Dat-naa-svt Village Project

The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation has set out to a build a new Dee-ni' village of homes in the heart of their Taa-laa-waa-dvn (Tolowa Ancestral Land) on a beautiful 22.6-acre site overlooking the Pacific Ocean that has been reclaimed by the tribe and is now in trust: the Dat-naa-svt property. (View the project description (PDF).)

Dat-naa-svt Master Plan

A Dat-naa-svt Master Plan was created by group planning process with tribal members in 2016 to develop a new community that embodies the culture and values of the tribe and seeks to become a model of sustainability, culture, and healthy living. The intent is to create a modern village that responds to the culture and traditions of the Dee-ni', the needs of Tolowa tribal members in a design that reflects the evolving broader vision and culture for the present and future generations. Twenty of the planned 21 homes will be built and occupied by low-income families, 60% of median income or less. There is an urgent need for affordable housing locally, and this development will provide affordable housing for some of the area's lowest income families.

Through an interactive design process led by 7 Directions Architects/Planners, a new Dat-naa-svt Housing Village Master Plan has been developed. The design team led a collaboration with tribal leaders, staff, and members of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation to program site elements, determine the site density, analyze existing conditions that may impact development, explore alternative layouts and concepts and develop phasing priorities. The result of the process is a preferred site plan that is inclusive of traditional cultural Dee-ni' lifeways which incorporate sustainable and green building concepts and renewable energy design.

The plan follows the Dee-ni' tradition of building terraced homes, following the terrain, with each new home and community structure facing the water. Important was to protect the viewshed of all homes within the parcel, as well as neighboring properties. A loop drive provides access to the housing from Ocean View Drive and to a community park with a central community center (approximately 2,500 square feet), picnic/basketball pavilion and playgrounds at the center of the site. The homes are on ¼-acre lots in 5 to 6 unit clusters with shared common space at the center of each cluster and shared driveways leading to individual carports.

By clustering the homes, the development achieves a village feel, while increasing available open space, for the benefit of the entire community. Over 2 acres of open, common spaces have been created, as well as over ½ mile of walking paths throughout the Village.