Photo Caption: TAAHP President Debra Guerrero, The NRP Group and Melinda Frazer of Portfolio Resident Services present Maria Isabelle Rodriguez with a $3,500 scholarship toward college expenses. Maria is attending San Antonio College and seeking an Education degree. She maintains a 4.0 GPA while also working 20-30 hours to make ends meet.
(AUSTIN, TEXAS) August 8, 2019, For the last five years, Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing (TAAHP) has provided more than $35,000 in scholarship funding to students seeking a higher education. Students living in affordable housing communities owned by TAAHP members are eligible. TAAHP’s scholarship program was created to assist some of the most vulnerable students in the state in achieving a higher level of education as a pathway self-sustainability and success.
This year, TAAHP is pleased to have awarded $10,000 in scholarships this year to students living in affordable housing communities across Texas. The 2019 recipients include:
- Maria Rodriguez, San Antonio – $3,500
- Ashia Mariner, Keller – $2,500
- Catherine Turner, Mabank – $2,000
- Absidy DeHoyos, San Antonio – $2,000
“It’s no secret that when Texas residents are allowed the opportunity to attain a college education that they are on a stronger path to success,” says Roger Arriaga, TAAHP executive director. “This is no different for families living in affordable housing developments. TAAHP has consistently advocated for the increase in supply of affordable housing so that Texans all across the state can thrive and help our economy grow. With that in mind, TAAHP is committed to doing everything we can as an organization working on behalf of our members to contribute to the success of low- to moderate-income families living here and that includes opportunities for higher education,” Arriaga continued.
“Providing access to college through TAAHP scholarships is just one of the many benefits that our affordable housing developers bring to the families of Texas,” says TAAHP President Debra Guerrero.
Scholarship applicants are scored on a rigorous 100-point scale. Scoring categories include grade point average, writing skills, participation in extracurricular activities, recommendations from instructors and mentors and other factors such as their respective school, workload, family obligations, and career objectives.
The 2019 scholarships were announced and presented at the 2019 Texas Housing Conference, hosted by TAAHP, in Austin, Texas on July 23rd. The application period for 2020 scholarships will open in the Spring of 2020 and selected recipients will be announced at the 2020 Texas Housing Conference next July.
About the Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP)
The Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers (TAAHP) is a non-profit trade association serving affordable housing industry providers. TAAHP works to increase the supply and quality of affordable housing for Texans with limited incomes and special needs. Founded in 1997, TAAHP is considered the “Voice of Affordable Housing in Texas,” and represents housing industry professionals involved in the financing, design, development, and management of affordable housing communities in Texas through public/private partnerships. TAAHP members produce tens of thousands of award-winning affordable housing communities with state-of-the-art designs, amenities, and resident services. For more information, visit www.taahp.org.
