Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. Honored for Affordable Housing Commitment

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Honorees

Building Affordable Housing Through Community Partnerships

AHC Inc. is honored to welcome Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. into its Housing Hall of Fame. “We are proud to present this award to Dr. Hamlin in recognition of his dedicated service to residents of the Nauck Community and his leadership and advocacy to preserve and expand affordable housing for low-income families in Arlington County,” said AHC President and CEO, Walter D. Webdale.

AHC Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Arlington, VA, established its Housing Hall of Fame 15 years ago to honor individuals for their vision, dedication and advocacy on behalf of affordable housing. The award was presented as part of AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr. has been pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Arlington since 1996 and has been actively involved in preserving and developing affordable housing throughout his ministry. Under Dr. Hamlin’s leadership, the Macedonia Baptist Church partnered with AHC Inc. to build the Macedonia, 36 affordable apartments across the street from the church. The partnership has been a wonderful success.

The Macedonia church community has worked hard to develop a long-term strategy to meet residents’ needs and build a stable, strong neighborhood. Having ample affordable housing – both for senior citizens and young people – became a key part of the planning process.

In 2009, the church partnered with AHC to build the Macedonian, 36 affordable apartments.

Along with partnering with AHC, Dr. Hamlin also helped found the Bonder & Amanda Johnson Community Development Corporation in 1999 to provide economic opportunities and job training for residents. Today, AHC is pleased to partner with the group to provide programs and services for residents at both the Macedonian and nearby Shelton Apartments.

In 2013, Dr. Hamlin was selected to chair the Arlington County Working Group on Affordable Housing. In that capacity, he led the county-wide effort to involve neighborhoods and residents in the planning process. Under his wise and patient stewardship, Arlington County passed a 25-year Affordable Housing Master Plan last year.

“We all know how important a home is to a family and how much it affects the stability and growth of children and so many other aspects of our lives and community,” said Dr. Hamlin. “Although it is very difficult to produce the amount of housing that is needed, I am glad Arlington is addressing the challenge and has elevated housing to a priority.”

Other Housing Hall of Fame honorees include: Patricia McGrady, decades-long affordable housing activist and volunteer; Rick Nelson, former Director of Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs; J. Walter Tejada, former Arlington County Board member; and Harkins Builders, long-time AHC business partner and supporter.

Photo: AHC Inc. celebrates 2016 Housing Hall of Fame honorees. Front row, left to right:  Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr.; Patricia McGrady; J. Walter Tejada; and Rick Nelson. Back row, left to right: Walter D. Webdale, AHC Inc. President and CEO; Mike Ebrahimi, Harkins Builders; Dick Lombardo, Harkins Builders; Mike Mallow, Harkins Builders; Gary Garofalo, Harkins Builders; and Justin Oliver, AHC Inc. Board Chair. 

 

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Harkins Builders Named to AHC Inc. Housing Hall of Fame

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Long-time Partner Has Built and Renovated Nine Affordable Apartment Communities

AHC Inc. is proud to celebrate Harkins Builders as a 2016 Housing Hall of Fame honoree. “We are delighted to recognize Harkins Builders’ effective partnership with AHC Inc. to build and rehabilitate rental housing so that low-income families have a beautiful, affordable place to call home,” said AHC President and CEO, Walter D. Webdale.

AHC Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Arlington, VA, established its Housing Hall of Fame 15 years ago to honor individuals for their vision, dedication and advocacy on behalf of affordable housing. The award was presented as part of AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

“We are truly honored to be inducted into AHC’s Hall of Fame, and we especially value the relationship of trust and partnership that has developed over the 10 years that we have worked together, said Gary Garofalo, President and COO, Harkins Builders. “We share their mission of providing quality affordable housing, and their commitment to serving the residents of their communities.”

Like AHC, Harkins Builders has been building and renovating affordable housing for many years. They have brought their pre-construction and construction management expertise to a full range of AHC developments, including five new construction, two renovation, and two historical renovation projects.

Beyond Harkins’ professionalism and ability to deliver a quality product for our residents, it is Harkins’ culture of service to both client and community that truly earns them a place in AHC’s Hall of Fame.

Their pre-construction department goes above and beyond to bring the greatest value to AHC’s projects, their project teams help AHC meet challenges as if they were their own, and their generous support of AHC’s Resident Services programs further helps us to achieve our goals.

In a complex and risky business, AHC values the long-term relationship of mutual trust and respect that we enjoy with Harkins Builders.

Other Housing Hall of Fame honorees include: Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church; Patricia McGrady, decades-long affordable housing activist and volunteer; Rick Nelson, former Director of Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs; and J. Walter Tejada, former Arlington County Board member.

Photo: AHC Inc. welcomes Harkins Builders into 2016 Housing Hall of Fame. From left to right: Mike Mallow, Vice President, Harkins Builders; Walter D. Webdale, President and CEO, AHC Inc.; Gary Garofalo, President and COO, Harkins Builders; Dick Lombardo, Chairman and CEO, Harkins Builders; Mike Ebrahimi, Senior Vice President, Harkins Builders;  and Justin Oliver, Board Chair, AHC Inc.  

 

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Patricia McGrady, Community Activist, Named to AHC Inc. Housing Hall of Fame

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Passion for Social Justice Fuels Affordable Housing Commitment

AHC Inc. is honored to name Patricia McGrady to its 2016 Housing Hall of Fame. “We are proud to recognize Ms. McGrady’s steadfast support of AHC Inc. and her passionate commitment to preserving affordable housing for Arlington’s most vulnerable residents,” said AHC President and CEO, Walter D. Webdale.

AHC Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Arlington, VA, established its Housing Hall of Fame 15 years ago to honor individuals for their vision, dedication and advocacy on behalf of affordable housing. The award was presented as part of AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

Ms. McGrady has been involved in affordable housing issues since the late 1970s. She was elected to AHC’s Board of Directors in 1979 and served as president from 1980 to 1981. She has remained a strong AHC supporter, serving on several AHC affiliate boards before becoming a member of AHC’s Management Advisory Board in 2007.

She has held many positions in the housing industry, including working with Arlington County as a housing relocation specialist and as member of the Arlington Housing Commission for 10 years. She was also the Co-Chair of the League of Women Voter’s Housing Committee when it recommended creating a housing trust fund to the Arlington County Board in 1982. She currently chairs the Arlington County Community Housing Finance Corporation, and is on the Board of Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing, another affordable housing provider in Arlington.

Ms. McGrady’s commitment to housing affordability stems from her deep passion for social justice. “Housing is such a necessary part of life for everyone – no matter their income, age, education, race, religion, gender or nationality,” said Ms. McGrady. “You need a roof overhead before you can work on any other challenges you might face in life.”

Ms. McGrady believes strongly in doing all she can to help others have a decent place to live within their ability to pay. “I’d like to say I tried to make the world a better place.”

Other Housing Hall of Fame honorees include: Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church; Rick Nelson, former Director of Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs; J. Walter Tejada, former Arlington County Board member; and Harkins Builders, long-time AHC business partner and supporter.

Photo: Long-time community activist, Patricia McGrady (front row, second from right) celebrates Housing Hall of Fame award with friends and family at AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary Celebration. 

 

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Rick Nelson Honored for 50-Year Affordable Housing Career

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Rick-Nelson

Career in Affordable Housing Spans Five Decades

AHC Inc. is honored to celebrate Rick Nelson’s career in affordable housing by naming him to its 2016 Housing Hall of Fame. “We are proud to recognize Mr. Nelson’s more than 50 years of service on behalf of affordable housing and also in appreciation for his strong support of AHC Inc. to preserve affordable housing in Montgomery County,” said AHC President and CEO, Walter D. Webdale.

AHC Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Arlington, VA, established its Housing Hall of Fame 15 years ago to honor individuals for their vision, dedication and advocacy on behalf of affordable housing. The award was presented as part of AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

Mr. Nelson’s career began with an internship at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The experience changed his path from lawyer to housing advocate. Since then he has been committed to affordable housing and has held a variety of leadership positions, including 31 years with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), serving as its executive director from 1987 through 2001.

In Montgomery County, he served as Director of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs from 2007 to 2015 and was the driving force behind AHC Inc.’s entry into the affordable housing market in the county.

Under his leadership, Montgomery County dramatically increased the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF), a locally funded housing trust fund that is used to preserve and produce a continuum of housing options, including affordable housing. During his tenure, the County partnered with AHC on a number of innovative strategies that preserved more than 1,000 affordable apartments.

A champion of affordable housing, he has served twice as a commissioner of the Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission, from 1991 to 2007, and again in 2015 following his retirement as an employee of Montgomery County. He is a member of the Affordable Housing Advisory Council of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, a Life Director of the National Housing Conference and an Emeritus Board Member of the Housing and Development Law Institute.

Throughout his career, Mr. Nelson has worked to provide affordable housing that blends into the community and provides homes for people who might not otherwise be able to live there.

“There can be a misperception about who the recipients are in affordable housing. But, people in affordable housing are your kids, the clerks in the stores, as well as other lower income families,” said Mr. Nelson. “In Montgomery County we have made the effort to provide housing that is integrated into the community so people can’t distinguish between folks who can afford to live in the community and those who can’t.

Other Housing Hall of Fame honorees include: Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church; Patricia McGrady, decades-long affordable housing activist and volunteer; J. Walter Tejada, former Arlington County Board member; and Harkins Builders, long-time AHC business partner and supporter.

Photo: Rick Nelson (center) accepts Housing Hall of Fame award from AHC Inc. President and CEO Walter D. Webdale (left) and AHC Inc. Board Chair Justin Oliver (right). 

 

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J. Walter Tejada Honored for Affordable Housing Leadership

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Long-time advocacy and support of affordable housing in Arlington

AHC Inc. is honored to welcome the Honorable J. Walter Tejada into its Housing Hall of Fame. “We are proud to present this award to Mr. Tejada  in recognition of his outstanding leadership and public service on behalf of the people of Arlington County and in appreciation for his tireless advocacy to preserve and expand affordable housing for low-income families,” said AHC President and CEO, Walter D. Webdale.

AHC Inc., a nonprofit affordable housing developer based in Arlington, VA, established its Housing Hall of Fame 15 years ago to honor individuals for their vision, dedication and advocacy on behalf of affordable housing. The award was presented as part of AHC Inc.’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

Mr. Tejada served on the Arlington County Board for almost 13 years (2003 to 2015). He has been actively engaged in local issues since moving to Arlington in 1992. He is a strong proponent of affordable housing with a deep commitment to providing decent housing for Arlington’s most vulnerable and economically disadvantaged residents.

His commitment to affordable housing has its roots in personal experience. He and his family moved from El Salvador to Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, New York City when he was 13. He saw his mother struggle to pay the rent while living in a tough neighborhood.

In Arlington, he became involved in community issues through a local chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC). Mr. Tejada devoted many hours to building awareness about the Latino community in Arlington and helped start the Community Volunteer Network and the Shirlington Employment and Education Center.

He served on several citizen advisory groups, including the Fiscal Affairs Advisory Commission, the Affordable Housing Task Force, the Sports Commission, and the Neighborhood Day Organizing Committee before being elected to the County Board in 2003. Fighting to prevent the displacement of 3,700 low-income residents in Arna Valley in the 1990s crystallized his commitment to affordable housing.

“In the Latino culture, we don’t want other people to go homeless, we help each other,” explained  Mr. Tejada. “By the time I joined the Arlington County Board, affordable housing had become front and center for me – and it has never stopped being a high priority.”

His commitment has made a significant impact over the years. He helped push for dedicated funding for the Affordable Housing Investment Fund (AHIF), a loan fund that helps bridge the funding gap for affordable housing projects. He was also instrumental in preserving the Buckingham Garden apartments and the successful development of Arlington Mill, which provides affordable housing along with community space on public land.

Other Housing Hall of Fame honorees include: Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church; Patricia McGrady, decades-long affordable housing activist and volunteer; Rick Nelson, former Director of Montgomery County’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs; and Harkins Builders, long-time AHC business partner and supporter.

Photo:  Virginia leaders celebrate AHC’s Housing Hall of Fame honorees for their dedication, vision and advocacy of affordable housing in Arlington. From left to right:  Virginia State Senator Barbara Favola; Virginia State Senator Adam Ebbin; Dr. Leonard L. Hamlin, Sr., Honoree; Patricia McGrady, Honoree; J. Walter Tejada, Honoree and former Arlington County Board member; Arlington County Board Vice-Chair Jay Fisette; and Arlington County Board Chair Libby Garvey. 

 

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