Hi Patricia Andrews, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
From Resident to Chief Executive Officer (CEO), I began my career in the low-income housing business in 1985. I previously lived in public housing as a child for about nine years with my parents and siblings (family of eight). My experience in public housing was one of gratefulness, as my parents moved us from a three-room substandard house to a new, four bedrooms, 1 .1/5 bathrooms, living room, dining area and kitchen public housing single-family unit. We were so excited to be able to have our own space and in a nice neighborhood.
As I grew up, I remembered wishing that I could help others. During high school, most of my teachers thought I should be a teacher. But, I aspired to be a businesswoman. I attend community college Gordon Junior College (now Gordon State University), where I gained my Associate Degree in Business Management. I married my high school friend and gained employment with the Barnesville Housing Authority in 1985. There I was then able to put essential resources in place to remove economic barriers and help others to achieve goals to include First-time Homeownership. I worked for 11.5 years as the Resident Services Coordinator.
Afterwards, I gained employment with the Georgia Department of Human Services, where I held several positions with OCSE and DFCS and later became a contractor with the state as the Regional Job Coach Supervisor through a private organization. Meanwhile, in 1999, tragedy hit my family, as my husband, Wayne of 17 years, was killed in a car accident as he returned home from work. It was very challenging for me and my two daughters, Khristian and Tikenya to move on without him. Therefore, I returned to college and completed my Bachelor’s Degree at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia. While helping a client to find housing, I became aware of an available Housing Manager’s position with the Jackson Housing Authority in Jackson, Georgia. I inquired about the position and was later hired to return to my first love. As a Housing Manager, I was in a greater position to assist others in achieving their goals of economic family self-sufficiency. I brought many skills that I developed from other agencies to the housing authority and was able to develop innovative programs to engage residents and the community. Programs like Youth Advisory Council (YAC), HomeWork Academy, Summer Youth Enrichment Program and Resident Employment and Training are just a few. Not only did I develop as a housing manager but as a strong organizational leader as well. The experience leads me to push my resume to achieve a position as Executive Director of the Thomaston Housing Authority in Thomaston, Georgia, only 2.5 years later.
As Executive Director, I oversee the entire operation of the public housing assistance program in Thomaston, GA, which includes a staff of 12 and multiple contractors. The housing portfolio includes 288 public housing, 43 city-owned properties and four private properties. I oversee an annual operating budget exceeding 2,000,000.00 in addition to several grants. I am passionate about what I do and is always drafting ways to “enlarge my territory.” Having said that in July of 2020, I was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the Thomaston Housing Authority and Thomaston Housing and Redevelopment Corporation, which give me more leverage to assist families of the affordable housing industry. I am so grateful to God for giving me a divine purpose in life and a mind to follow it.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it was not easy at all. In my early years in the housing industry, I feel that I was a victim of discrimination. I was passed over several times for promotions that I knew I was qualified for during my first 11 years as a house. However, I did not let that deter me from achieving my goal. And in 1999, tragedy hit my family, as my husband, Wayne of 17 years, was killed in a car accident as he returned home from work. It was very challenging for me and my two daughters, Khristian and Tikenya, to move on without him. After grieving, I knew I had to be a model for my two daughters. With the help of GOD and my family (Andrews & Allen), I was able to reconstruct my family to move forward. It’s still painful at times, but I know that I am ok.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
As Executive Director, I oversee the entire operation of the public housing assistance program in Thomaston, GA, which includes a staff of 12 and multiple contractors. The housing portfolio includes 288 public housing, 43 city-owned properties and four private properties. I oversee an annual operating budget exceeding 2,000,000.00 in addition to several grants. I am passionate about what I do and is always drafting ways to “enlarge my territory.” Having said that, in July of 2020, I was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the Thomaston Housing Authority and Thomaston Housing and Redevelopment Corporation, which give me more leverage to assist families of the affordable housing industry. I am so grateful to God for giving me a divine purpose in life, and a mind and heart to follow it. The Thomaston Housing Authority (THA) is a “high performing” public housing agency in rural Thomaston, Georgia. Our vision is to provide quality, safe, decent, and affordable housing to low to moderate-income families. What set us aside from other like-agencies is the coined hashtag, “#morethanhousing.” The entire staff is dedicated to assisting the residents in meeting their family goals. Resources are coordinated and brought to the communities to meet their needs.
The agency is known for its capacity to “impact lives and making a difference.” The agency has a “CAN” attitude. Even in a challenging time as the pandemic, THA remains proactive in how to serve our customers. For example, during the pandemic, we were unable to have our Summer Youth Enrichment Program. However, we came up with the innovative idea of “Summer-in-a-box.” Parents enrolled their children in the program, and the children received a box filled with snacks, books, and all types of activities to be completed while staying home during the summer. The boxes were delivered to their door by the dedicated staff for two months. The THA has won both the National Award of Excellence and National Merit Awards for its resident’s programs. We thrive on keeping up with the times and utilizing the necessary platforms to make changes as necessary to meet the need of the residents.
What does success mean to you?
In my profession, “When the audience that I am serving, be it staff or customers, is able to utilize the information that I convey to change the trajectory of their lives in a positive manner, then that’s a success. For example, my resident lived in public housing for six years and utilized the information we had to move on to purchase her home. That’s SUCCESS!”
Contact Info:
- Address: 574 Triune Avenue, Thomaston, Georgia 30286
- Email: patriciaallen@thomastonhousing.org
- Website: www.thomastonhousing.org
- Instagram: Thomaston Housing Authority
- Facebook: Thomaston Housing Authority
Image Credits
Photography : Personal Photos , BrooksJeffrey;
