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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Real Estate
The Jamul Indian Village of California has announced plans to restore and develop four parcels of land transferred to the tribe late last year by Congressional action.
The tribe made the announcement in late April during an event celebrating a 172-acre land transfer signed into law in December, dramatically expanding the tribe’s formerly 6-acre reservation. In addition to existing properties on the land, such as the historical Barrett Ranch House, the tribe plans to develop both commercial and residential ventures, according to a statement from the tribe.
Senate Bill 3857, signed into law by President Joe Biden on December 23, 2024, was introduced in the House by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and co-sponsored by Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) In the Senate, it was led by Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) and former Sen. Laphonsa Butler. The Act places four parcels of land into federal trust, expanding the tribe’s reservation from six acres to over 178 acres.
Prior to the expansion, Jamul Indian Village had one of the smallest reservations in the United States. The tribe's lands lacked basic utilities like running water and electricity until the early 1980s.
In 2005, tribal members made what Chairwoman Erica M. Pinto called "the difficult decision" to move off the tribe's six-acre reservation to allow for economic development, including a gaming facility.
“The Tribe's economic development allowed the Tribe to incrementally acquire 172.1 acres of land in the area surrounding its 6-acre Reservation with the hope that it would be taken into trust by the federal government and Tribal Members could return to their ancestral territory,” Pinto told a congressional committee in February.
The April ceremony featured a land blessing, stories from tribal members about their historical connection to the land, and a traditional bird song. Chairwoman Pinto, Rep. Issa, State Sen. Brian Jones, and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria delivered remarks at the event.
“The tribe has worked long and hard to create the resources necessary to buy land in our ancestral homeland,” said Chairwoman Pinto. “With the passage of the bill and the land brought back into trust, we can now focus on new opportunities to build our community back.”
Issa said the land transfer was about the “government doing the right thing for our tribal community.
“Helping create an opportunity that allows tribal families to live together on land they historically called home is an honor,” Issa said during the event.
The Jamul Indian Village is one of thirteen tribes of the Kumeyaay Nation, who have lived in Southern California since time immemorial. The tribe was formally organized under the Indian Reorganization Act in 1981.
