June 27, 2008 — Ventura, CA The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura recently announced its program, Teen Talk Television, received an Award of Merit from the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and has also been nominated for the NAHRO National Award of Excellence.

In just under a year, our teens have not only created two educational programs that were aired locally, now they are up for a national award, said Ed Moses, CEO of the Housing Authority. This program is making such a positive difference in their lives.

In 2007, the Housing Authority asked its teen residents to come together to learn to develop, write, edit, and act their own ideas into a script and receive training in video production and camera work. Within six months, the Teen Talk Television program aired Broken Dreams, which explores the impacts of gang participation, and A Girls Life, which deals with the issues young women face. A Girls Life won an award for educational programming on CAPS-TV.

Teen participant Maribel Estrada says participation has been a life changing experience, and adds, Im more confident and I challenge my choices everyday now. Miss Estrada and her peers will go to Nashville, Tennessee later this month to attend the NAHRO Awards Showcase.

Despite its namesake, the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura does more for its residents than just provide them with affordable housing. The Resident Services Department of the Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura assists Public Housing and Section 8 residents of all ages increase self-sufficiency through employment, educational, cultural and recreational programs. In addition to Teen Talk, other enrichment programs offered include:

The Etiquette Educational Program, open to residents age seven to 77, provides a weekly curriculum focused on life skills necessary to succeed in education, business and social situations and also teaches individuals proper dining skills, telephone manners, customer relations, image, wardrobe and business protocol.

The Family Self Sufficiency Program offers residents the opportunity to achieve their financial goals and ultimately gain independence from public assistance. Recent participant, Jennifer Tellez, who has prospered in her career as a Benefits Specialist with CalWORKS, said, Since becoming an FSS participantI will have more than doubled my annual gross income. We have now rented a four-bedroom house, and we are confident that we can make it on our own." Families who volunteer to participate in FSS sign a five year contract whereby they commit to agreed upon goals with the agency. "The FSS program is one of many great examples of how we serve our residents and give them a hand up, instead of a hand out," remarked Ed Moses, CEO of the Housing Authority.

The Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura has served the needs of low income residents since 1949 with 716 public housing units and 1189 Section 8 vouchers and prides itself in providing decent, safe and affordable housing to approximately 2000 low and moderate income families in the City of Ventura.