HUD HONORS HOUSING AUTHORITY OF COVINGTON FOR SUPERIOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

LOUISVILLE - The Louisville Field Office of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) presented awards for excellence in management to several housing agencies at the Kentucky Housing Association Mid-Year Conference held February 11-14, 2007, in Louisville.

The Housing Authority of Covington was honored with the Resident Initiative Program of the Year Award for its Get Learning and Start Succeeding (GLASS) program. GLASS is targeted to young adults who are in danger of dropping out of school, have already dropped out and do not have a GED, or who have graduated and earned their GED but
are unemployed. The goal is to eliminate barriers to success, encourage education, set attainable goals and move participants into post-secondary education and/or employment.

There are two separate tracks to the GLASS program. The first track focuses on young adults who have already dropped out of school and who are unemployed. The second track focuses on teens in the eighth and ninth grades that are in danger of dropping out of school.

First track participants attend the Ready-to-Work program, which is nine months in length. However, participants
can remain in the program until they obtain a GED and progress to post secondary education or employment. Follow-up continues for six months to one year. Second track participants have a case manager, who has been contracted by the housing authority, to provide direct, ongoing support to at-risk students. While the GLASS program is still in
its infancy, the positive impact is already being experienced among participants.

The HUD Louisville Field Office annually recognizes superior program administration by presenting awards for Small
PHA of the Year for housing authorities with less than 100 units in management; Medium PHA of the Year for housing authorities with 100 to 249 units in management; Large PHA of the Year for housing authorities with 250 or more
units in management; and, for Housing Choice Voucher Agency of the Year for rental assistance program administrators. One hundred and five PHAs compete for the public housing awards and forty Housing Choice Voucher agencies compete for the rental assistance award. To be considered for the authority and agency of the year
awards, the competing organizations must excel at property, financial, and occupancy rate management.

Awards are also given for Resident Initiative Program of the Year, Family Self-Sufficiency Program of the Year, and Best Practices Recognition for Website Design of the Year.

This year's award winners in each category included:

• Large PHA of the Year - Housing Authority of Hopkinsville
• Medium PHA of the Year - Housing Authority of Catlettsburg
• Small PHA of the Year - Housing Authority of Salyersville
• Housing Choice Voucher Agency of the Year - Paris-Bourbon County Community Development Agency
• Resident Initiative Program of the Year - Housing Authority of Covington
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program of the Year - Kentucky Housing Corporation
• Website Design of the Year - Housing Authority of Somerset

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development, and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet
and espanol.hud.gov.

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