California
Located in Mendocino County, Calif., the Pinoleville Pomo Nation has been in existence for time immemorial. In 2017, ILCC provided financing that enabled the Tribe to reacquire 3.5 acres of historically significant ancestral land in Ukiah, Calif., along with valuable commercial property located within the boundaries of the original 1911 Rancheria.
The 3.5-acre historic property was once owned by Tribal member Tillie Hardwick, whose family had resided in the area for generations. In 1958, Congress passed a law that terminated federal recognition of the Rancheria, and the loss of tribal status was completed in 1966. In 1979, Hardwick filed suit in U.S. District Court challenging the legality of the termination, legal action that led to the Tribe’s federal status being restored in the 1980s. As a result of Hardwick’s efforts, federal status was restored for 17 small California Rancherias, and individual tribal members were recognized once again as American Indians.
The 8.8-acre commercial property is the site of a former car dealership in Ukiah, located approximately 140 miles north of San Francisco. The Tribe had been leasing the property for five years and was using it for business activities. Thanks to the loan from ILCC, the Tribe was able to purchase the property and now plans to construct a gaming enterprise on the site.