Peabody Properties, a full-service real estate and property management firm, announced today that COO Melissa Fish-Crane was awarded the National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) President’s Award at their winter meeting earlier this month in Washington, D.C.
NAHMA is the leading voice for affordable housing management, advocating on behalf of multifamily property managers and owners whose mission is to provide quality affordable housing. NAHMA supports legislative and regulatory policy that promotes the development and preservation of decent and safe affordable housing, is a vital resource for technical education and information and fosters strategic relations between government and industry.
This elite award is given each year to an individual selected by NAHMA’s president, in recognition of a career of significant contribution to the affordable housing industry. The list of previous award winners includes both individuals and organizations whose professionalism, dedication and accomplishments in assuring quality housing for low-income Americans raise the standards of the multifamily affordable housing industry.
Fish-Crane, a resident of Hingham, Massachusetts, was recognized in part for dedicating more than 20 years to superior achievement in the management of client-owned multifamily residential and mixed-use real estate developments. Resolute in her commitment to exceptional service and to cultivating long-term relationships of trust with clients, Fish-Crane has been consistently relied upon for her business acumen, her expertise and her results-oriented approach to complex issues.
Fish-Crane also served as on the NAHMA Educational Foundation Board of Directors for five years (four as chair), from 2014 to 2018. The mission of the NAHMA Educational Foundation is to assist residents of federally assisted housing as they strive to improve their lives through education, while simultaneously improving the livability and standing of communities managed by AHMA member companies nationwide. As chair, her areas of focus included growing the foundation to facilitate the conferring of more scholarship, increasing the ability to reach more residents, sustained expansion of the donor base, enhancement of board members roles through the assignment specific duties and authorities and most importantly, positioning the organization to better serve and work with regional AHMAs. Under her leadership, the foundation saw its fundraising efforts double, which allowed the nonprofit to award a record 130 scholarships in 2017.
“We are proud of Melissa’s commitment to education, and particularly the importance of education for families with moderate and low incomes,” said Karen Fish-Will, CEO of Peabody Properties and sister of Fish-Crane. “It is so good to see Melissa’s ongoing efforts in this regard recognized with this prestigious award.”
“I am honored to be recognized by NAHMA with this award,” said Fish-Crane. “My affiliation with this organization and the affordable housing industry in general is one of the most meaningful aspects of my career, and I am very grateful.”
Pictured (left to right): Timothy Zaleski, NAHMA President, Melissa Fish-Crane and Kris Cook, NAHMA Executive Director.