HABD EMPOWERMENT SERIES: 90 YEARS IN THE MAKING

 HABD Chairwoman DeJuana Thompson Shares the Significance of the 90th Anniversary 

President/CEO Dontrelle Young Foster Provides an Update on the Government Shutdown and the Agency's Advocacy Efforts 

HABD is more than housing. We are a community. For 90 years, our agency has been igniting positive change in the lives of the people we serve. Their success is our success, and it gives us great joy to witness their journey. As we continue our Empowerment Series, join us as we share the untold stories of our residents.

 For 23 years, our agency has hosted the George A. Pegues Memorial FSS Golf Tournament. As part of our Empowerment Series, join us as we take a deeper dive into the event and share how our agency is creating opportunities for self-sufficiency and education through the collaboration and support of our partners. 

HABD is in the business of providing affordable housing, but we are also in the business of assisting families by helping them overcome barriers. The perfect example of this is our 2025 Employment and Community Resource Fair. Dozens of employers and resource organizations filled Bill Harris Arena last week, as our team connected residents with employers ready to hire. We also had local organizations on hand offering services to those who needed them. Our agency is grateful to have impacted the lives of approximately 150 people as they continue to advance in the workforce and in life.

At the core of our agency are the people we serve and the people who serve them. Our staff consists of approximately 250 team members, including maintenance workers, property managers, our procurement department, and additional personnel. Though we have different roles, we all have one common goal of providing the highest standard of affordable housing. Our Human Resources department plays a vital part in ensuring that it gets done. Hear from our Chief Human Resources Officer on how HABD keeps our staff energized and ready to work.

Each day, our agency strives to provide safe, affordable housing. Our Public Safety Department ensures HABD is aligned with this effort by protecting our communities. In the last four years, we have significantly increased our security measures on our various sites. As a result, we have seen a 50% decrease in crime on our properties. Our goal is to continue this downward trend as we work collaboratively to provide safe environments for the families we serve. 

To help our residents achieve self-sufficiency, our agency offers robust programming and staff support so they can reach their goals. We take a deeper dive into the steps we take to give our communities a sense of what it is like to be financially independent.