Celebrating 42 Years of Commitment to DHA’s Mission

Darnese Miller has served DHA, Housing Solutions for North Texas as a dedicated staff member since 1981. She has watched DHA grow and evolve into a progressive, affordable housing leader, now ranking as the 10th largest public housing authority in the nation. After 42 years of commitment to DHA and the clients they serve, Miller announced her retirement this year.

Beginning her long-standing career in the affordable housing space as a housing property manager, Darnese always knew that she would dedicate her life to the service of others. 

She was drawn to DHA due to her “people first” attitude. “When I landed the job, I thought to myself, ‘What a good fit.’ I knew this was where I could do what I believed in, and I turned out to be able to do just that,” says Miller.

After receiving a degree in psychology, as well as guidance and personnel services, Darnese felt drawn to the work of DHA. Working with clients residing in public housing developments, high-rise properties and single-family homes, Darnese supported countless seniors, disabled individuals and growing families on their journey toward self-sufficiency and economic stability.

After serving as a housing property manager for 30 years, Darnese shifted to a new role as a Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) manager for the last 12 years of her career with DHA. Here, she ensured that residential properties reached occupancy standards, oversaw necessary property inspections and ensured that DHA clients maintained access to safe, quality housing. 

“The most rewarding part about my work with DHA is the service to others. My greatest joy would be seeing a resident relocate from a property development to a single-family home. The joy that people have when they do that is overwhelming,” says Darnese.

Darnese, just like DHA, believes that everyone deserves a place to call home. “Everyone wants to own their own home. DHA raises people up through affordable and stable housing and I was blessed to be a small part of helping them achieve that.”

When Darnese reflects on the core things that she learned throughout her career, she has three specific skills that she practiced daily.

The first skill she mastered is patience. The second is perseverance and the third is motivation. These three skills allowed her to overcome any obstacles she faced in advocating for her clients and ensuring that they had the resources they needed to achieve self-sufficiency. 

When tasked to give advice to previous colleagues and future dedicated DHA staff members, Darnese provided one key takeaway: “Work hard and do your best. When you do your best, you will feel rewarded for the job you’ve done, and when you do that, you are changing people’s lives.”

We are incredibly grateful for the contributions that Darnese has provided to our clients throughout her career.

Thank you, Darnese, for inspiring us to do our best each day on behalf of our valued clients.

If you are a passionate individual looking to add value to our residents and their quality of life, please visit our available positions today.

Working at DHA