Press Room
NAHRO's Elizabeth B. Wells Memorial Award Given to Richard Y. Nelson
Contact: Mary Barron of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment
Officials, 202-580-7223 or mbarron@nahro.org
October 10: The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
has selected Richard Y. Nelson as the recipient of its 2006 Elizabeth B. Wells
Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding achievements and innovation
in the housing and community development field. The award will be presented
Oct. 15 at NAHRO's National Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta, Ga.
Nelson has served as a Commissioner for the Housing Opportunities Commission
(HOC) of Montgomery County, Maryland for the past 15 years. He began his career
in housing in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Philadelphia
Regional Office before beginning a 31-year tenure at NAHRO, where he served
as Director of Professional Development, Director of Housing and Community Development
Services, Legislative Counsel, Deputy Executive Director, and ultimately Executive
Director. In 2001, Nelson was awarded NAHRO's highest honor, the M. Justin Herman
Award, in recognition of his lifelong contribution to the field of housing and
community development. In addition to his work as a Commissioner, Nelson is
an instructor for the University of Maryland's graduate program in housing and
community development.
Throughout his time as Commissioner, Nelson has been strongly committed to
mixed-income communities, achieving better communication between the HOC and
its many stakeholders, and seeking input from residents on reconstruction plans
and program policy changes. He was also instrumental in creating "Housing
Opportunities & Concepts," a revenue-generating organization designed
to help the HOC weather financial challenges, and Housing Opportunities Community
Partners, Inc., a non-profit organization designed to allow HOC to apply for
grants not accessible to government agencies.
"Mr. Nelson has had a distinguished career in advocating for affordable
housing in our country," NAHRO President Don Cameron said. "His dedication
and energy has led to an expansion of housing opportunities for the economically
challenged of Montgomery County."
The Elizabeth B. Wells Memorial Award was established in 1987 to provide a
living acknowledgment of the outstanding contributions Wells made to the housing
field as a member of the Board of Commissioners of the King County (Wash.) Housing
Authority and as NAHRO's first Vice President of the Commissioners Committee.
The award honors a commissioner who has demonstrated excellence as an advocate
in developing the financial, political, and community support necessary to ensure
the continuation and expansion of housing or community development programs.
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