Housing Authority

Our mission is to provide affordable, safe and sanitary housing to low-income Chitimacha Tribal Members who reside within the boundaries of the Chitimacha Reservation.

The office provides applications for housing coverage (equivalent to homeowner’s insurance) through Amerind Risk Management Corporation.  This coverage is for Tribal Members who reside within the boundaries of the Chitimacha Reservation.  We also have the Community Shield Program through Amerind that provides coverage for those Tribal Members who reside within St. Mary Parish.  To learn more about Amerind, you can go to their website at Amerindrisk.org.

We can e-mail you the Section 184 Loan Application for any interested Tribal Member who wishes to construct a home.  The Section 184 Program is a government backed loan guarantee for those Tribal Members who meet the eligibility requirements.  Any Tribal Member, whether living on or off the Reservation may be eligible. (Please see HUD-Section 184 at www.hud.gov/codetalk).

The current Board of Commissioners for the Authority is:

  • Billy Mora, Housing Chairman
  • Elizabeth Jackson, Vice-Chairman
  • Heather Shuff, Secretary-Treasurer
  • Mildred Darden, Commissioner
  • Tahra Demarco, Commissioner

The regularly scheduled housing meetings are on the second Tuesday of each month at 5:00 P.M. at the Housing Office.  These meetings are open to any Tribal Member, wishing to attend.  We encourage you to come by and visit if anyone has questions about the services we offer.

Contact Information:
Marilyn Burgess, Housing Director
Email: housinginfo@chitimacha.gov

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 661
Charenton, LA  70523

Physical Address:

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana
Housing Department
Keta Centre
200 Ralph Darden Memorial PKWY
Baldwin, LA 70514

Phone: 337-923-9125
Fax: 337-923-7955

Please click here for our fillable housing application for anyone interested in getting on our waiting list.  Please make sure that if you complete an application to keep the Authority abreast if any information changes.

Regarding the Rent to Own Option to Purchase ("ROOP") Program:

Chitimacha Housing Authority - Rent to Own Option to Purchase Program Policies

On February 8, 2023, CHA’s Board of Commissioners (“BOC”) established the Rent to Own Option to Purchase (“ROOP”) Program and adopted new policies that govern that Program. The BOC adopted the new ROOP Program policies not only to reflect the federal grant requirements that apply to the new homes, but also to ensure that Tribal members are awarded homes under a uniform set of policies that reflect best practices for Tribal housing programs. Going forward, all CHA homes—including the new homes—will be governed by these new ROOP Program policies.

New homes must be awarded in compliance with the new ROOP Program policies. CHA’s old application does not comply with the new ROOP Program policies. Under the new policies, CHA needs to evaluate additional information submitted by applicants, including establishing that: the applicant has two years of stable income; the applicant’s household members are not sex offenders and aren’t being investigated for fraud; and the applicant has no history of damaging rental properties; among others. CHA has developed a new application that complies with the new ROOP Program’s requirements. Existing applicants need to supplement their prior application materials with the new application so that CHA awards homes based on the information required by the new ROOP Program requirements.