Joy Horak-Brown, New Hope Housing Executive Director
IABC Houston has named Joy Horak-Brown, Executive Director of New Hope Housing, Inc., as its 2013 Executive Communicator of the Year.
IABC Houston selected Ms. Horak-Brown for her outstanding leadership in building New Hope into one of the most progressive and transformative organizations for community change in Texas. Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, New Hope Housing serves some of Houston’s most vulnerable individuals by creating affirming, supportive housing communities to prevent homelessness.
“Joy stands in a great tradition of exceptional business communicators recognized by IABC Houston,” said Houston Chapter President Mary Hardin-Francis.
“The nominating committee saw in her work with New Hope Housing an exemplary level of execution in every instance of advancing the New Hope Housing cause and building a better community for all Houstonians. From the standpoint of IABC members, New Hope Housing puts into action best practices for strategic communications, public affairs, and stakeholder relations.”
Through strategic communications practices, an unparalleled attention to a consistency at all levels of the organization, and results that live up to their promises, New Hope has developed a strong base of donors, generated support from all levels of government, and achieved community buy-in for the properties they have created. In the era of not-in-my-backyard approaches to low-income housing policy, Ms. Horak-Brown and her team stand in testament to the power that a carefully executed communications strategy can have when working to manifest a revolutionary vision.
About Joy Horak-Brown and New Hope Housing
Joy Horak-Brown joined New Hope Housing (www.newhopehousing.com) in 1996, and has served as Executive Director since 1999. She is responsible for project development, property management, fund raising, marketing, public relations and administration for New Hope Housing, a nonprofit developer of life-stabilizing affordable, quality housing in a supportive environment.
New Hope communities currently house single adults on a modest income, with on-site social services provided at no cost to residents by organizations like the Star of Hope. New Hope residents include veterans, the elderly, the chronically ill, part-time students, people with cognitive and physical impairments, those overcoming substance abuse, and the working poor making as little as $7.25/hour. More than 60 percent of residents are formerly homeless and almost 70 percent have a physical or cognitive disability.
New Hope projects are funded by public/private partnerships that leverage tax credit investments.
Under her leadership, New Hope has grown from 40 efficiency apartments and $1.25 million to nearly 1,000 apartment units at seven properties and $60 million in net assets by the end of 2013. Future plans include development of housing options for seniors and families.
Past Winners: See a list of past IABC Houston Executive Communicator of the Year winners.
