During the 1970s and 1980s, the Lakewood Housing Authority (LHA) initiated and managed several key affordable housing programs for Lakewood residents. These programs included the implementation and management of the Section 8 program, the purchase and rehabilitation of dilapidated properties for sale to first-time home buyers and moderate-income families, and the acquisition of affordable rental options within the community.
The agency increasingly recognized that housing may be a primary barrier to a high quality of life and self-sufficiency, but not the only obstacle. Accordingly, the LHA broadened its efforts to include self-sufficiency and education programs and services including financial literacy, first-time homeowner preparation, health and wellness programs, and scholarships. A 501(c)3 was created to expand funding opportunities in-house and to establish community partnerships for service provision.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, the organization underwent significant growth, evolving into a dynamic, multi-faceted developer, property manager, and service provider. The LHA started managing its own properties, acquiring and rehabilitating apartment complexes, and developing newly constructed apartment communities. In 2008, the LHA purchased its own office building for its headquarters and rebranded itself as Metro West Housing Solutions, reflecting its evolving mission and expanding geographic reach.
Today MWHS remains a fiscally-responsible, affordable housing developer, property manager and provider of resident services that is well-known locally and nationally for its success in housing and service delivery. MWHS strives to not only develop and provide quality affordable housing and services to its clients, but to educate others on the importance of attainable affordable housing in communities and the positive outcomes and lasting impacts it provides.
