Expanding Mortgage Access and Homeownership in Indian Country Through Mission-Focused Partnerships

For generations, Native communities have faced steep barriers to homeownership: historic disinvestment, limited housing stock on tribal land, complex land status, and few lenders equipped to navigate these realities. Fahe’s Native Lending Program connects Native Community Development Financial Institutions (Native CDFIs) and community-based lenders with a mission-driven secondary market platform, a robust suite of mortgage products, and tailored technical assistance—so more Native families can become homeowners. Led by Susan Hammond, NCDFI Relationship Manager and member of the Penobscot Indian Nation, the program builds on Fahe’s 45+ years of experience in persistent poverty communities across Appalachia.

Why Native Homeownership Matters

Native households own homes at significantly lower rates than the national average. That gap translates directly into lost opportunities for:

  • Long-term wealth building and equity
  • Financing education and small businesses
  • Stability and vitality for tribal communities across multiple generations

Our goal is to help increase Native homeownership by making high-quality, culturally informed mortgage options more accessible—on and off tribal lands.

What the Native Lending Program Offers

Fahe partners with Native CDFIs and community lenders to provide:

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    Access to the Secondary Mortgage Market

    Fahe underwrites loans and sells them to investors, freeing up capital so Native CDFIs can make more loans without continually having to raise loan capital year over year.

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    A Diverse Suite of Mortgage Products

    Freddie Mac HeritageOne mortgages

    USDA and other Conventional products

    Innovative in-house loan products designed for the needs of Native borrowers, including options suited to moderate- and lower-income households.

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    Mission-Centered Underwriting

    Competitive rates and fees

    Focus on long-term borrower success and affordability

    Cultural understanding and respectful communication with Native borrowers

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    Training and Technical Assistance

    Help for Native CDFIs at every stage—from early exploration to operating a full mortgage program

    Guidance on systems, compliance, and loan delivery

    A developing year-long onboarding and training model for Native CDFIs to build durable mortgage capacity.

How the Partnership Model Works

We meet partners where they are and build a path forward together.

1. Relationship & Assessment

Fahe works closely with Native CDFIs to understand their market, readiness, staffing, and system needs.

2. Customized Access to Products

Based on partner capacity, Fahe provides access to appropriate mortgage products, including those that can serve borrowers on tribal land.

3. Loan Origination & Brokering

The Native CDFI or local lender originates or facilitates the loan. Fahe underwrites the loan and brokers it into the secondary market as a nonprofit intermediary, bringing a mission lens to a space often dominated by for-profit networks.

4. Ongoing Support & Training

Fahe stays engaged with partners to troubleshoot, refine processes, and support the growth of a sustainable, long-term mortgage program.

Early Progress

  • Fahe is currently engaged with 10 Native CDFIs that are building or expanding their mortgage capabilities.
  • These Native CDFIs will prepare loans through Fahe’s broker network when they are ready. A comprehensive training and onboarding framework is under development to support a cohort of Native CDFIs over a full year, combining group learning and one-on-one technical assistance.

These early milestones demonstrate that a mission-focused, nonprofit broker model can unlock capital and opportunity for Native homebuyers in ways traditional channels have not.

Who We Partner With

We collaborate with:

  • Native CDFIs seeking to:
    • Launch a mortgage program for the first time
    • Expand product offerings for their Native clients
    • Access the secondary mortgage market without building that infrastructure alone
  • Community banks and local lenders interested in:
    • Serving Native borrowers but needing a partner to help manage risk and connect to investors
    • Learning about HeritageOne and other Native-focused products
    • Exploring broker relationships with Fahe for loans they originate in Native communities.

Why Fahe?

Fahe’s work in persistent poverty communities across Appalachia has prepared us to understand and navigate complex, under-served markets. We bring:

  • Experience with challenging geographies and disinvested regions
  • A strong, established secondary market platform and broker network
  • A mission-first mindset focused on long-term outcomes for families and communities

By extending this expertise to Indian Country, Fahe serves as both conduit and catalyst—connecting Native lenders and borrowers to capital, products, and support that can unlock generational wealth-building.

Connect with the Native Lending Team

Are you a Native CDFI, tribal housing leader, or community lender interested in expanding homeownership opportunities in Native communities?

We welcome a conversation about how the Native Lending Program might support your work.

Contact the Native Lending Program