Get home building tips, offers, and expert advice in your inbox

Signing you up...

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
See all newsletters
See all newsletters

Follow

  • twitter
  • facebook
  • instagram
  • pinterest

Join All Access

Become a member and get instant access to thousands of videos, how-tos, tool reviews, and design features.

Start Your Free Trial

Subscribe

FHB Magazine

Start your subscription today and save up to 70%

Subscribe

We hope you’ve enjoyed your free articles. To keep reading, become a member today.

Get complete site access to expert advice, how-to videos, Code Check, and more, plus the print magazine.

Start your FREE trial

Already a member? Log in