HUD HONORS HOUSING AUTHORITY OF PROVIDENCE 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 23-25, 2009, in Louisville.

The Housing Authority of Providence (HAP) was awarded $78,000 ROSS funds in 2004 to create and maintain the Westview Computer Lab. The HAP leveraged these funds with community partnerships for goods and services worth an additional $100,000. The goal for the center was focused on assisting interested residents in getting the education, certification, and/or training it would take for them to become self-sufficient.

Many residents have used the lab, and several have actually used the lab to complete GEDs and other job skills training and now are employed full time within the community.

The Madisonville Community College has been a partner over the past 4 years. Some participants have also gone on to take college classes at the community college.

School age children were offered tutoring and other academic assistance to improve their school performance as
well as complete homework assignments since many of them did not have internet ready computers available in their homes. There is also a Kid's camp which is a week-long computer training camp for children taught by the Webster County Extension Service.

HUD staff has enjoyed working with Executive Director Frank Skinner and his staff and acknowledge that his perseverance and steadfast support is the reason that the Westview computer lab has been such a big success in this small community. He and his staff deserve recognition as the 2009 Resident Initiative Program of the Year.

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 100-249 units in management; Large PHA of the Year for housing Authorities with 250 or more unit
s 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 Covington
• Medium PHA of the Year - Housing Authority of London
• Small PHA of the Year - Housing Authority of Flemingsburg
• Housing Choice Voucher Agency of the Year - Cumberland Valley Regional Housing Authority
• Resident Initiative Program of the Year - Housing Authority of Providence
• Family Self-Sufficiency Program of the Year - Housing Authority of Bowling Green
• Website Design of the Year - Housing Authority of Pikeville

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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.