Northern Ponca Housing Authority celebrates groundbreaking for new living community

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Community: It’s an integral part of life for Native American tribes.

The Ponca tribe Friday reached a major milestone toward pulling their community together, especially the elders.

The Northern Ponca Housing Authority hopes to renew that sense of community.

It started with a prayer song and ended with turning over a shovel of dirt.

A different type of groundbreaking took place near 84th and Q Streets as the Ponca tribe looks to reunite tribal members, with an emphasis on elders, into one retirement community that maintains that sense of togetherness ingrained in native tribes along with a continuation of cultural customs.

“We are unique in that we have no reservations and so we are spread out and that’s why we wanted to build this sense of community here to put people by each other because we normally have like single-family homes throughout neighborhoods, we don’t have any actual housing developments,” Justine Knapp, Director of Development for the Northern Ponca Housing Authority said.

Ponca Heights will encompass five acres and hold 20 zero-entry two-bedroom homes. There are also plans for a community center and walking path around the complex.

The total cost is around $11 million. Half of that money is paid through block grants. Another grant is pending but the tribe is determined to get the money needed for construction.

It’s been a long time coming for the tribe, but leaders were determined to make the homes a reality.

“We’ve owned this property for about five years now and we’ve been working on development and plans and rezoning the property for the last three years,” Director of Maintenance Alex Villalpando said.

“It’s been a few years coming and we’re just ecstatic to deliver this and give it to our people because our elders teach us wisdom, strength and without them, our lives together kind revolve as family around them,” Board of Commissioners Chair Pam Noyes said.

“Our elders are very important. Everybody respects them. We just really like that culture we keep that alive as well and we’ll just really provide for our elders as much as we can,” Knapp added.

Providing homes for the elderly and reuniting that sense of community for the rest of the tribe has them bursting with pride.

“I’m just proud that I’m part of this event and it’s something to look forward to as I age myself. Now my children know where to send me,” Noyes laughed.

Ponca Heights is slated for a December 2024 opening. This will be the third such facility the tribe has built in Nebraska and Iowa.

Future plans for a similar facility in Lincoln are already in the works.

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