OCHELATA, OK – Leaders of the Cherokee Nation gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the remodeled Washington County Cherokee Association (WCCA) Community Building and six new Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation (HACN) rental units in Ochelata. The state-of-the-art community center is positioned near the Cherokee Nation’s Cooweescoowee Health Center and is accompanied by three duplexes that include six two-bedroom, two-bathroom 1,000 sq. ft. rental units.
The site is designed to allow for future growth and develop a community where Cherokees can work, live, and play, all within walking distance. The renovation of the WCCA building was a Cherokee Nation investment of $520,000, and the new rental units were an investment of $1.6 million.
“The Council of the Cherokee Nation and Deputy Chief and I, deeply care about advancing the community of Ochelata and making sure it continues to be a place for Cherokee culture, heritage and lifeways,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “We’ve already constructed an outpatient health center, upgraded our Cherokee community building and now have affordable rental units available because the Cherokee people in Ochelata deserve to have access to healthcare; they deserve to have a space to gather and keep the culture and traditions alive, and a space that fits their specific needs.”
WCCA and other community members have long utilized the building as a gathering place, hosting potlucks, basket-weaving classes, and other culturally significant activities.
The $520,000 renovation project, initiated last year, has transformed the 5,000 sq. ft. facility. Upgrades include a new vestibule, stonework, ceilings, and walls, along with a fully equipped commercial kitchen featuring a serving window designed for WCCA’s monthly potlucks. The parking lot now features solar-powered lighting, and solar panels have been installed on the building itself to reduce the organization’s carbon footprint and lower long-term utility costs.
“Opportunities abound across the Cherokee Nation, and they abound right here in Ochelata,” said Cherokee Nation Deputy Chief Bryan Warner. “We are lifting one another up, recognizing where we came from and where we are going. You can see opportunity in these rental units, and this is only the beginning. We are making sure that our culture and history is not only remembered, but that it is felt, and passed on through Gadugi to one another.”
The six HACN rental units are two-bedroom, two-bath, each about 1,000 sq. ft. They’re located within three duplexes that have brick and cedar exterior.
“We want to foster the interconnectedness that already exists in Ochelata, and by adding safe, affordable homes with public wellness spaces, healthcare and a community building we are making real differences,” said Todd Enlow, Senior Advisor to Chief Hoskin and Executive Director of Housing Programs.
The rental units reside on Charles Thompson St., a cul-de-sac constructed as part of the overall housing initiative. The street is named after Charles Thompson, or Ochelata, a former, Cherokee Nation Chief from the area. The units are in the process of being rented to Cherokee Nation citizens.
