Agency News & Announcements

July 2023

Introducing: The HHA Newsletter

The Houston Housing Authority is excited to announce the launch of the monthly staff newsletter. This will be a collection of stories and announcements highlighting the positive work the agency is doing to improve the lives of our clients by providing affordable housing to more than 60,000 Houstonians. The newsletter will be published every month and will include:

HHA event spotlights & announcements
Agency accomplishments
Client success stories
New employee hire introductions
Promotion recognition
Affordable housing news articles
And more to come!

There are links to videos, photo albums, news articles, and social media posts throughout the newsletter for you to view and see the impact we are collectively making on our clients' lives and in the greater Houston community.

We look forward to sharing this information as we continue to build a strong, united, well-informed team at the HHA. Thank you for reading, and we hope you enjoy the good news!

Thought of the month...

David A. Northern Sr.

HHA President & CEO

Remember what you're capable of, remember why you are here. Henry Ford once said that when everything seems to be going against you, know that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it. This holds true in life and in our careers. Against all the adversity we face, we exist for a purpose and we are here for a reason.

Life has brought us all here together at this specific time, in this specific place. Our work at the HHA matters in the lives of the clients who desperately need our help. I'm reminded of that every time I see the impact we are making on the community. Each one of you is helping to make people's lives better through the work we do here at the agency. I am proud of how far we have come in the last year, and I look forward to our collective growth in the years to come.

View the Photo Album

Public Housing Family Astros Game Event

We brought 65+ kids and families from all of HHA’s public housing communities to a Houston Astros game. Everybody got a championship ring replica and gift cards for stadium snacks. It was such a joy to see the smiles on all the kids’ faces.

This day was more than just a field trip to see the pros play ball. We’re encouraging the kids who live in our communities to embrace the possibilities that are open to them in life and teaching them that all things are possible if they put their energy into working toward whatever path they want in life.

We thank the Astros Foundation for donating the tickets to make this special day possible.

HHA Client Becomes A Homeowner

HHA client LaShaundria Bell is celebrating a monumental moment in her life. With the help of our Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) Program, Ms. Bell, a single mother, completed a job training program and secured a stable full-time position. By combining her increasing earnings and diligent savings, she successfully purchased her first home, providing stability and security for her family.

The FSS Program is a comprehensive support system designed to promote economic self-sufficiency among families currently participating in our Housing Choice Voucher and Public Housing Programs. Participants work with our dedicated FSS Coordinators to develop specific economic goals and create Individual Training and Services Plans. Over a period of five years, HHA provides access to various employment and case management services like job training, employment counseling, child care, transportation, education, and even homeownership counseling.

HHA also helps each of the families to establish an interest-bearing escrow account, and we contribute to that account based on increases in the family's earned income during the FSS contract term. When a family successfully fulfills the five-year program and achieves the goals outlined in their plan, they receive the funds in their escrow account. This provides a significant financial boost, helping them move closer to homeownership.

The FSS Program empowers participants by providing them with the tools and resources needed to achieve economic self-sufficiency. By setting personal goals and working towards them with the guidance of our FSS Coordinators, families gain confidence in their ability to overcome challenges and create a brighter future for themselves.

We have witnessed many heartwarming success stories through the FSS Program, and look forward to many more in the future.

SHOUT OUT TO THE FSS TEAM for their diligent work in assisting our clients achieve their goals!

The story was covered by FOX26, Yahoo, Herald Sun, and several other international publications! An exemplary testament of the positive work the HHA is doing every day to make an impact in people's lives.

Click to Watch the News Coverage

Veteran Leasing Fair

HHA staff partnered with the HUD-Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing Program to represent the agency at the city-wide Veteran Leasing Fair and it was such a success! This was an opportunity for HHA to connect homeless veterans with our programs and services.

126 veterans came to the leasing fair, accompanied by 15 property landlords and 23 community resource partners.

HUD-VASH is a collaborative program that pairs HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance with VA case management and supportive services for homeless veterans. These services are designed to help homeless veterans and their families find and sustain permanent housing and access health care, mental health treatment, substance use counseling, and other supports necessary to help them in their recovery process and with their ability to maintain housing in the community.

Pictured here: HHA staff representing strong leadership and support of people who need our services. We are so proud of their hard work and the extra hours they put in to make this event an enjoyable experience for all who attended.

"Feeding Our Future" Food Pantry Grand Opening

The first community food pantry in HHA history!

The HHA is leading efforts to create critical resources to reduce food insecurity for our clients. We opened HHA's first community food pantry at Cuney Homes which will provide fresh produce, canned/boxed goods, and protein sources to more than 500 Cuney households each month. HHA staff, volunteers, and residents worked many months leading up to this, painting the walls, spending nights cleaning and organizing, and preparing for the grand opening. It was a joyous celebration. Tears were shed, cheers were abundant, and food was distributed to a long line of families.

We also engaged our external partners to sponsor the grand opening event by distributing grocery store gift cards for clients who attended the grand opening. Later in the day, we transported them in a shuttle to go grocery shopping. The sponsors' contributions will help to sustain the food pantry and maintain the ongoing mission well into the future. That plaque hangs on the wall right outside the food pantry.

Photo Album

A recent Cuney Homes resident survey revealed that 36% of the people who live there experience hunger every week. Nobody should have to know what it feels like to go without a meal. We’re working to reduce and eliminate food insecurity one impactful step at a time and demonstrate what a true community looks like. This will serve as a model for opening food pantries at other HHA communities in the future.

We want to thank our community partners for helping to support this event and the greater purpose of the food pantry: Sankofa Research Institute, American Heart Association, The Common Market Texas, Civic Heart, Fit Houston, Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, and UTHealth Houston.

Watch the News Coverage

HHA Training Center Ribbon-Cutting

Progress comes from continuous learning and education. The Houston Housing Authority celebrated the grand opening of the HHA Training Center with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to commemorate our commitment and dedication to professional development. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee's office presented HHA with a Certificate of Congressional Recognition to acknowledge the HHA's accomplishment of providing quality equitable training services.

We partnered with Nan McKay and Associates to create this resource. The training center will serve as a pillar for affordable housing education and certification both here locally in Texas, and nationwide.

The grand opening was covered in several media reports, which was a great success to promote the work HHA is doing to enhance education within the affordable housing industry.

Watch the Video

Appreciation can make someone's day, even change a life. We must put that into words and express that consistently. May you be proud of the work you do, the person you are, and the difference you make.

Honoring the Life of Our Coworker

It is with heavy hearts that we acknowledge the passing of our fellow coworker, Ayanna Swain, HHA Jobs Plus Career Coach. We would like to recognize the memory of her life and the impact she made on those she helped.

The HHA provides employee support for those who need it through the Employee Assistance Program. This resource is available 24/7 online and via phone:

www.resourcesforliving.com

Username: HoustonHA

Password: eap

1-888-238-6232

Your work makes an impact on the lives of people who need it. Your dedication to the HHA mission is uplifting to everyone at the agency. Thank you for your hard work and commitment!

Please Welcome Our New HHA Staff Members

Knitique Adams

Community Outreach Case Management Specialist

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Kristian Parker

Rapid Rehousing Program Manager

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Rosie Turnipseed

Service Coordinator

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Paige LoBue

Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Austin Ng

Senior Procurement Specialist

--------

Procurement Department

Norma Rodriguez

Executive Administrative & Project Assistant to the Senior VP of Operations

--------

Executive Department

Jermaine Hatten

Website Developer

--------

Information Technology Department

Hope Martinez

Executive Administrative Assistant to the Senior VP of Administration

--------

Executive Department

Charlene Jones

Human Resources & Training Coordinator

--------

Human Resources Department

Let's Congratulate Our Internal Promotions/Transfers

Joanne Gladney

Assistant Director of Economic Initiatives

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Jordan Jones

Family Self-Sufficiency Supervisor

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Adriane Merrida

Assistant Supervisor

--------

Housing Choice Voucher Program Department

Katrina Heard

Procurement Specialist

--------

Procurement Department

Sherima Pedro

Multi-Family Service Coordinator

--------

Economic Opportunities Department

Thank you for reading the first publication of the HHA Staff Newsletter. We look forward to many more to come as we continue to grow as an agency and expand our services to help our clients.

Follow the Houston Housing Authority on Social Media