2015 Winners

NAHMA Names 2015’s Best Multifamily Affordable Housing Communities

Alexandria, Va., Jan. 21, 2016 – For the 23nd consecutive year, the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) announces the winners of its annual Communities of Quality® (COQ) Awards program. These awards honor 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 2015 COQ Awards will be presented at NAHMA’s annual winter meeting, March 6-8, in Washington, D.C. For details on the NAHMA meeting, visit www.nahma.org/meetings.

“This year, we had 50 entrants, representing a noteworthy increase of applicants over last year, which proves that the Communities of Quality Awards program continues to thrive and to be a point of pride for all the contenders,” NAHMA President Ken Pagano, CPO, SHCM, NAHP-e, said. “There is no other award that focuses so comprehensively on the everyday life and management expertise of affordable housing properties.”

NAHMA’s 2015 COQ Awards program is jointly sponsored by HD Supply Multifamily Solutions, a leading supplier of maintenance and renovation products to the multihousing industry, and Navigate Affordable Housing Partners, a leading provider of consulting and development services to public housing authorities and HUD’s Section 8 PBCA for Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia and Connecticut.

NAHMA congratulates the four winners of 2015 COQ Awards. The winners are:

Exemplary Family Development:

  • Village at Lakeview Apartments, Edgewood, Md. Management Company: Housing Management Resources; Owner: Silver Street Development Group; AHMA: Mid-Atlantic AHMA

Exemplary Development for the Elderly:

  • Rogers Hall, Lowell, Mass. Management Company: Peabody Properties Inc.; Owner: Rogers Hall Corporation; AHMA: NEAHMA

Exemplary Development for Residents with Special Needs:

  • Lilburn Terrace Apartments, Lilburn, Ga. Management Company: Mansermar Inc.; Owner: Lawrenceville Handicapped Housing Inc. d/b/a Lilburn Terrace; AHMA: SAHMA

Outstanding Turnaround of a Troubled Property:

  • Silver Leaf Terrace, Leominster, Mass. Management Company: Housing Management Resources; Owner: Silver Street Development Group; AHMA: NEAHMA

About NAHMA
NAHMA is the leading voice for affordable housing management, advocating on behalf of multifamily property managers and owners whose mission is to provide quality affordable housing. NAHMA supports legislative and regulatory policy that promotes the development and preservation of decent and safe affordable housing, is a vital resource for technical education and information and fosters strategic relations between government and industry. Founded in 1990, NAHMA’s membership today includes the industry’s most distinguished multifamily owners and management companies. Visit www.nahma.org for more information.

About HD Supply Multifamily Solutions
With 30,000-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. Our 650-plus 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 at www.hdsupplysolutions.com.

About Navigate
As a Joint Venture Partner with the Jefferson County Housing Authority in Birmingham, Alabama, Navigate is HUD’s Section 8 PBCA for Alabama, Mississippi, Virginia and Connecticut. With a strong reputation for customer service and training, Navigate oversees a portfolio of more than 70,000 units. Navigate has a history of developing, owning and managing HUD assisted properties in Alabama and has recently begun providing consulting and development services to public housing authorities. For further information, see www.navigatehousing.com.

A brief summary of the award-winning developments follows.

Village at Lakeview Apartments

At the Village of Lakeview Apartments, a key component in the successful management of the community is the relationship between managers and residents. The team is skilled in recognizing and resolving resident issues as they relate to the housing environment. The Village, which serves 497 residents in 223 garden-style units, offers a full slate of programs and activities for its residents including a six-week summer camp for school-age children, annual family fair complete with activities for all ages, monthly food giveaways, a library on wheels program and free weekly legal services, among other enrichment programs. The community also utilizes a sophisticated security system complete with cameras, video and voice technology and 24-hour real-time video monitoring by an outside provider. Additionally, off-duty police officers provide on-site security when the management office is closed. Police calls have dropped over the past three years and crime at the Village has become almost nonexistent.

Rogers Hall

Rogers Hall Apartments is a 60-unit apartment community for seniors that is a Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 202 elderly housing development. Besides supportive services and coordinated activities, Rogers Hall provides its residents with an affordable aging-in-place model. An on-site resident service coordinator ensures seniors have a high-quality living environment as well as social and physical activities. The programs offered include monthly health clinics, nutrition programs, exercise and wellness programs, birthday parties, intergenerational programing with a local elementary school, social clubs, Tai Chi and educational seminars, to name a few. There are also on-site supportive services. Rogers Hall’s 62 residents, many of whom have lived there for 10-25 years, consider themselves family and even recently celebrated a resident’s 100th birthday with a large party including family, friends, neighbors, community members and elected officials.

Lilburn Terrace Apartments

The nonprofit Lilburn Terrace is an 811 Project Rental Assistance Contract (PRAC) property designed for individuals at least 18 years old that are physically disabled/mobility impaired. The staff’s primary focus is showing love and enhancing the lives of its residents. As a nonprofit, management has found creative ways to address some of the needs of residents by doing outreach into the surrounding community, which has resulted in volunteers and donations. The 40-unit, three-story high-rise has been able to update unit interiors with new blinds, closet doors, ceiling fans, lighting fixtures, flooring and color coordinated paint. Additionally, the landscaping includes seasonal flowers and benches throughout the property and the front entrance includes benches under a canopy for shade. One of the property’s supporters is the mayor of the City of Lilburn, who stops by to say hello and provide local news.

Silver Leaf Terrace

The 216-unit Silver Leaf Terrace was once known as Litchfield Terrace and was the financially and physically distressed housing of last resort where families were forced to live in deteriorated, physically decrepit units. Criminal activity left residents in fear of their family’s safety. An $8.625 million revitalization of the community has resulted in both a financial and physical transformation. The rehab incorporated a new management office, a new community room with kitchenette, and a computer lab with computers, printers and free Internet access. Each apartment home received a makeover complete with new appliances and fixtures. A new playground was constructed and three common laundry areas were upgraded, among other interior and exterior improvements. A state-of-the-art video and voice surveillance system provides 24-hour real-time monitoring. Since the upgrade, the community has seen a 98 percent decrease in reported incidents. Additionally, according to the local police, the community has experienced a 70 percent decrease in arrests over the last two years. The diverse population has become a tight-knit community with plenty of educational opportunities for the children and adults.

Past Award Winners:

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Disclaimer: Properties that meet the COQ National Recognition criteria may hold themselves forth to the public as such. However, NAHMA and the AHMAs do not assume and hereby disclaim any and all liability to any person or entity for any claims, damages, liability or other loss including, without limitation, any liability for injury or other damage resulting from any use of or reliance on the information provided through the COQ National Recognition and Awards Program. NAHMA and the AHMAs do not make any express or implied warranties, representations or endorsements whatsoever, or in any way, regarding the properties listed as COQ National Recognition or Award Winners.