United Houma Nation

United Houma Nation Rising

The United Houma Nation is the largest Indigenous Tribe in the State of Louisiana, with the majority of its 19,000 tribal citizens residing along the coastal bayous of Southeast Louisiana. The UHN’s six-parish service area encompasses Terrebonne, Lafourche, Jefferson, St. Mary, St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parishes. Interconnected through culture, history, and water, the Tribe has resided across this region since the 1800s.

The Approach

The UHN has developed a Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan, which holistically addresses coastal climate change in south Louisiana through strategic investments in near-term, mid-term, and long-term resilience projects. Implemented through five concurrent phases, the UHN’s approach directly addresses better meeting needs post-disaster while expanding the resilience of individual residents through provision of services and support for physical and economic health and growth. This near- and mid-term effort is then coupled with strategic, community-led migration for continued long-term preservation of a unique culture, heritage, and community.

Phases of the UHN Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan

Enhance Central Community Resilience Hub. This phase includes retrofitting the current administration building site to increase flood, wind, and energy resilience, and expand current programming to increase access to health care, educational activities, food security, and economic opportunities.
Establish and Enhance Satellite Community Resilience Hubs. Satellite Hubs will be established in each of the six parishes in the UHN service area in coordination with local governments, non-governmental organizations, and residents of those parishes. Satellite Hubs will provide emergency services, resource distribution, and fill community programming and service needs.
Strengthen and Expand Communications. The UHN will scale up its current communications network to connect and inform during blue skies and disasters. In addition to enhancing their radio station, social media, website, and newsletter, the Tribe will expand programming, add live streaming, and develop a cultural documentary.
Build Capacity for Economic Development. The UHN is focusing on economic growth and opportunity by building generational wealth through workforce training and Tribal-owned businesses.
Community-Led Migration. The UHN will develop a community-led migration strategy and establish the land stewardship capacity and mechanisms necessary to support community-led migration.

Adaptation Actions in United Houma Nation Rising Project

The UHN, in partnership with the Community Resilience Center at The Water Institute (CRC), the Law Offices of Michael J. Billiot, and the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability, recently secured $56.5 million from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to implement four out of five phases of their Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan.

The UHN Resilience, Independence, Sovereignty, Innovation, Nurture, Generational (RISING) Project implements portions of the Tribe’s Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Plan. Specifically, Phases One, Two, Three, and Five are going to be advanced under this project. Phase 4 (Economic Development) activities are not funded under the UHN RISING Project, but the activities outlined in the other phases are anticipated to develop the building blocks needed to expand the UHN’s capacity for economic growth.

The project is underway and for more information please go to the UHN website.

Project Funding

This funding was secured available through NOAA’s Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, a competitive grant program funded under the Inflation Reduction Act. The UHN was supported in assembling their proposal with fiscal support from the Greater New Orleans Foundation and leveraged technical support from the Community Resilience Center.