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Tribal Battle Results in No Development for 40 Years

Posted by: Tim Halbur

5 November 2009 - 2:00pm

In 1968, the Bureau of Indian Affairs put a freeze on development in an area of Arizona that the Navajo and Hopi both claimed until the tribes could settle. It wasn't until 2006 that an agreement was reached.

Locals couldn't build any homes, schools, or buildings of any kind during the 40-year freeze. Living in poverty-like conditions for decades, the community has little wealth to spend now on development.

"'If it wasn't for the Bennett Freeze, we would have a place to live,' said [Larry] Gordy, a large man with a patchy black beard and an amiable manner. "But now we just have a junk pile out here. Now that the Freeze is lifted, we're expected to come out here and build something out of all this junk."

Full Story: Trying to rebuild after 40 frozen years
Source: Los Angeles Times, November 4, 2009
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If hundreds of people in your community raised reasonable concerns about a planning program you developed, how would you respond? Perhaps you might call a community meeting, or ask community elected officials to reach out to community leaders.
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