HOUSING · ISSUE 2 OF 4
Homesite Leases & the Land Barrier
What it is
Almost all Navajo land is trust land classified as grazing by default. Building a home first requires moving that land out of grazing — a process involving BIA, the Navajo Land Department, the chapter, and family grazing permit holders. It can take years. This is the root barrier under housing, economic development, and infrastructure on the Nation.
The seam: No single office owns the homesite process from start to finish. The handoff between agencies is a documented gap.
Learn
Understand the system — then consult an expert
Land, Grazing & Homesite Leases 101 — why building anything starts with moving land out of grazing.
Housing 101 — the homesite process in context.
The Seams — the homesite handoff is a documented seam.
Consult an expert: Ask about homesite lease reform →
Plan & Assess
Where candidates stand — weigh it yourself
Land, Grazing & Homesite Leases — candidates side by side — what each candidate proposed for homesite reform.
Ask any candidate: What specific steps would you take to shorten the homesite lease process? Full list →
Act
What you can do now
Request it: Ask your chapter how many pending homesite applications exist and what the current processing time is. How to request the record →
Report a stall: Share your homesite experience →
Report & Monitor
Track progress — hold the right office accountable
What should be public: Homesite application counts by chapter, processing time, and which step causes the most delay. What should be public →
Track: Housing survey → · Community Findings →