Tracy Archey, Service Coordinator for the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority, gives Choctaw elder Mack Barker a tour inside one of the new homes.
New Housing for Elders Opens
By Charles Clark
Choctaw Nation
Stigler, Okla. - A new door opened for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma last month — 10 new doors, in fact. At a ribbon cutting ceremony Aug. 21 in Stigler, Chief Gary Batton declared the Choctaw Nation Independent Living Community open for inspection.
The 10 units for senior tribal members is a first for Stigler. It is the 7th for the Choctaw Nation. Other independent living communities are located in Calera, Hartshorne, Hugo, Idabel, Poteau and Talihina. The Choctaw Nation also has a program that provides apartment living for qualified tribal elders.
More than 50 people from the Choctaw Nation, City of Stigler and Stigler Chamber of Commerce were on hand as a morning of drizzling rain stopped long enough to hear comments from Chief Batton, Assistant Chief Jack Austin Jr., District 6 Councilman Joe Coley, and District 4 Councilman Delton Cox.
Also present was District 5 Junior Miss Choctaw Juanita Gonzalez, 15, wearing her beaded crown and traditional Choctaw attire.
The housing addition is located in District 5. The councilman for that area, Ronald Perry, was introduced by Cox as “the man of the hour.”
Councilman Perry said, that the housing shows “we intend to take care of our elders.”
Those words and more kept the morning filled with cheer, as well as pride. Everyone present seemed to grasp that a notable accomplishment was being recognized.
“It was his vision,” said Assistant Chief Austin as he brought Chief Batton to the podium.
Chief Batton thanked the Choctaw Housing Authority and other programs and individuals that had a hand in bringing about the new construction.
“The 10 units are just the beginning,” said Chief Batton, as he revealed a total of 32 more units are to be built at future sites. Each property also has its own safe room, he added, noting the importance to safety and sense of security the feature will bring to the new homeowners.
With the snip of an oversized pair of scissors on the lawn of the housing office at the entrance to the addition, the site was officially opened for tours.
Representatives of builders AIPe, were on hand to answer questions.
The addition is located northeast of downtown, but still inside Stigler city limits. Municipal water, sewer and emergency services apply to the units. Each house is listed as being 750 square feet, has one bedroom and one bath, a laundry area, kitchen/dining area and living room. They are ADA compliant and feature Energy Star appliances.
As tribal officials toured the homes in Stigler, they could be heard discussing plans for the next elder housing construction — in Smithville.
For a complete list of resident application requirements and availability, contact Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Housing Authority, toll free at (800) 235-3087 or online at kduane@choctawhousing.com.