Valeria Zoé Pérez Ocasio, 13, an eighth grader from Manatí, Puerto Rico, has been named the grand prizewinner in the National Affordable Housing Management Association’s (NAHMA) 2026 poster and art contest. The talented artist’s creation will appear on the cover of the 2027 NAHMA Drug-Free Kids calendar. Valeria also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for a future NAHMA conference, as well as a $2,500 scholarship from the NAHMA Educational Foundation. Preorder your calendar now and be one of the first to receive the one-of-a-kind keepsake when it ships in September.
The poster contest is open to children and senior residents 55 years or older who live in a community of a NAHMA- or a local Affordable Housing Management Association (AHMA)-member company, as well as residents with special needs who live in a permanent supportive housing community or Section 811 community of a NAHMA- or a local AHMA-member company.
The underlying message for the annual contest is always a drug-free theme. Still, NAHMA wanted to open the door for more avenues of expression, so a subtheme was incorporated into the poster contest. The subtheme for the 2026 art contest was Shaping Our Future: Building Stronger Communities Together.
Typically, the contest draws hundreds of participants nationwide.
Regardless of entry category, each national winner of the NAHMA contest receives a $1,000 educational scholarship from the NAHMA Educational Foundation. All winners are also featured as their own month in the 2027 calendar.
Additionally, participants in the annual art contests held by the local AHMAs are eligible to be selected as Regional AHMA Art Contest Honorable Mentions. Those chosen for this distinction will have their artwork featured in a special section of the NAHMA 2027 Drug-Free Kids Calendar and receive a $100 scholarship. These participants are in addition to the national winners.
New this year, the calendar features helpful “Resident Reminders” and expands the number of monthly observances and holidays.
The original grand-prizewinning artwork will be part of the auction at the Educational Foundation fundraising gala in November, with the proceeds supporting the foundation’s scholarship program.
For the national contest, the artwork is divided into categories, with winners selected from the following: kindergarten-first grade, second-third grades, fourth-sixth grades, seventh-ninth grades, 10th-12th grades, and seniors and residents with special needs. Only students are eligible for the grand prize.
NAHMA is accepting presales for the calendars now, with deliveries beginning in September. The order form is available for download on the Drug-Free Kids Calendar Program webpage at www.nahma.org/resources/awards-contests/. The calendar costs $5.50, which is a Department of Housing and Urban Development- and U.S. Department of Agriculture-allowable project expense.
The following lists this year’s national program winners, with their ages at the time of submission, grade completed in June 2026/contest category, the community where they live, the management company and the name of the AHMA that submitted their artwork:
GRAND PRIZEWINNER
- Valeria Zoé Pérez Ocasio, 13; Eighth Grade; Villas de Manatí, Manatí, Puerto Rico; Martinal Group; SAHMA
NATIONAL WINNERS
- Alessandra Carballo, 12; Seventh Grade; Lakeside Towers, Miami, Fla.; Royal American Companies; SAHMA
- Amethyst Castro, 8; Second Grade; West Durango Plaza, San Antonio, Texas; Prospera Housing and Community Services; SWAHMA
- Savy Colón II, 13; Eighth Grade; West Broadway Homes, South Boston, Mass.; John M. Corcoran & Co.; NEAHMA
- Jayla Correia, 16; 10th Grade; Davis Commons, Brockton, Mass.; First Realty Management; NEAHMA
- Janette Flowers, 73; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Wesley at Murray, Murray, Ky.; Wesley Living; SAHMA
- Ariyah Ibarra, 7; First Grade; Village at the Loop, San Antonio, Texas; Prospera Housing and Community Services; SWAHMA
- Daliah Elise McCloud, 8; Third Grade; West Broadway Homes, South Boston, Mass.; John M. Corcoran & Co.; NEAHMA
- Dominic Charles McCloud, 40; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; West Broadway Homes, South Boston, Mass.; John M. Corcoran & Co.; NEAHMA
- Subaita Nowrin, 12; Seventh Grade; Fresh Pond Apartments, Cambridge, Mass.; Schochet; NEAHMA
- Yaslin Pereira, 14; Ninth Grade; Davis Commons, Brockton, Mass.; First Realty Management; NEAHMA
- Jiliana Rice, 18; 12th Grade; Davis Commons, Brockton, Mass.; First Realty Management; NEAHMA
- Melitza Urena Concepcion, 5; K-First; Brownstone Apartments, Boston, Mass.; Peabody Companies; NEAHMA
- Kennedy Williams, 7; Second Grade; Abbey Lane Apartments, Winter Haven, Fla.; The Michaels Organization; SAHMA
HONORABLE MENTIONS
- Aritha Peaks, 57; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Michigan Avenue School, Columbus, Ohio; CPO Management; MAHMA
- Ellen Boyle, 73; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; TELACU Hacienda, San Bernardino, Calif.; TELACU Residential Management, Inc.; AHMA-PSW
- Lenor Cruz, 69; Seniors & Residents with Special Needs; Terry Apartments, Wilmington, Del.; The Michaels Organization; PennDel AHMA
- Lucy Lopez, 17; 11th Grade; Council Groves Apartments, Missula, Mont.; Circle K Property Management; Rocky Mountain Heartland AHMA
- Omar Amer, 12; Sixth Grade; Winteringham Village, Toms River, N.J.; The Michaels Organization; JAHMA
- Simran Heyer, 16; 10th Grade; Los Robles Apartments, Union City, Calif.; EAH Housing; AHMA-NCH
About NAHMA
NAHMA is the leading voice for the affordable housing management industry, promoting developing, managing and preserving quality affordable multifamily housing. NAHMA advocates for legislative and regulatory policy and provides affordable housing professionals with the knowledge to advance excellence in the communities they serve. NAHMA’s membership represents 75% of the affordable housing industry and includes its most distinguished multifamily owners and management companies. Visit www.nahma.org for more information.
About the NAHMA Educational Foundation
The NAHMA Educational Foundation is organized and operated exclusively as a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Founded in October 1994, the NAHMA Educational Foundation works to assist residents of federally subsidized housing as they strive to enhance their lives, job opportunities and children’s futures. Its mission is also to enhance the livability and standing of communities managed by NAHMA member companies nationwide. For more information, visit www.nahma.org/about/educational-foundation.