Galveston Housing Authority

Contact us at: (409) 765-1900 


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History

Galveston is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf Coast approximately 50 miles south of Houston. The island, 30 miles long and up to 3 miles wide, separates the Gulf of Mexico from West Bay, which is part of the Galveston Bay system. It lies at the eastern end of a nearly continuous chain of barrier islands that extends more than 600 miles along the Texas and Mexican coasts.

The Galveston Housing Authority (GHA) has provided housing to low-income families on the island for over 80 years. GHA was formed on April 18, 1940, by the mayor at that time. A survey of substandard housing in Galveston was conducted and submitted to the U.S. Housing Authority in Washington, D.C., and it was determined that there was an immediate need for housing.

On September 13, 2008, Hurricane Ike made landfall flooding 75% of Galveston Island. Hurricane Ike was one of the most destructive natural disasters to make landfall in the United States. Hurricane Ike destroyed all four of Galveston Housing Authority's family public housing developments: Oleander Homes, Magnolia Homes, Palm Terrace, and Cedar Terrace.

Prior to Hurricane Ike, the Galveston Housing Authority (GHA) operated 942 units of Public Housing in four family units and two senior developments, and scattered sites, as well as administering 1,213 Housing Choice (Section 8) Vouchers. Post Ike, GHA operates 450 units of public housing at Gulf Breeze, Holland House, the Oaks duplexes, and scattered sites, and about 1500 Housing Choice Vouchers, including additional Katrina/Rita conversion vouchers and 35 Veteran's Assistance (VASH) Vouchers.

The DHAP program ended on January 31, 2012 and at this time fewer than 250 families remain eligible for housing assistance and have been provided with a temporary Housing Choice Voucher. This voucher is temporary and is not added to the baseline vouchers that GHA administers.

During 2001-2002, GHA completed Cornerstone Place, a 32-unit subdivision built on the property formerly housing Cedar Terrace Residents, and as recently as 2005 Old Palm Terrace was demolished to construct The Oaks, a 28-home subdivision and 20-unit duplex facility for public housing residents. In 2010, another 40 one-bedroom public housing units were constructed at The Oaks IV.

In 2016 and 2017, GHA, along with partners McCormack Baron Salazar, the Texas General Land Office, and HUD, completed construction of two mixed-income developments, which include 144 units of affordable housing, at The Cedars at Carver Park (formerly Cedar Terrace) and The Villas on the Strand (formerly Magnolia Homes). An additional mixed-income property consisting of 261 units of affordable housing is under construction at Oleanders at Broadway (formerly Oleander Homes) and will be completed in March of 2024. These developments are managed by McCormack Baron Management. Along with the mixed income developments, GHA is utilizing project based vouchers to support 123 scattered site units within Galveston.

 

Mission Statement

Vision: GHA uses its resources to create and strengthen inclusive, healthy and sustainable neighborhoods by providing high quality, affordable housing choices and by empowering low and moderate income families, the elderly, Veterans, victims of domestic violence, and the disabled in their journeys toward self-sufficient lives.

Mission: GHA creates excellent housing options by fostering public/private partnerships with best in class real estate developers, property managers, and service providers to leverage public funds with private investment and empower individuals, families and communities by providing tools and opportunities to move in, up, and out.


Reporting Fraud

The Board of Commissioners and management of the Galveston Housing Authority (GHA) are committed to eliminating fraud and recovering resources lost by fraudulent activity.

HUD
Fraud is a crime which diverts scarce resources away from the neediest members of our population. GHA strongly encourages the reporting of suspected fraud.

If you witness or experience illegal or fraudulent activity in any of GHA's programs, please call GHA's specially designated hotline at 409-765-1917 and leave a brief but detailed message. You can also visit https://www.hudoig.gov/hotline/report-fraudfor more information about HUD's fraud prevention programs.


 

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