Join HCA's Annual Meeting January 16th at Tango!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                   CONTACT:              Pamela Hallett

January 7, 2014                                                                                                                                    Executive Director

                                                                                                                                                                781.316.3429

HCA ANNUAL MEETING FEAUTURES COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS

ARLINGTON: Housing Corporation of Arlington (HCA) is pleased to welcome participants from our Homelessness Prevention Program and Affordable Housing Program to speak on their experiences at HCA’s Annual Meeting. The meeting will take place at Tango the morning of Thursday, January 16 and breakfast will be served. All are welcome to attend to meet HCA’s new staff and learn about HCA’s past year’s accomplishments and future goals. 

For over ten years, HCA’s Homelessness Prevention Program has worked to keep families in their homes and out of the shelter system. HPP protects the most vulnerable in our community --the elderly, the disabled, single parents and families with young children--from becoming homeless or without safe or long-term housing options. In our recent program analysis, HCA’s intern from Tufts University found that of 18% of respondents, 95% are still housed and 65% continue to live in the same homes that our grants supported. This program has had remarkable success over the past twelve years, thanks to generous support from Arlington residents and businesses who donate to our Annual HPP Appeal, which is mailed each fall.

The need for HCA’s services is remarkable. Today, HCA’s waiting list for affordable housing rises above 1,000 households. Just last year, Arlington’s rental rates rose 14.6% forcing families to seek alternative housing options. Moving forward, HCA is actively pursuing opportunities to increase our 90 unit housing portfolio in order to meet this demand for affordable housing. Pamela Hallett, HCA Executive Director, and Paul Parravano, HCA Board President, will speak on our recent achievements as an organization and prospective developments in Arlington.

At every Annual Meeting, HCA honors the memory of the late Deacon Frank Mandosa from St. Agnes Parish with an annual community service award. Recipients of the Deacon Frank Mandosa Community Service Award possess a commitment to unite the community around affordable housing issues. This year, Mary Doyle and Bob Murray have been selected as the honored annual award winners. Mary Doyle was devoted to ending homelessness and serving our community, seen through her leadership at Homes for Families and her work with the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership. Mary was a wonderful member of our Board of Directors who passed this past year. Bob Murray, who also passed away this year, was the founder of the Falmouth Housing Corporation and 16-year executive director of the Falmouth Housing Authority. In our community, Bob is well known and respected as a long time advocate of affordable housing.

At the annual meeting, friends and supporters will have the opportunity join or renew their membership with HCA.

HCA’s Annual Meeting at Tango; 464 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington Center

Thursday, January 16, 2014

7:30 A.M. Registration & Breakfast; 8:15 A.M. Program

Kindly RSVP to Claudia at ctajima@housingcorparlington.org or 781-316-3606.

Housing Corporation of Arlington promotes social and economic diversity in Arlington by providing and advocating for affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families and individuals. HCA’s Board of Directors, committee members, volunteers and small professional staff work closely with Arlington residents, congregations, businesses, tenants and housing professionals in an effort to keep Arlington diverse and stable.  HCA was established in 1986 and is a 501(c)3 corporation.