Tribal home sites inspection reminder

PABLO -- With the end of the year quickly approaching, the Tribal Lands Department has some friendly reminders for home site lease applicants.

á Applications on the waiting list must be updated each year.
á Those who get lots will receive a 15-month revocable permit for their lot, which requires that they develop and take up residence within 15 months. Developments include the addition of fencing if needed, driveway, power, sewer, water, etc.
á Trailers to be used on the home site must pass an inspection by either the Salish Kootenai Housing Authority (contact Bea Noble) or by another qualified home inspector. Proof of inspection must be provided to the Home Site Lease Technician prior to placing a used structure on a home site.

Not every trailer can be placed on a home site so it's best to have a trailer inspected before purchase. Many trailers built prior to 1980 have unsafe aluminum electrical wiring.

Other issues to watch for in a used trailer are whether it has been moved more than once, was used to store heavy items, or left vacant for some time. If so, the trailer could have a leaky roof, weakened floors, broken water pipes or a rodent infestation.

The Tribal Housing Authority will not rehabilitate structures that are too costly to repair.

Lot development costs should not be underestimated when budgeting for a home site. If moving an approved trailer onto a lease lot, remember to budget for the foundation, skirting and insulation, decks, stairs and pump house construction.

Here are some other details to consider when weighing costs:
á fencing should be completed first if next to pastureland to keep livestock off of your property and protect your improvements;
á two layers of gravel, and possibly drainage culverts, are the minimum needed for a decent driveway; heavy concrete trucks cannot enter a site to pour a foundation without a good driveway;
á power development has unseen costs, such as the $75 application fee, the cost for the meter pole and/or box, electrician fees, and costs to bring power lines and transformers to the site from the closest feasible point; if power must be buried, there are trenching, sand, conduit and grounding costs.

The Tribal Lands Department has handouts called "Developing Your Homesite," listing who to contact and what to consider when budgeting. There also is a list of "Homesite Development Standards" that were approved by the Tribal Council to guide site planning.

Copies are available at the Tribal Lands Department front desk and are also available on-line on the CSKT website under Tribal Resources, Tribal Lands Department home sites at http://cskt.org/tr/tld_homesites.htm.

For more information, contact Holly Hitchcock, 675-2700, ext.1265, or Janet Camel, ext. 1256.