Local manager recognized for service

 

June 5, 2009 - SOMERVILLE, Tenn.—For more than 17 years Joy Hart has treated residents of Maplewood Village Apartments like members of her own family.  As Site Manager of the 64 unit complex her job is to maintain the grounds and ensure needed repairs are made in a timely manner. But, Hart's reputation is built just as much on her service above the call of duty and the creative activities she comes up with to provide a full schedule of activities for her renters.

 

City officials and more than two dozen residents of the retirement community expressed their appreciation for her ongoing work by writing letters to nominate Hart for USDA Rural Development (RD) Site Manager of the Year.

 

On Wednesday, RD Area Director Harriet Cannon and staff Kathy Brantley and Vernice Williams joined Hallmark Management, Inc. representative Claire Moyers to deliver the news that Hart is one of only three Tennessee Site Managers to be honored for their service this year. Managers of more than 380 apartment complexes financed by RD were eligible for nomination.

 

“A good manager guarantees the success of any apartment complex,” said Brantley. “Beyond managing day-to-day operations, the best managers, like Ms. Hart, devote a great deal of their own time to provide tenants with a safe and cohesive community.”

 

According to the nomination, Hart has established so many activities from holiday celebrations to hayrides that she had to start a newsletter with a monthly calendar so residents could keep up with them all. She also includes information about other local events of interest and provides other information helpful for elderly renters including everything from safety tips to buying guides.

 

"Her exemplary performance, dedication to her residents and commitment to the community are a rare find in today's business environment," said Moyers. "These characteristics coupled with her desire to excel and stay up to date with all the governing regulation make her a great credit to Hallmark Management and our the affordable housing industry."

 

Tenant Mary Myers added, "In all the places I've lived in my life I have never been as happy or content as I am here. I would never want to live anywhere else. To me Joy is the greatest."

 

In addition to residents of Maplewood Village, others participating in the presentation included Somerville City Administrator Eddie Yaun and Superintendant of Utilities Bobby Glover. The citation was presented in the community room at Maplewood Village.

 

Brantley said that Hart has now been nominated for USDA Rural Development's National Site manager of the Year as well.

 

In partnership with private lenders and non-profit borrowers Rural Development financed more than $7.9 million for the purchase of or improvements to affordable apartment complexes in rural areas of Tennessee in 2008. These developments meet the housing needs of families, senior citizens and the disabled.  Rural Development’s rural rental housing program provides financing with interest rates as low as one-percent to developers who build or repair affordable multi-family rental housing to meet the demand for housing in rural communities.

 

For information about Maplewood Village, call 901-465-9711.

 

USDA Rural Development is committed to the future of rural communities in Tennessee by providing financial and technical assistance through housing, community and business-cooperative programs.  In Fiscal Year 2008 Rural Development assisted more than 678,000 Tennessee families and businesses with more than $435 million in financial assistance through loans and grants. 

 

For more information on home ownership, rural business, or community development programs in southwest Tennessee contact the Rural Development Area Office in Jackson at 731-668-2091, toll free at 1-800-342-3149 extension 1495 or visit us online at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/tn.

 

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