National Sponsors of NAHMA’s 2019 Communities of Quality® Awards Program
Sponsored by HD Supply Multifamily Solutions and Navigate Affordable Housing Partners.
NAHMA Names Top Communities of Quality for 2019
The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) announces four winners selected across three communities for its 2019 Communities of Quality (COQ) Awards program. Since 1992, these awards have honored the best multifamily affordable housing communities across the country.
Entrants are judged on how they manage the physical, financial, and social conditions of their properties, and on how well they convey their success in offering the highest quality of life for their residents.
The 2019 COQ Awards were presented at NAHMA’s Biannual Top Issues in Affordable Housing winter conference, March 8-10, in Washington, D.C.
“There is no other award that focuses so comprehensively on the everyday life and management expertise of affordable housing properties,” NAHMA Executive Director Kris Cook, CAE, said.
NAHMA congratulates the winners:
- Exemplary Family Development: Castle Square Apartments, Boston, Mass.; Owner: CSTO Winn Owner LLC; Management: WinnResidential; AHMA: NEAHMA
- Exemplary Development for the Elderly: Neilson Villa, Santa Monica, Calif.; Owner: Neilson Villa; Management Company: GK Management Company Inc.; AHMA: AHMA-PSW
- Exemplary Development for Residents with Special Needs: Santa Barbara Village, Cape Coral, Fla.; Owner: Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc.; Management Company: The Columbia Property Group; AHMA: SAHMA
- Exemplary Development for Single Room Occupancy Housing: Santa Barbara Village, Cape Coral, Fla.; Owner: Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc.; Management Company: The Columbia Property Group; AHMA: SAHMA
About the Sponsors
About HD Supply Multifamily Solutions: With 50,000-plus items and free, next-day delivery on most items to most areas, HD Supply Multifamily Solutions is your source for maintenance supplies, fabrication, installation, and renovation services. Over 700 account representatives serve more than 130 markets, providing personalized service backed by the strength of a national company. To order, call 1-800-431-3000 or visit hdsupplysolutions.com.
About Navigate Affordable Housing Partners: Based in Birmingham, Ala., Navigate Affordable Housing Partners is a nonprofit engaged in developing, owning and managing affordable housing and consulting with various housing agencies to provide compliance and training. Navigate is also a federal contractor providing compliance and financial services on behalf of HUD as the Section 8 PBCA for multiple states. Navigate’s core values: Service, Respect, Transparency, Quality, and Innovation, are applied to every aspect of their work. For further information, visit www.navigatehousing.com.
Castle Square Apartments
Exemplary Family Development | Boston, Mass.
Castle Square Apartments is a mixed-use, mixed-income development located in Boston’s South End neighborhood, home to more than 1,300 residents as well as local businesses. Of the 500 units, 450 are Project-Based Section 8 serving families, elderly residents, and residents with disabilities, while 50 are market rate. There are also 18 commercial spaces totaling 36,750 square feet.
Originally constructed in 1968, conditions had deteriorated badly by 1990, when the HUD HOPE program gave residents of low- and moderate-income housing the opportunity to become owners. The Castle Square Tenants Organization (CSTO) joined forces with WinnCompanies in 1992, investing $50 million in renovations and resident services, making Castle Square the single most successful HOPE development and a winner of multiple industry awards.
Resident services include computer laboratories, literacy and wellness programs, year-round youth programming, media literacy training, workforce readiness training, and senior activities. Castle Square has also won multiple landscaping awards for its artful garden design. In 2012, NAHMA awarded Castle Square a Vanguard Award after the community completed a deep energy retrofit resulting in a 72% reduction in energy costs. The U.S. Green Building Council subsequently awarded LEED Platinum Certification, its highest green building rating.
Neilson Villa
Exemplary Development for the Elderly | Santa Monica, Calif.
Neilson Villa is a 100-unit, three-story elevator-serviced building featuring affordable one-bedroom apartments for residents over 62 years of age and residents with disabilities. Professionally managed by GK Management Co. Inc. since it opened in July 1977, the community occupies a prime site steps away from Santa Monica Beach and minutes from Venice Boardwalk. Its waiting list has over 800 applicants and occupancy generally runs between 98% and 100%.
Capital improvements over recent years, completed in collaboration with the city of Santa Monica, have totaled more than $1,000,000, including roof replacement, exterior painting, balcony replacement, window replacement, and a new fitness center. Residents participate in tai chi, yoga, dance fitness, computer, and English as a Second Language classes. Community outreach has included knitting 100 hats donated to Shriner Children’s Hospital and crafting toys and dolls for local hospitals during the holidays. In 2019, the field supervisor for Congressman Ted W. Lieu’s office presented Neilson Villa with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition in honor of its COQ designation.
Santa Barbara Village
Exemplary Development for Residents with Special Needs & Exemplary Development for Single Room Occupancy Housing | Cape Coral, Fla.
Santa Barbara Village is a garden-style group home located in the heart of Cape Coral, Fla., owned by Goodwill Industries of Southwest Florida Inc. and managed by The Columbia Property Group. The property has 10 single-room units and two two-bedroom units, housing elderly residents with disabilities as well as families with children in a close-knit neighborhood setting.
The property is financially strong, with fully funded reserves, 100% rent collection, no vacancies, and a 98A score on its most recent REAC inspection. Residents benefit from amenities provided through Goodwill Industries, including a Meals on Wheels program, medical and dental services, library visits, computer classes, and assistance with transportation. The community manager holds the Excellence in Management designation from SAHMA, and the maintenance manager holds the Excellence in Maintenance designation, ensuring residents live independently in a safe, well-maintained environment.