News

         Updates

The Galveston Housing Authority (GHA) was notified that it is the recipient of two Awards of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). The awards were given to GHA for 1.) The implementation of the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP) and 2.) The Oaks Housing Development.

The DHAP program was given an award of Merit in the category for Administrative Innovation. The award recognizes the monumental task the GHA undertook in administering the DHAP program for the City of Galveston. This is highlighted by the fact that the number of families to whom the GHA provided housing assistance, increased from 782 to 6500 families in one month. The acknowledgement of the success of this program as a best practice will help guide other agencies as they plan for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters.

The Oaks Housing Development was given an award of Merit in the category of Program Innovation: Affordable Housing. The Oaks Development was a means to create and provide affordable homeownership for the people of Galveston. The GHA used land that once held a public housing project and transformed it into affordable housing for the elderly and single family homes for sale to the economically disadvantaged. Through a collaborative effort, the GHA was able to use both public and private resources for this venture which resulted in homeownership for those who may have never achieved that dream.

In its letter, NAHRO advised the GHA that both programs were being nominated for the prestigious National Awards of Excellence Competition. For the GHA, both of these programs represent the first step of a long process to bring residents back to Galveston. DHAP-IKE has created much needed jobs on the island by hiring 104 people (the majority of whom are citizens of Galveston) to help with the disaster assistance effort. Through developments like The Oaks, the GHA will continue to be an active participant and significant contributor to the revitalization of the City of Galveston.