The work of the Planning Department can be divided up into 4 main categories: Economic Development, Grant Writing, Administration of the HIP Program, and working with the Land Commission.

With regards to Economic Development we have been working vigorously to bring a grocery store back to Hoopa. We have: developed request for proposals (RFPs) to turn the modular into a grocery store, developed concepts for a new store building downtown, overseen the interior demolition of the existing store building, solicited 20 different potential store developers, negotiated contracts to hire developers, developed the original grocery store business plan, have contributed to the development of a store charter, have assisted with the selection of Grocery Store Board members, are attending all Grocery Board Meetings, are contributing to store policy development,  working to secure permits and licenses such as those needed to sell liqueur, tobacco and hunting licenses as well as provide WIC and EBT services, and we are also coordinating with other Tribal Departments to help secure the financing needed to get the store up and running. We have also been instrumental in the development of the store's design coordinating the relationship between the Tribe and Greenway Partners who has been hired to get the job done. We have been overseeing the work of Greenway Partners and working with the Tribal Council to help provide input and the direction needed to make this a successful store while doing what we can to keep the community involved as we move forward. In addition, we have worked with the North Coast Small Business Development Center to provide a business development training series for the community and have helped to provide input on behalf of the Tribe to support the Native American Farm Bill. This is something that will support important infrastructure and keep alive programs like: SNAP/Cal Fresh/Food Stamps , WIC, and our Senior Nutrition Programs.

As for Grant Writing, we were recently awarded by the Federal Economic Development Administration (EDA) a grant that will allow us to hire a new contractor whose sole focus will be to implement the Tribe's Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS). This will go a long ways towards enhancing economic development in our community and also creates a new job for someone locally whose work will help to create even more jobs. We are also currently working with the Recreation Department to make use of the Nike N7 Grant Funds which we secured for them more than a year ago. We have also worked with our Tribe's Behavioral Health Program to help write the $700,000 Department of Justice CTAS Grant which will allow for Sober Living Homes to soon be up and running in our community. This grant has also allowed for the hiring at least two new Drug and Alcohol Councilors. As we get closer to completing the store project and several Housing Improvement Program (HIP) Projects we have great hope that we can have more time to focus on Grant Writing in the coming year and beyond. That said ,we have recently been working with Hoopa Tribal Police, Kimaw Medical, and the Hoopa Tribal Court and on March 20, 2018 we submitted a million dollar grant proposal to the Department of Justice.

In September of 2015 the Planning Department worked with the Tribal Chairman's Office, Hoopa Tribal Self Governance, and the Tribal Council to rewrite the Policies of the Tribe's Housing Improvement Program (HIP). This opened the program up and allowed a lot more Tribal Elders and Families to qualify. Since that time, the Planning Department has overseen the completion of more than 40 HIP Projects that have provided local families with everything from brand new homes to new roofs, flooring, water heaters, handicap accessible bathrooms and porches, woodstoves, and more. We are currently managing a case file of more than 130 Tribal Member applicants and are in the process of bringing about the completion of more Tribal HIP Projects in the near future.

Finally, the Planning Department has been and will continue to be involved in many other community development activities including the Community Coalition which is dedicated to addressing poverty and its effects such as crime and drug abuse. We have also contributed to youth activities like Youth Cheer and Football, Youth Basketball and Baseball and are planning to create a Youth Advisory Committee to the Planning Department that will focus on leadership development.