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03/16/2023

Henry Green Apartments Renamed to Samuel P. Crawford Village

 

Dothan Housing Renames Henry Green Apartments 

Samuel P. Crawford Village Named for Agency's First African American Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer

 

The historic Henry Green Apartments, Dothan Housing's (DH) first public housing project, was renamed Samuel P. Crawford Village after DH Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Samuel P. Crawford. A renowned skilled public servant, Crawford was surprised by this historic act during the monthly Board of Commissioners meeting. The CEO is the first African American Executive Director of Dothan Housing and has been instrumental in creating pathways of success for its residents, clients, and team members.

 

"Mr. Crawford has been an incredible force of good throughout the Wiregrass and the southeast region," says Dr. Michael C. Threatt, DH COO. "He continues to make history with his administrative experience and achievements, so this honor is fitting."

 

Before his appointment to the position of Dothan Housing Executive Director, Crawford formerly served on the DH Board of Commissioners for ten years; prior to that assignment, he served as the Fire Chief for the City of Dothan, AL retiring in 2006 after a 30-year career. Upon leaving the fire service, Crawford formed a non-profit to counter the housing shortage resulting from community emergencies, natural disasters, and the disconnection from family, friends, and under-employment. Under Crawford's leadership, continued commitment to education and supporting scholarship candidates are assured and demonstrated with the recent commissioning of the Susan Morrison Memorial Scholarship for children residing in DH communities to pursue higher education.

 

He prioritizes re-engineering and transforming government housing communities into entrepreneurial entities, focusing on reducing government dependency on individuals and families in public housing. Through the formation of Limited Liability Corporations, Dothan Housing can utilize much-needed options under the Housing Choice Voucher program, including Tenant Protection Vouchers.

 

The Henry Green Apartments complex was first erected in 1942 under the conscientious work of A.D. Ussery as emergency defense housing for white-only military families during WWII in response to the housing shortage. Since then, it has evolved to house families of all nationalities and backgrounds according to the Fair Housing Act of 1968, welcoming Asian-American, Hispanic-American, and African American families in the late 70s and early 80s.  

 

Crawford said, "Dothan is home, obviously, and home is only as good as you make it. So, if you're going to make some difference and change and make things better in your home, then you're going to have to put some work in."

 

Dothan Housing has successfully renamed all its properties after inspiring persons and ideals, such as David C. Jamison Village, formerly McRae Homes, and Phoenix Rising, formerly Ussery Apartments. For more information on Samuel P. Crawford Village or our community preservation and revitalization (CPR) efforts, please email Leah Gunn, Communications Coordinator, at lgunn@dothanhousing.org.

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