Mashantucket - The tribe that owns and operates the Foxwoods Resort Casino has received a $70,000 federal grant to help provide its members with affordable housing.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced the grant for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on Wednesday.

The agency says the $71,735 award is part of the Indian Housing Block Grant program, which is intended to help low-income families living on reservations.

A HUD spokeswoman said the Pequots did not receive a grant through that program last year but received $68,000 in 2013 and $76,000 in 2012.

The tribe in southeastern Connecticut slashed stipends for its members in recent years as its Foxwoods casino, the largest by floor space in North America, struggled through a financial crisis.