Gainesville Housing Authority program helps residents become self-sufficient

Voleer Thomas
·3 min read

Residents who have achieved self-sufficiency and financial independence through a Gainesville Housing Authority program were honored by the agency on Saturday.

GHA honored 49 graduates from its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program during a ceremony held at The Cotton Club Museum & Cultural Center at 837 SE Seventh Ave. The event was invitation-only and included speakers and a certificate presentation to graduates.

Graduates were honored for reaching zero Housing Assistance Payments (HAP). According to GHA, the HCV program allows low-income families the opportunity to rent housing units.

Subsidy payments are made by GHA to the unit owners on behalf of the family rather than directly to the family. The amount of assistance is based on the family’s income. HCV program graduates pay 100 percent of their contracted rental rate.

Graduates of the HCV program over the years have worked to increase their household income and now receive zero HAPs.

The HCV program was created by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Audrey Craig, originally from Augusta, Georgia, and a 2001 graduate of Eastside High School, was one of the graduates from GHA’s program this year.

The program helped her keep a roof over her family’s head, Craig said as she spoke during the ceremony.

“It helped me in a lot of ways,” Craig said. “I didn’t have a stable job and the program helped pay my rent until I started paying more of my own rent. They don’t kick you out, they keep you on the program until you are financially stable and ready to get off of it.”

Craig said the program is a stepping stone to help her reach her future goals.

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“I want to thank this program for giving me a start towards financial independence,” Craig said. “It gave me what I needed to better myself. One day I want to be a homeowner and this is a start to do it on my own.”

Pamela Davis, CEO of GHA, has led GHA for 12 years, and during that time she has been an advocate for self-sufficiency by encouraging residents to participate in programs.

The Gainesville Housing Authority (GHA) honored 49 graduates from its Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program on Saturday at the Cotton Club Museum & Cultural Center. Special guests included from left, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, HCV honoree Audrey Craig, Malcolm Kiner, chief operating officer for GHA, GHA CEO Pamela Davis and guest speaker Angela Tharpe at the podium. (Credit: Photo by Voleer Thomas/For The Guardian)

GHA has programs such as the Job Training & Entrepreneurial Program (JTEP) that provides residents with the opportunity to receive on the job training skills, and a program called Strive4Success that helps residents with employment coaching, leadership training and support services to help them find their career path.

“I want residents to take advantage of all of the opportunities to empower themselves,” Davis said. “I’m so passionate about this because I grew up in public housing and here I am today. If I can do it, anyone can do it.”

For more information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program or other housing services provided by GHA, contact the organization via phone at (352) 872-5500 or visit GainesvilleHousingAuthority.org.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Becoming self-sufficient goal of Gainesville Housing Authority program