OTTAWA — The Harper government is expressing hope it can work with leaders in Attawapiskat to help the troubled northern Ontario community move forward.

A spokeswoman for Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan says officials are reviewing the latest missive from leaders in the First Nation community.

Yesterday Attawapiskat chief Theresa Spence said she had major problems with Ottawa's latest offer to ease the community's housing crunch.

The federal government is offering 15 new modular homes, but Spence says 22 are needed.

She also doubts Attawapiskat will take the government up on its offer to move 25 families deemed the most poorly housed out of the community.

Spence raised the alarm over a shortage of adequate housing in October and the community recently declared an emergency.

Prime Minister Harper has accused the band of mismanaging its finances and turned over the responsibility to an appointee who'll be paid 13-hundred dollars a day -- with the money coming from the band's budget.

Spence has vehemently opposed that decision.