By Shernita Bethea, Housing and Human Services Administrator

Four winners for the Hampton Roads Housing Consortium's Fifth Annual Members' Housing Awards were announced September 21, 2011, by the organization's Chairman, Wendy A. Hunter. These awards recognize individuals and organizations that have contributed to improving housing conditions for the region.

• HRHC Lifetime Achievement Award

  George Birdsong

  Retired Board Chairman and Director of Suffolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority        

• HRHC Housing Warrior

  Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg       

• HRHC Housing Partner
  Housing Development Corporation of Hampton Roads        

• HRHC Across the Region Service Award
  Housing Virginia

The Awards Breakfast will be held on Thursday, October 13, 2011 from 9:00 am to 11:30 am at the Norfolk Airport Hilton Hotel to honor the winners. 'The recipients of this year's awards truly exemplify the best that this region has to offer in advocating for safe and affordable housing. It is our honor to spotlight their work at the Fifth Annual Members' Awards Ceremony. The members of HRHC are phenomenal in that they provide exceptional services and resources to meet the housing needs of the residents of Hampton Roads,' said Chairman Wendy Hunter. The keynote speaker of this event will be Orlando Artze, President of the Virginia Housing Coalition . Currently, this event is being co-sponsored by the following organizations:

Virginia Housing Development Authority (VHDA)
Tidewater Home Funding
RBC Centura
Wells Fargo
Housing Virginia

The Hampton Roads Housing Consortium (HRHC) is a voluntary association of governmental, private, and non-profit organizations committed to improving housing opportunities for low and moderate-income households in Hampton Roads. Participants include City and County governments, Redevelopment and Housing Authorities, non-profit housing and emergency shelter providers, mortgage lenders, Realtor© and builders associations, and a variety of other groups interested in affordable housing issues. Member groups represent most of the sixteen jurisdictions within the Hampton Roads region.

The HRPDC provides technical and staff support to the HRHC.