2021 Mountain Plains NAHRO Awards

The Mountain Plains NAHRO Awards give recognition to the outstanding places, people, and programs affiliated with NAHRO agency members in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming. The awards recognize best practices among housing, redevelopment, and community agencies and provide a resource bank of best practice examples for NAHRO members. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of housing professionals. Award winners will be recognized at the Mountain Plains NAHRO Virtual Annual Conference, hosted by Utah NAHRO, in June 2021.

The selection criteria will include innovation, agency role, impact, efficiency, structure, collaboration and overall excellence. At least one winner will be selected from each of the following categories:

DEADLINE EXTENDED! NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MAY 27, 2021. Click here to submit your application.

  • Pandemic Perseverence Award - Award(s) goes to individual, team or program that had the most positive impact on affordable housing residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Get Your Eco On Award - Award goes to a PHA or PHA development partner using best practices in creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle from site selection to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation and deconstruction. This focus on sustainability should exceed general program requirements.
  • The People's Choice Award - Award goes to a residential service staff member, property manager, or general housing professional, for being an outstanding employee, having a humble attitude and a willingness to learn and teach. This award goes to someone who is able to contribute to the common good of the team, organization, and the business. This may include doing tasks that sometimes fall outside of their job description. It also means being enthusiastic, reliable and committed. This person should excel in both performance of their job duties and in contributing to a healthy organizational culture.
  • Designed with People in Mind Award- Award goes to a PHA or PHA development partner to showcase innovation in the field of construction. Innovation includes improvements in processes, products or services. Nominees should demonstrate that they have the ability to adapt their processes and resources to suit each project and that their idea is replicable by others..
  • The REDO Award - This award showcases the conversion of an existing built property into another use or an improvement in usefulness. Redevelopment should provide an economic or social return to the community, instilling new life, and vitality through activities such as infill or rehabilitation. Special consideration will be given to nominees who demonstrate the active involvement of residents/stakeholders.
  • People-First Commissioner Award - This is an individual award that honors a current commissioner, who has served and has demonstrated excellence in advocating for and developing the financial, political, and community support necessary to ensure the continuation and expansion of housing or community development programs.
  • Partnerships That Make Progress Award - This award goes to an organization or business that demonstrates creation and maintenance of successful, innovative, win-win partnerships. These successful partnerships should be founded on mutual respect and commitment and agreed upon principles. Successful partnerships should evolve over time as circumstances warrant and serve to advance a common vision. The partnership goals must be clearly defined and shared. Nominees should be able to demonstrate their success with results/outcomes.
  • Entering The Future - Award goes to the most innovative "new idea, creative thought, new imagination in form of device or method" that has been successfully placed into service to better support residents. Innovation could be in the form of technology, resident services, property operations, maintenance, etc.  Innovations must show improvements in processes, products or services.

Award Eligibility Requirements
  • If the entry is for a development (physical asset) it should have been completed after January 1, 2020.
  • The entry must not have previously received a Mountain Plains NAHRO award. Entries that have received a state chapter award are eligible for a regional award.

How to Apply
  • Complete an entry form online.
  • Develop an application that concisely responds to as many of the items listed in the selection criteria above.
  • Applications must include a 2-3 minute video or 5-page(s) max .pdf description of why you should win must be submitted. Written submittals should have accompanying pictures.

NOMINATIONS ARE DUE MAY 3, 2021. Click here to submit your application.

Previous Award Winners:

2017 YES! In My Backyard Awards 
 
Congratulations to the 2017 Award Winners. The presentation of the awards took place at the Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, May 24 at the Vail Marriott.
 
 
Community Development
Douglas County Senior Initiative, Douglas County Community Development, Community and Resource Services, Douglas County, Colorado
 
Housing Choice Voucher
Bridges to Opportunity, Arvada Housing Authority and the Arvada Community Food Bank, Arvada, Colorado
 
MWHS’ Housing Choice Voucher Program, Metro West Housing Solutions, Lakewood, Colorado
 
South Towaoc Supportive Housing, Colorado Division of Housing, Ute Mountain Housing Authority, and the Denver Regional HUD Office, Colorado
 
Homelessness
FHRA Medical Respite Program, Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Fargo, North Dakota
 
Professional Development
The Use of Infographics in Messaging, Boulder Housing Partners, Boulder, Colorado
 
Rehab
Project Renovate, Boulder Housing Partners, Boulder, Colorado
 
Resident Services
Internet Inclusivity, Boulder Housing Partners, Boulder, Colorado
Utah 2016 Award Winners
AGENCY PUBLICATION 
San Miguel Regional Housing Authority, Colorado- Resource Guide
Metro West Housing Solutions, Colorado- Annual Report
Colorado Springs Housing Authority, Colorado- Employee Monthly Newsletter

PROGRAM INNOVATION- ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMS 
Eagle County Housing and Redevelopment Authority, Colorado- Affordable Housing Map

AFFORDABLE HOUSING- INNOVATION 
Affordable Housing Solutions, South Dakota- Highland Five Homes

AFFORDABLE HOUSING- DESIGN 
Metro West Housing Solutions, Colorado- CityScape at Belmar

CHAMPION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Utah County Housing Authority, Utah

Utah NAHRO President, Shelli Glines (far left) and Mountain Plains NAHRO President, Dianne Hovdestad (far right) presenting awards.
2015 Award Winners
AGENCY PUBLICATION 
Denver Housing Authority- "Living Green" Energy Management Program

Metro West Housing Solutions- Infographic
Burleigh County Housing Authority- Resident Newsletter

PROGRAM INNOVATION- ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAMS 
Bozeman HRDC IX- Self-Sufficiency Matrix
City of Billings- Metro Vista Project-Downtown Resource Map and Notepad

PROGRAM INNOVATION- RESIDENT AND CLIENT PROGRAMS
Bozeman HRDC IX- Community Shower Program

Burleigh County Housing Authority- Advisory Council Social 
Sioux Falls Housing and Redevelopment Commission- Voucher Extravaganza                                  

AFFORDABLE HOUSING- INNOVATION 
Flathead Valley Habitat for Humanity- 5th Street Homes
First Interstate Bank- Aspen Place Apartments
Boulder Housing Partners- 1175 Lee Hill
Loveland Housing Authority- The Green Homes for Life Enrichment at Mirasol

AFFORDABLE HOUSING- DESIGN 
Metro West Housing Solutions- Two Creeks Outside Classroom
Fort Collins Housing Authority- Redtail Ponds Permanent Supportive Housing
City of Arvada- Memorial Neighborhood Park Revitalization Project 


AFFORDABLE HOUSING- ENERGY AND GREEN BUILDING 
Denver Housing Authority- Self-Managed Energy Performance Contract

 CHAMPION OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
 HRDC IX- Bozeman

 
NAHRO President, Preston Prince; NAHRO CEO, Saul Ramirez; and Montana Board of Housing Division Administrator, Bruce Brensdahl (left to right) are the awards presenters.