The Resident Times Quarterly Newsletter--January-March 2025
The Resident Times Quarterly Newsletter--January-March 2025
The NSBHA Resident Times Newsletter is your place to find information about local events, community resources, affordable and public housing, and more!
Click here to view the complete Newsletter:
The Resident Times January-March 2025 Newsletter
Click here for a printable copy of the complete Newsletter:
The Resident Times January-March 2025 Newsletter
Please check out our website and follow us on Facebook to stay even more up to date!
Websites:
New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority Website
Greenlawn Manor Website
Facebook:
The Housing Authority of the City of New Smyrna Beach
What's Inside:
2025 Yearly Calendar and Events
Counseling Resource Information
A Message from the Director, Teresa Pope
Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone.
As we journey into this 75th year as the Housing Authority of the City of New Smyrna Beach we would like to celebrate our accomplishments.
The Housing Authority was established in 1950 by the City of New Smyrna Beach to develop and provide affordable housing for the community.
In 1950 the beach had a temporary Ferris wheel during the "Seaside Fiesta" Celebration as pictured.
Alba Court Inn was opened in 1906 and in 2004, Peggy Wolsfelt, owned the Inn with her husband, George, and was long time a Commissioner on the Housing Authority board.
There have been only 4 Executive Directors in the history of the agency.
The agency built the first 46 public housing units in 1954, Donnelly Homes and Greenlawn Terrace and in 1962 another 80 public housing units were built, Live Oak Homes and Enterprise homes making a total of 126 Public Housing units.
Over the last 75 years the agency has added a total of 461 vouchers that serve a variety of families, seniors, disabled, and veterans.
As you notice in our newsletter all the different services we offer.
We hope to celebrate this year with a gala later in the year. We appreciate our board of commissioners, tenants, employees, and communities that help us provide affordable housing.
Have a wonderful Valentines Day.
-Teresa Pope, Executive Director
Main Office:
Address:
1101 South Dixie Freeway
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
32168Phone:
386-428-8171
Fax:
386-427-3429Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 7:30am-4:30pm
Friday: Closed to the PublicCommunity Resource Center:
Address:
1106 South Orange Street #9
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
32168Phone:
386-603-4803Email:
procurement@newsmyrnahousing.comHours:
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:00am-4:00pm
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: By Appointment Only
Emergency Maintenance (After Hours Only):
Phone: 386-847-3007
New Smyrna Housing Authority Celebrates 75th Anniversary
2025 is a special year for the New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority. For the last 75 years, NSBHA has been striving to make the community and the world a better place. By offering housing assistance, food services, resource location, and more--NSBHA has made a lasting impact on the residents of this small, beach town. providing services to seniors, low-income families, at-risk youth, and the homeless, NSBHA goes above and beyond for their community and has for decades made a difference in countless lives. Join us in celebrating the last 75 years of housing and assisting those who need help the most.
Here's to another 75 years!
2025 Yearly Events and Calendar
Please stay updated on waitlist openings by following us on Facebook and our website. It is impossible to say when waitlists will reopen but we will post as soon as they do.
If you have not already, please contact June Anderson or Ryan Kirby and apply for the Family Self-Sufficiency program by January 15th. If you have not done so, you are in noncompliance. please contact June or Ryan in order to comply and maintain your voucher/subsidy.
January-
15th-Last day to enroll in FSSFebruary-
8th-Habitat for Humanity 35th Anniversary
17th-President's DayMarch-
17th-St. Patrick's DayApril-
20th-EasterMay-
26th Memorial Day
28th Last Day of Public SchoolJune-
19th-JuneteenthJuly-
4th-Independence DayAugust-
11th-First Day of Public SchoolSeptember-
5th-Labor DayOctober-
13th-Columbus Day
31st-HalloweenNovember-
11th-Veteran's Day
27th-Thanksgiving DayDecember-
24th-Christmas Eve
25th-Christmas Day
The New Smyrna Beach Housing Authority is now accepting warm weather donations.
As it warms up this spring and summer, the local homeless population is in increasing need for items to keep them cool and safe from the dangers of the sun and heat. Please consider donating items to help those in our community beat the Florida heat.
Items needed include but are not limited to:
- Sunscreen or Sunblock
- Hats, caps, visors
- Mosquito repellent/Bug spray
- Powdered drink mixes such as liquid iv
- Travel-size hygiene products
- Baby wipes/Body wipes
- Insulated lunchboxes
- Quart-sized Ziploc Bags
Donated items can be dropped off om Tuesdays and Thursdays at the CRC at:
1106 South Orange Street
New Smyrna Beach, Florida
32168We greatly appreciate all donations.
- Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water.
- Eat light, nutritious meals. Avoid hot foods and heavy meals.
- Make sure to get enough rest.
- Avoid alcohol, tea, coffee, hot and spicy foods, and sugary drinks.
- Use an umbrella or wear a hat to create shade from the sun.
- Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing.
- Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun. Limit your time in the sun if possible.
- Take advantage of air conditioners and fans when possible.
The Community Resource Center (CRC)
The CRC is here for you to connect you to local resources, assist with the food stamp application process, provide homeless ID's, provide senior and homeless food bags, and more.
Hours:
Tuesday and Thursday: 8:00am-4:00pm
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: By Appointment OnlyTuesday:
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church gift cards available for the first 20 individuals in need. Can only be received once every 30 days.
Senior food bags and homeless food bags distributed.
Frozen meat distributed every other week.Thursday:
God's Bathhouse provides showers and other resources at 10:45 am in front of the CRC.
Senior food bags and homeless food bags distributed.
Frozen meat distributed every other week.
Counseling Resource for Residents in FSS
Wellspring Mental Health Group is offering mental health counseling sessions at a greatly discounted rate of $25/Session for NSBHA clients.
Mental Health Counseling May Help You:
-Feel More Empowered
-Feel Less Depressed
-Learn How To Make Healthier Choices
-Improve Communication Skills
-Develop Coping skills and strategiesResidents must be enrolled in FSS to participate. Contact the FSS coordinator for more information.
If interested in this resource,
contact June Anderson for a referral.
Phone: 386-331-2743
Email: junen@newsmyrnahousing.com
Toys for Tots
The NSBHA partnered with Toys for Tots and provided local kids with the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
Thank you to Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church for hosting and thank you to all donors and partners who made this event possible.
Thank you to Ultimate Marine for filling a boat with toys for Volusia County Children!See photos from Toys for Tots 2025 here.
Public Housing Christmas Party
Thank you to A.R.M. and R.W.R. for sponsoring the party!
Thank you to Serge at Mon Delice for providing sugar cookies for the kids at the public housing Christmas party!Christmas Bags and Boxes for Residents
Thank you to Coronado Community United Methodist Church for donating Christmas bags to residents!
Thank you to the Community Christmas Club for donating Christmas boxes to residents!See more Christmas photos here.
Thank you to all of our donors and sponsors!
Trash days are Tuesdays and Thursdays. Please remember to take out your trash on these days.
Please do not leave trash cans on the side of the road.
After garbage is collected on Tuesday and Thursday, please retrieve your garbage can and store in the back of the property.
Please keep your yard and property free of trash, animal waste, and debris.Please ensure that children outside of the home are under adult supervision.
Unsupervised children do not have permission to be on the grounds of Greenlawn Manor Senior Living.NO FISHING.
Fishing is not allowed in the pond at Greenlawn Manor. If you are found fishing from the pond, you risk being trespassed from the property.Thank you.
As temperatures drop, it is important to take measures to stay warm to avoid getting sick.
- Wearing thick socks and sturdy shoes will keep your feet warm and dry.
- Layering clothing traps body heat and can help to keep you warm. Start with a base layer, add insulation, and finish with a water/windproof outer layer.
- Follow the housing authority on Facebook for updates about cold weather shelters.
- Stay dry. Moisture can make you feel colder.
- Eat nutritiously and stay hydrated. The body burns more calories trying to stay warm so nutrient-rich foods are necessary in the cold weather.
- If you are in need of warm clothes or blankets, check in with the Community Resource Center at 1106 S. Orange Street as well as local churches and thrift stores.
One shelter has gone above and beyond for Volusia County homeless during this historic cold weather season.
New Creation Community Church in Oak Hill offers a variety of resources and services to aid low-income and homeless individuals and families.
During cold snaps, New Creation Community Church opens its doors to those needing food, warmth, and shelter. They have sheltered many individuals from the elements, offering a safe place to sleep as well as dinner and breakfast.
On the third Saturday of every month, New Creation Community Church hosts a food bank and dinner for needy individuals and families in the community.
Cold weather and severe weather shelters open as needed. Follow them on Facebook at New Creation Community Church for updates on when shelters are open.
The church is located at:
150 Oak Street
Oak Hill, Florida 32759Join us in thanking New Creation Community Church for all they do for our community!
Halifax Urban Ministries has been helpful in keeping people warm this winter.
Contact them for resources at:
386-317-5886
Thank you to HUM!The Bridge Crisis Center in Deland has also offered cold weather shelter and other resources this winter.
They are located at:
421 S. Palmetto Avenue
DeLand, Fl 32114
or call:
386-734-8120, ext. 601
Thank you to The Bridge!
Move to Work (MTW) Information
The NSBHA is now a MTW organization. Individuals and families on Section 8 or in Public Housing are required to work a minimum of fifteen hours per week (unless exempt) and enroll in the Family Self-Sufficiency program.
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program Information
The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program can help you save money, continue your education, and connect you to other resources to enhance the self-sufficiency of you and your family. If you have any questions or are interested in the FSS program, please visit the CRC or contact June Anderson or Ryan Kirby.
The Family Self-Sufficiency program is MANDATORY!
FSS can help you and your family succeed.
Defeat generational poverty with the help of FSS.
If you have not yet signed up for FSS and you are not exempt, your subsidy/voucher may be in danger of TERMINATION.
To avoid TERMINATION AND EVICTION, please contact June Anderson or Ryan Kirby immediately to schedule an FSS orientation appointment.
June Anderson
Phone: (386) 331-2743
Email: junen@newsmyrnahousing.comRyan Kirby
Email: procurement@newsmyrnahousing.com
Phone: 386-603-4803If you are between the ages of 18 and 62 you are required to work 15 or more hours per week and enroll in FSS.
If you are medically exempt, please contact June or Ryan with documentation.
Meet our Director of Operations, Crystal McLeod!
If you are a resident at NSBHA, chances are you have met Crystal once or twice. You might even know her as your landlord. What you might not know, are all the other things Crystal does here at the Housing Authority.
A jack of all trades, Crystal is here to help tenants find housing, answer phones and emails, show homes to potential tenants, fulfill landlord duties, lead maintenance operations, patrol properties, mail notices, file forms, and more. If someone doesn't know how to do something or has a question--we look for Crystal.
Not only does Crystal do just about everything here at the Housing Authority, but she is also a dedicated mother to two beautiful children. When she is not working, she loves to relax at the beach as well as spend time with her kids and her dog.
Join us in our appreciation for all the hard work that Crystal does here for us at NSBHA!
Here at NSBHA, we do far more than issue housing vouchers. Our staff is dedicated to helping our community in many ways. The Community Resource Center (CRC) at 1106 S. Orange Street has the ability to locate and connect with a wealth of resources in Volusia County.
One local woman can testify as to how Ryan at the NSBHA CRC helped her and her family find housing even though NSBHA was not able to house her directly.
Courtney B. had just picked up her young daughter from school and walking home, they saw Santa Claus and many children of the community gathered outside of Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church. She approached Santa Claus asking about toys for her daughter as her family was experiencing some hard times. Making sure her daughter did not go without a gift for the holidays, Santa Claus invited Courtney and her child inside. Courtney's daughter picked out a toy and they headed back to their hotel.
Santa Claus noticed the pair leaving and rushed out to their vehicle, stopping them in the road. Santa introduced himself to Courtney as Ryan Kirby with NSBHA and invited her to come to the CRC for assistance.
You see, Courtney and her family had recently been living in a hotel after they were forced to leave their home. Right before the holidays, Courtney was given a short time to find a new place to live. Unable to find something they could afford, her family moved into a hotel temporarily. Living in a hotel like this is expensive, stressful, and unstable. Determined to make a change for herself and her family, Courtney got to work.
Courtney came to see Ryan at the CRC where he was able to connect her to the Neighborhood Center in Deland. The Neighborhood Center is a nonprofit organization that offers resources to homeless individuals and families. With their help, Courtney is ready to sign the lease for a two-bedroom apartment as soon as it is available!
Courtney is an extremely motivated mother who encourages others in her situation to not give up and to put in the work. She states that she never stopped trying to find housing for her family and that she plans on using the assistance given to her as a steppingstone to do better on her own. She urges others to not become complacent and to continue to put in the effort to move forward independently.
Getting Courtney and her young child out of the hotel and into stable housing is an important and outstanding feat that we at NSBHA are proud to have been a part of. Every family and child deserve to feel safe and to call some place home.
Even when our waitlists are closed and we have no vouchers available, the staff at NSBHA genuinely cares for those in our community and will do our best to direct individuals and families to resources that can make their lives easier, safer, and more fulfilling.