Vanguard Award
NAHMA Announces 2023 Vanguard Award Application Deadline
Download the 2023 Vanguard Application
The deadline for submissions for the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) 2023 Affordable Housing Vanguard Award is June 2, 2023.
The Vanguard Award celebrates success in the multifamily affordable housing industry by recognizing and benchmarking newly developed or significantly rehabbed affordable multifamily housing communities that showcase high-quality design and resourceful financing. The award:
- Pays tribute to developers of high-quality affordable housing;
- Demonstrates that exceptional new affordable housing is available across the country, and that it is a positive addition to any neighborhood;
- Demonstrates that the affordable multifamily industry must be creative and innovative to create exceptional properties given the financing and other challenges to development;
- Highlights results of private-public partnerships required to develop today’s affordable housing;
- Shares ideas for unique design and financing mechanisms with industry practitioners to further stimulate creative development in the affordable multifamily industry.
The Vanguard Award complements NAHMA’s Communities of Quality (COQ) National Recognition Program through which multifamily properties are certified as having achieved a high standard of excellence in the way they are managed, the services they provide residents, the experience and training of personnel, and other criteria. However, newly developed properties are too new to meet criteria of NAHMA’s COQ National Recognition Program (particularly in the inspection and financial audit categories), hence the creation of the Vanguard Award to recognize these properties. As the properties mature, they will become eligible – and will be encouraged – to enter NAHMA’s COQ National Recognition Program.
Vanguard Award Categories:
- New Construction (two subcategories: over 100 units and under 100 units)
- Major Rehabilitation of an Existing Rental Housing Community
- Major Rehabilitation of a Nonhousing Structure into Affordable Rental Housing
- Major Rehabilitation of a Historic Structure into Affordable Rental Housing
(Please note: A management company can submit one entry for each of the four categories; however, each entry must be a different property.)
Who May Apply:
Affordable multifamily housing communities that are less than 3 years old (as of June 2, 2023) were eligible to apply (based on date of completion of new construction or completion of major rehab). Please note: A management company can submit one entry for each of the four categories; however, each entry must be a different property. Affordable is defined as a property participating in a government funded, insured or otherwise sponsored program that results in rents that are below market-rate housing.
Where and When to Apply:
Applications were submitted to the National Affordable Housing Management Association by June 2, 2023.
Entry Fees:
The entry fee was $150 per property for members of NAHMA or an AHMA, and $325 per property for nonmembers.
The Judging Process:
NAHMA is convening a distinguished panel of multifamily affordable housing practitioners in late June 2023 to conduct the judging process.
The Awards Ceremony:
Winners of the Affordable Housing Vanguard Awards will be recognized at an awards ceremony at the NAHMA fall meeting in October 2023 in Washington, D.C.
Beyond the Recognition – Other Benefits of Participation:
– A congratulations letter and certificate
– A draft press release for use with local media
– A draft letter for sending to Congressional representatives
– A free subscription to NAHMA News ($110 value)
– A crystal award
– Inclusion in a press release distributed by NAHMA to national media and trade press
– Inclusion in a detailed article on award winners in NAHMA News and on the NAHMA website
How to Apply:
Applications should be submitted to the National Affordable Housing Management Association by June 2, 2023. Please email your PDF application to NAHMA at brenda.moser@nahma.org, with the subject line: NAHMA Vanguard Awards. For more details, please contact Brenda Moser at 703-683-8630, ext. 114.
