of Affordable Housing - Asheville Housing Authority

July 2011
of Affordable Housing
Gene Bell . . . Chief Executive Officer
David Nash . . . Chief Operating Officer
Commissioners
Chair . . . Brian Weinkle
Vice Chair . . . Cindy McMahon
Stewart Dale
Jonathan Glover
Darryl Hart
Celebrating 71 Years of Caring
a newsletter for the residents and employees
of the Asheville Housing Authority
HACA Children Perform In Front of
Live Audience at LEAF’s Spring Festival
O
The children enrolled in the Children First/CIS Project MARCH Learning Center at Pisgah View
perform on stage with their LEAF in Schools and Streets Resident Artist, Imhotep, at the Spring
LEAF Festival.
n With
the Show!
Children
enrolled in the Children
First/CIS Project MARCH
Learning Centers at Pisgah
View, Deaverview and
Woodridge culminated six
months of rehearsals with
a performance in front of a
live audience at the recent
Lake Eden Arts Festival
(LEAF).
In collaboration with
LEAF in Schools and Streets
(LSS), the children rehearsed
diligently with resident artists
who choreographed and taught
them African Drumming,
Drumming, and Hip-Hop.
Turn the page
Asheville Housing
Authority Receives
$4 Million to Renovate
the W.C. Reid Center
Asheville one of 10 Housing Authorities in
the nation to receive HUD’s CFCF Grant
Asheville Housing Authority has been selected to receive
a $4 million grant from the Capital Fund Education and
Training Community Facilities (CFCF) Program by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The grant, announced by Assistant Secretary, Sandra
B. Henriquez. is one of 10 to be funded to Public Housing
Authorities across the nation to help create community
facilities that connect Public Housing and surrounding
residents with quality education and training resources.
HACA plans to use the funding to renovate the
deteriorating W.C. Reid Center on Livingston Ave. “The
money will go to turning the center into a community
education and green jobs training facility, said David
Nash, Chief Operating Officer. “The Housing Authority
is the grantee, but the application and award were based
on a collaborative effort with the City of Asheville, Green
Opportunities, Community Action Opportunities Partners
Unlimited, several other community groups and agencies, and
the residents of the Southside neighborhood,” Nash said.
Assistant Secretary Henriquez commended HACA for
its efforts to create community facilities that offer education
and employment training services to help Public Housing
residents achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency.
HUD awarded nearly $34 million in CFCF grants to
the 10 Housing Authorities that will be used as seed money to
create early childhood education and adult training facilities
for Public Housing residents. Grantees included Housing
Authorities in Boston, MA, St. Louis, MO, Helena, MT,
Camden, NJ, Albany, NY, Akron, OH, Austin, TX, Seattle,
WA, and King County, WA.
“As President Obama has said, if America is to win the
future, we need to out-educate the rest of the world,” said
HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “This funding helps Public
Housing Agencies that want to provide these services but
lacked the resources. This is an investment to make certain
we connect affordable housing with quality education and
training resources.”
HUD required successful applicants to illustrate their
ability to get firm financial commitments of at least five
percent to leverage the CFCF grant and identify at least one
education or training service provider as a partner.
LEAF — Continued from page 1
Although the children were nervous, they were excited
to be able to perform after rehearsing for so many months.
The rehearsals paid off with a parent show at each Children
First/CIS Learning Center site (the parent show at Pisgah View
had such a large turnout that it ended up being a standingroom-only show) followed by a performance at the Spring
LEAF Festival.
After the show, the children had lunch and were able
to spend the afternoon swimming in the lake on the festival
grounds.
Time and time again, it is easy to see the LEAF in
Schools and Streets experience has a far reaching impact
on its participants. A good example is one 8-year-old girl
enrolled in the Children First/CIS Project MARCH Learning
Center at Deaverview for the first time this year, who began
as a shy, quiet little girl. When she became inspired by the
hip-hop dance lessons by LSS artist Lisa Zahiya, she slowly
blossomed into a confident performer. She has said that the
dancing helped her express herself with her classmates and
friends and now the once shy little girl is a bubbly, excited
rising 3rd grader. She even received an award from the Project
MARCH Learning Center at Deaverview for “Best Dancer at
the LEAF Festival” and was a runner-up for “Friendliest.”
LEAF is a non-profit organization “Connecting
Cultures and Creating Community Through Music and Arts”.
Founder, Jennifer Pickering, has a special place in her heart
for Klondyke Homes. Growing up at Camp Rockmont, she
connected with Bertha Gilliam, one of the camp cooks, who
was like a second mother, Pickering says. Gilliam lived in the
Klondyke community but commuted out to Black Mountain
for years.”
“She really became one of the main people in my life I
identified with and connected with,” she says. As she got to
know Gilliam, she saw the daily struggles of people living in
Klondyke and realized the children living there had no access
to training in arts and music. Klondyke was one of the first
places she brought musicians to, and in January, LEAF started
a new jazz program there, bringing in teacher Gary Bradley
to show some of Gilliam’s great-grandchildren how to play
trumpet and sax.”
“Starting in 2006, Pickering also pushed her efforts
further afield with LEAF International, which sends
instruments and encourages musical training for children in
places like Rwanda and Guatemala. The program partners
with Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, which works with youth
on environmental and humanitarian projects in 120 countries.
This summer, LEAF will launch a Haiti outreach program.
Working with Asheville filmmaker Kurt Mann, LEAF
International will organize local music teachers to work with
kids at the New Life Orphanage in Port Au Prince.”
Housing Authority Team Joins
Chamber Challenge Runners
One of the biggest challenges in June’s 5th Annual Chamber
Challenge race was to stay hydrated and on your feet in nearly 90-degree
temperatures— as shown in these photos taken by HACA Architect, Doug
Grant.
HACA employees (L-R above) Jay Gurney, Pat Hammonds, Anthony
Goodson, and Gene Bell braved the high humidity and extreme heat to
complete the annual race that winds through the hills of Montford each June
to help promote health and fitness in the workplace.
Hosted by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, this year’s 3.1mile race drew record participation with 1,140 runners.
Race Director, Vanessa Salomo
said “We are so thrilled at this kind
of turnout. Everyone knew it was
hot, but all we saw were people
smiling and having a great time.”
“It’s all about camaraderie
and using the workplace as a great
support system for exercising and
doing something healthy,” Salomo
said.
Darrell Gillett
Keith Holcombe
Mary McDonald
Marian Parkes
Stanley Banks
Monte Brooks
Don Penland
Vincent Drayton
Shaomin Li
Patricia Hammonds
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CONGRATULATIONS to Brooke
Crompton on her marriage to high
school sweetheart, Brian Smith. Best
Wishes for a lifetime of happiness!
2nd Annual New Start Career Fair a Huge Success!
The 2nd Annual New Start Career Fair, held
on June 8th at the Haywood Park Hotel, was very
successful. The event, designed specifically for
individuals with criminal background records, had
over 200 job seekers hoping to acquire a job. There
were 14 employers in attendance meeting one-on-one
with excited job seekers. Individuals were able to
fill out and submit applications on-site to the hiring
professionals.
The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville’s
Family Self Sufficiency Coordinator, Terrie Williams,
and Employment and Training Coordinator, Brooke
Smith, were two of the event’s co-founders.
“There are so many folks who have records and
deserve a second chance,” said Smith. This not
only improves the lives of the individuals who get
jobs, but it also helps build a better and stronger
community for everyone. I’m so proud of the event
that we were able to put together and of all of the
job seekers.”
“It is just good to see that there are employers
in Asheville who are willing to give folks with a
criminal background a second chance to become
productive members of the community,” said
Williams.
The New Start Career Fair was a community
collaborative and was only able to happen because
of the very hard work of many agencies including:
AB Tech’s HRD/ABE/GED Program
ABCCM’s Veteran’s Employment and Training Services
Asheville Green Opportunities
Buncombe County Adult Drug Treatment Court
Buncombe County Day Reporting Center
Buncombe County Department of Social Services
Buncombe County Detention Facility
City of Asheville/Weed and Seed
Brooke Crompton Smith and Alberta Williams talk with a
job seeker at the Housing Authority’s table.
Community Action Opportunities
Dennis Gibson Law, PLLC
Department of Veteran Affairs
Employment Security Commission of NC
Goodwill Project Re-entry
Housing Authority of the City of Asheville
Mountain Area Job Link Career Center
NC Department of Corrections
RHA Health Services
Women at Risk
If you missed this year’s event, please contact Terrie Williams at 239-1304 or Brooke Smith at 251-1709
to get information about other programs that can assist you in achieving your goals of self-sufficiency.
APD Security Team Putting A Big Dent In Crime
Pisgah View
EMERGENCIES . . . . . . Dial 911
Police Services (general
assistance) . . . . . Dial 259-5870
(Someone is there 24-7)
Drug Suppression Unit
(for direct call or anonymous
message) . . . Dial 259-5814
Quantarian
Cemon
Garnett
Quantarian Cemon
Garnett, 6 Love It Ln.,
Asheville, NC - Charged
with: Assault on Female;
Discharging a Firearm in
City Limits; Possess ion of
Schedule II; 2nd Degree
Trespassing.
Klondyke
Orlando Unique
McAllister, 21 Klondyke
Ave.., Asheville, NC
- Charged with: PWIMSD
Sch II; 2nd Degree
Trespassing.
Orlando
Unique
McAllister
Deaverview
Brandon Robert West,
275 Deaverview Rd,
Asheville, NC - Charged
with: DWI; Possession
of less than 1/2 ounce;
Simple Possession of
Schedule IV; Driving
Left of Center.
Brandon
Robert
West
Hillcrest
Terrell
Sinclair
Gates
Terrell Sinclair Gates,
146 Fayetteville St.,
Asheville, NC - Charged
with: Assault on
Government Official;
Resisting Public Officers;
DWLR; Fail to Stop at
Stop Sign; Improper
Turn.
Lee Walker
Russell Allen Wilson
Squire, 50 Wilbar Ave.,
Apt 9D, Asheville,
NC - Charged with:
Possession of Sch I;
Trafficking in Opium x 2;
PWIMSD Sch III.
Please contact the Asheville Police Department at 259-5870
or contact the Drug Suppression Unit Tip Line at 259-5814 if
you have any information.
Russell Allen
Wilson Squire
Dominique
Jawann
Eddings
Dominique Jawann
Eddings is currently
wanted for 2 x
Felony Probation
Violation; 2 x
Possession of Stolen
Property (M); and
Financial Card Theft.
Eddings is known
to frequent the
Klondyke area.
Kenneth Lamont
Davis, 2180
Creekview Trail,
Decatur, GA- Davis
is currently wanted
for two counts of
Trafficking Cocaine,
PWIMSD Cocaine,
Kenneth
Lamont Davis PWIMSD Marijuana,
Habitual Felon,
and Resisting Public Officers. Davis is
known to frequent various Housing
developments while he is in town.
H
ACA
Making it possible for kids
to have beds to jump on!
Wesley Smith, son of Pisgah
View Manager Allison
Smith, graduated from
Asheville High. Wesley is
deciding between several
area universities which have
offered him scholarships.
Brendon White, son of
Trina Boyd, graduated
from Asheville High and
has accepted a scholarship
from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill for
Men’s Track.
Shamanna Boyd, daughter of
Charlene Harris of Klondyke,
graduated from Asheville
High.
Brittany Jackson, daughter
of Nicole Jackson of Aurora
Drive, graduated from Erwin
High.
Wesley Smith
Honors & Awards
Congratulations to Latasha Martin
of Klondyke for making the Dean’s
List at AB Tech and her son, Jyree
McSwain, age 11, who received the
President Academic Achievement
Award at Claxton School.
The essence of happiness is
pausing to savor the gift of
our present moments.
You’re Invited!
David G. Myers, PHD
JULY 9
Block Party . . . Aston Park Tower
There will be a block party at Aston Park in the parking lot behind
the building on July 9 from 1 to 3 pm. The party will provide
Housing Authority residents with a fun occasion to learn about
local health resources, healthy nutrition options, and to participate
in free health screenings. Free music and food will be provided.
In addition, the WOW bus from Park Ridge will be doing free
screenings for high cholesterol, diabetes, prostate cancer and
high blood pressure. Residents can earn community service
hours for attendance. Call Kathy McDonald at 239-3517 for more
information.
July 11
Flag of the Free
L
The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville is a
Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity agency.
Asheville Housing Authority
“Keeping the Promise”
Hours of Operation
ook at the flag as it floats on high,
Streaming aloft in the clear, blue sky,
Rippling, leaping, tugging away,
Throbbing with life, where the world may see Flag of our country, flag of the free!
What do we see in the flag on high,
That we bare our heads as it passes by,
That we thrill with pride, our hearts beat fast,
And we cheer and cheer as the flag goes pastThe flag that waves for you and meFlag of our country, flag of the free?
Monday — Thursday
8:00 am – 6:00 pm
Public Housing & HCV Applications
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Telephone — 828 258-1222
FAX — 828 254-2276
maintenance — 828 257-2657
www.haca.org
Board of Commissioner meetings are held
the 2nd Wednesday of each month starting
at 6:00 pm. Call 258-1222 x 0 for location.
The Voice of Affordable Housing is published
monthly by the Housing Authority of the City
of Asheville. We welcome news and calendar
events. Submissions are subject to editing
and approval. Please send information to
165 S. French Broad Avenue, Asheville, nc
28802, or fax to 828-254-2276 by July 6 for
the August edition.
We see in the flag a nation’s might,
The pledge of a safeguard day and night,
Of a watchful eye and a powerful arm
That guard the nation’s homes from harm.
Of a strong defense on land and seaFlag of our country, flag of the free!
We see in the flag a union grand,
A brotherhood of heart and hand,
A pledge of love and a stirring call
To live our lives for the good of us allHelpful and just and true to thee,
Flag of our country, flag of the free!
Flutter, dear flag, o’er the lands and seas!
Fling out your stars and your stripes to the breeze,
Righting all wrongs, dispelling all fear,
Guarding the land that we cherish so dear,
And the God of our fathers, abiding with thee,
Will bless you and trust you, O flag of the free!
Walter Taylor Field