Gadsden, Alabama
Housing Authority:\u00a0\u00a0Greater Gadsden Housing Authority
Health Center Program Grantee:\u00a0\u00a0Quality of Life Health Centers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The greater Gadsden area was not a safe place to live. Gang violence, drugs, vandalism, prostitution, and gambling were pervasive problems in the community. Many public housing residents claimed they slept in bathtubs or never came outside. When funding to bring a health center to people living in public housing was made available, the Quality of Life Health Center (QOLHC) and the Greater Gadsden Housing Authority (GGHA) saw it as an opportunity to bring change to the community. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After collaborating to add primary care sites in two areas designed to service residents of seven housing developments, QOLHS and GGHA began to see change in the community. The partnership received support from city council, schools, community colleges, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and the police department. One of the most successful joint programs was the Public Housing Drug Elimination program. GGHA employed nine police officers to improve safety in the community. It was originally funded through a grant from HUD, then later through GGHA\u2019s operations budget. Because of that program, there was a real shift in the public housing image and a reduction of the stigma of living in public housing. Residents now have a sense of belonging and importance, particularly among elderly residents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n