Court rejects Fort Belknap housing subsidy complaint

HELENA (AP) — An appeals court has dismissed the Fort Belknap tribal government's request to prevent the federal government from recovering millions in overpaid housing subsidies.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determined it overpaid the central Montana reservation $2.86 million between 2000 and 2010, after earlier findings of overpayments stretching back to 1998.

HUD gives Fort Belknap annual grants to subsidize housing units in a lease-to-own program for reservation residents. The payments are supposed to end when ownership is conveyed to the residents.

The housing agency found the tribe was still receiving payments for residences that had been or should have been conveyed.

The tribal government's administrative appeals were denied, so it petitioned the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The appellate court dismissed the petition Thursday, saying it had no jurisdiction.