A variety of St. Louis-area partners - including another federal agency - have received "Shining Star" Awards from HUD's St. Louis Office. The Shining Stars, awarded in December 2002, recognized the groups' significant contributions toward helping HUD meet national and local goals, but more importantly, aided low-income persons and improved communities and neighborhoods. The 3rd Annual HUD St. Louis Field Office "Shining Star" awards for 2002 went to:

• Harris Stowe State College, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) grant recipient. The school used their HBCU grant to organize and develop the Harris Stowe/Lucas Heights partnership, which is working to revitalize the Lucas Heights Neighborhood, St. Louis, MO

• HOME SERVICES, Inc, a City of St. Louis Community Development Block Grant recipient. It was recognized for successfully developing, implementing, and providing home maintenance services to elderly homeowners.

• DOORWAYS, another City of St. Louis CDBG Recipient, HUD Homeless Continuum of Care Partner, and a HUD Section 811 Grant Recipient. DOORWAYS developed and produced 69 units of housing for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS.

• North East Community Action Corporation (NECAC), a designated community housing development agency - whose significant accomplishments also have been recognized through their frequent receipt of HUD grant funds. NECAC is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, and developed and implemented the first Section 8 Homeownership Program in HUD's Great Plains Region VII. Above is a Section 8 homeownership house completed by NECAC, and a lucky rural Missouri family receiving the keys to their new home.

• Stephen Trampe, Owens and Owens Financial Services, for the innovative rehabilitation of the historical Continental Life Insurance Building. The property today is a multi-use, mixed-income, 108-unit apartment building in midtown St. Louis. HUD insured the property for approximately $12 million, and the City of St. Louis allocated $3.5 million from CDBG.

• Neighborhood Council, a designated community housing development organization as well as a City of St. Louis CDBG Recipient. Neighborhood Council developed and implemented excellent housing counseling programs that are helping create new minority homebuyers throughout St. Louis.

• U. S. Department of Agriculture, Missouri State Office of Rural Development, for partnering with the Northeast Community Action Corporation and HUD to provide successful homeownership opportunities for low-to-moderate income families in rural Missouri. Charles Branum, Director, USDA Missouri State Office receives his agency's award from Roy Pierce, HUD St. Louis Field Office Director

• Housing Authority of Columbia, Missouri for developing a partnership with the Columbia Community Development Corporation that produced four new homes for purchase by public housing residents.

• A "Shining Star" for the St. Louis Housing Authority, and another for the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, for operating a Performing Arts Center After School Program for young boys and girls who live in public housing.

• Wellston Housing Authority for implementing management directives and actions that have improved tremendously the accountability and management of HUD's public housing investments in Wellston, Missouri.

Over a one year period covered by the award competition, the eleven "Shining Star" honorees made a measurable difference in the lives of low-income Missouri residents: producing about 170 housing units; providing housing counseling services to 350 families; providing social, recreational, enrichment, and cultural activities for more than 110 public housing youth; improving management and accountability in one of the most troubled public housing agencies in Eastern Missouri by almost 20 percent; carrying out 1,076 minor but important home repairs, 138 safety and security installations, 107 accessibility modifications, and 897 energy and weatherization services to elderly homeowners.