Norwalk Housing Authority Director Curtis Law Receives Award from National Housing Group

An announcement from the Norwalk Housing Authority:

The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), at its 2014 National Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, awarded its highest and most prestigious award—the 2014 M. Justin Herman Memorial Award—to Curtis O. Law, the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Norwalk (NHA).

The award recognizes individuals who most exemplify exceptional commitment and outstanding contributions in the field of housing and community development. According to the award letter, Law epitomizes the highest standards of the industry.

In his 33 years as its executive director, he established a national profile for the NHA and expanded the purpose of a housing authority from the narrow concept of providing clean and affordable public housing to include a more progressive vision of providing free and accessible educational and job training for residents of all ages.

Law’s devotion to assisting children and students is particularly noteworthy, and resulted in his starting resident after-school learning, literacy, and art centers. He also founded the Norwalk Housing Foundation (NHF) in 2000 to facilitate funding a college scholarship program for resident students.

Law works closely with many local philanthropists, and helped launch in 1999 a Norwalk Chapter of I Have a Dream Program. In addition, Law promotes a philosophy of self-determination through self-sufficiency—the goal is to take the “public” out of safe and affordable housing by providing the skills and tools to residents of all ages to move up and out, and create their own futures.

NAHRO formed in 1933 and is the nation’s leading advocate and administrator for affordable housing and community development programs at the local level. Its M. Justin Herman award is named for the head of the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency from 1959 until 1971.

To learn more about the Norwalk Housing Authority and the Norwalk Housing Foundation, please visit the NHA website at http://www.norwalkha.org.