[Charles Thompson Memorial Award][Alvira B. Long Memorial Award]
[2008 Community Development Award of Merit][2008 Housing Award of Merit]

Each year NCRC recognizes excellence by a Housing and CR & D agency. These agencies are selected from among the regional Award of Merit submissions. In addition NCRC awards the following two individual awards:

The Charles Thompson Memorial Award for Distinguished Service - recognizes an individual who has exhibited outstanding leadership qualities, involvement in their community and sincere interests/citizens they serve.

Congratulations to the 2008 Charles Thompson Leadership award winner, Doug Rise of Bay City Housing Commission.

Mr. Thompson has been the director at Bay City Housing Commission for ten years, started there as assistant prior to for nine years. His Housing Career started in Saginaw as a MOD Coordinator.

Doug's NAHRO involvement includes:

• state chapter president
• served as local NAHRO housing committee
• regional housing committee
• was VP at National NAHRO for Housing

He has also been on the National NAHRO Legislative committee and current on BECT Committee at National NAHRO. Doug hosted several events for state NAHRO in his community.

Local committees Doug has served include:

• Commission for First Time Home buyers
• Local Housing for Homeless committee
• Habitat for Humanity

Hobbies include photography, hiking, sail boat racing, avid reader, civil war buff, gardening, and golfing.

[Charles Thompson Memorial Award][Alvira B. Long Memorial Award]
[2008 Community Development Award of Merit][2008 Housing Award of Merit][Top of Page]

The Alvira B. Long Memorial Award – recognizes a Commissioner who has exhibited outstanding leadership qualities, involvement in their community and sincere interest in the residents they serve. To qualify they must have served a minimum of three years and be nominated by their agency.

Congratulations to the 2008 Alvira B. Long Memorial Award Winner
Commissioner, Doris V. Jones of Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Ms. Jones has been with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority since 1983, serving as the Local Advisory Council President for the property for over 12 years and also serving as a member of the Progressive Action Council (county-wide resident representative organization) Executive Committee. She was appointed to the Board of Commissioners in 2001, and reappointed in 2004 and 2007, recently being elected Vice-Chair of the board. A summary of her contributions to the agency have included:

• chairing resident affairs committee and attending all authority events as the resident representative from the board of commissioners
• chairing senior advisory Council for past five years, attending every planning meeting for agency-wide events
• convening resident coffee and donut socials and rap sessions
  with CEO to hear and address resident concerns, issues and comments
• spearheading the resident voter registration effort
• co-chairing with the CEO, the annual charity campaigns, raising funds for United Way, Community Shares, UNCF and authority charities fund
• joining the board of the National Organization of African Americans in housing in spring 2004 and participating on the fair housing committee
• providing hands-on volunteer support with purchasing and
  assembling give-away items, room set-up and food preparation for events
• hosting resident and employee events at her property of residence

Doris has been recognized for volunteerism from the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program and was honored by the authority in November 2007 for her contributions to benefit residents of the housing authority with the dedication of the newly constructed senior property named in her honor on the far west side of the city.

Recognized as a leader by the residents, Doris gives of her time, talent and treasure to ensure that the residents she serves have the best quality of life experience possible, while living at Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing. This has extended to providing support to those outside of the authority who have lost a family member who was a resident. Doris is an example of compassion and a fair and even-handed advocate for residents and employees, and all served by the authority.

In recognition of her talents, tireless and unselfish commitment that has catapulted her agency into the league as one of the top performing housing authorities in the nation, the North Central Regional Council of NAHRO was pleased to present the 2008 Alvira B. Long Memorial Award to: Doris V. Jones, Commissioner, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Cleveland, Ohio.

[Charles Thompson Memorial Award][Alvira B. Long Memorial Award]
[2008 Community Development Award of Merit][2008 Housing Award of Merit][Top of Page]

2008 Community Development Award of Merit

Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (OH) received the 2008 NCRC Community Development Award of Merit from the nominations submitted to National NAHRO. The award recognized their Lakeview Terrace Community Center Renovation.

Restoration of an historic building by the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority which resulted in the continuation and expansion of programs offered, and will enhance opportunities for its residents to participate in the larger community revitalization project, currently in the planning stages. The building is a gathering point for 505 family units and 213 senior units. It was constructed in 1937 and sits on property that is one of the first twelve public housing developments built in the nation, dating back to 1935. Many of the commercial and residential buildings in the area were constructed in the early 1900’s and have retained their historic character over the years. The intent of renovation was to restore the 70 year old facility back to its original beauty, and stay within the criteria imposed by the State Historic Preservation Society. The property is the recipient of the most art work done by WPA artists during the depression, and boasts artwork on both the interior and exterior of the building.

The interior of the restored facility is home to sporting events, complete with men’s and women’s fully-equipped locker rooms, and a stage for performances, including sound and lighting. The newly renovated and expanded day care facility is now home to the Community United Head Start and Day Care Center, complete with child accessible playground and a place for meals to be provided to children. Renovated classrooms and multi-purpose rooms host an array of programs that include GED classes, Community re-entry, computer labs for classes and communications, youth culinary art classes with a training kitchen, Art on Wheels, a library and meeting rooms for small groups. Installation of an elevator and renovation of all areas included accessibility and security, all signage to meet the needs of those who are visually challenged, a new fire alarm system, digital camera surveillance, energy efficient windows and lighting, and state of the art, HVAC and climate-control system. The exterior provides accessible parking, new basketball courts, new playground, barbeque grills, picnic tables and a circular drive to allow for safe and easy access for child pick-up and drop-off.

Residents played a key role in the design of the project and the resident body has embraced the building as their own, volunteering to keep the building clean and to serve as mentors for various programs offered at the facility, which has proven to be an invaluable asset to the community.

Recognizing this agency for its innovation and success of the project, the North Central Regional Council of NAHRO was pleased to present the 2008 Community Development Award of Merit to:

The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Cleveland Ohio. Accepting on behalf of the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority was Chief Executive Officer George A Phillips and Director of Asset Management, Carolyn Gaitor.

[Charles Thompson Memorial Award][Alvira B. Long Memorial Award]
[2008 Community Development Award of Merit][2008 Housing Award of Merit][Top of Page]

2008 Housing Award of Merit

Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Authority (MN) received the 2008 NCRC Housing Award of Merit from the nominations submitted to National NAHRO. The award recognized their Kids @ Home Program.

The housing assistance program developed by Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Agency came from the recognition that lack of affordable housing results in disrupting the learning process for children as families move and children travel from one school to another during the school year. This program was designed to serve working families whose incomes fall at or below 50% of the area median income, and have been unable to receive rental assistance via the Section 8 program due to long waiting lists in its metro area. The objective is to increase the number of workforce families maintaining permanent housing so their children could remain in the same school for at least one year.

The program offers up to 36-months of rental assistance along with a social services component, and allows a 6 to 24 month transition period. The average length of time a family is on the program has been approximately 12 months. Since December, 2004, 82% of the participants have either increased their income, or have been able to obtain permanent subsidized housing, and no longer need the assistance of this program.
The Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Agency is currently serving 30 families under this program.

Recognizing Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Agency for its innovation and success of the program, the North Central Regional Council of NAHRO was pleased to Congratulate the Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Agency, 2008 Housing Award of Merit winner.

As their was not anyone from Richfield HRA available, Pat Gustafson accepted the award that will be presented to Richfield Housing and Redevelopment Authority on behalf of NCRC at the Minnesota NAHRO Spring Conference May 22nd.

[Charles Thompson Memorial Award][Alvira B. Long Memorial Award]
[2008 Community Development Award of Merit][2008 Housing Award of Merit][Top of Page]