Continuing His Commitment to Provide Safe, Decent Homes Orange Housing Commissioner Joins National Housing Association

ORANGE, NJ – July 1, 2019 – Having grown up with what he calls “meager means,” Coram Rimes, a commissioner for the Housing Authority of the City of Orange, has had a lifelong dedication to providing safe and affordable housing for low income families. This commitment culminated in his recent election to the Middle Atlantic Regional Council of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials as an at-large member.

“It was a motivating factor for me,” Rimes explained. “I knew I didn’t want to ever be in that situation again. I did not want to see other people in a similar situation, provided they wanted to help themselves and work harder and smarter to change their environment. Let’s face it, the community plays a large part in who you are as an individual.”

 

MARC NAHRO is a membership organization representing housing and community development agencies in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Council’s goal is to provide adequate housing and to create stable communities.  Rimes was one of five elected out of a field of nine to the at-large position.

 

For Rimes, this is an opportunity to do what he loves best – learn. “I’m looking forward to working more closely with the seven-member body and to see how similar housing programs compare to HACO. I want to see what I can learn from them and to be a better commissioner.

 

“I want to learn more and to contribute, to have a higher sense of direction, and to provide a greater value. If you want to do something, you should develop some type of knowledge and expertise to enhance your ability so you can do the job well.”

 

Rimes brings extensive experience to his new position on the MARC NAHRO Council. He was appointed as a HACO commissioner in 2008 after serving on the Orange City Council for eight years. As a commissioner, Rimes took on the duties of board treasurer, parliamentarian, and board chair. In addition, he was a member of several committees: personnel, finance, ad hoc and housing development. He earned his NAHRO commissioner certification and teaches HUD-mandated courses to new commissioners at Rutgers University School of Government.

 

So much time and effort are proof of a driving sense of responsibility and duty and speaks to Rimes’s core beliefs. Commenting on his volunteer work, he said, “It’s important because people are important. The way they live, the community, that’s important. So much of that shapes a person and the family and how they develop and grow. The fact that people care. They’re your neighbors. They know you, and they watch out for you. Those are the type of neighborhoods where I grew up. Those are the types of communities I would like to see continue.”

 

About the Orange Housing Authority

The City of Orange Housing Authority works to transform the City of Orange by providing safe, livable and affordable housing that promotes the development of communities. At the Orange Housing Authority, participants are not statistics, they are neighbors. The OHA knows the community and tailors programs to better serve the participant’s needs. Whether it is a search for housing, assistance with foreclosure or neighborhood development, the Orange Housing Authority stands ready to offer its services to all residents.