The Carson Stout Community Center in High Point hosted its first Big Chair Chess Club tournament this year, drawing around a dozen children and their families. Players as young as five and as old as high school age competed across rows of boards while parents and other onlookers filled the bleachers.
By the end of the afternoon, every child who participated left with a prize, a goodie bag, and an official tournament t-shirt.
The event was part of a youth program supported by the Housing Authority of the City of High Point, which has hosted the chess club since 2016 as a way to engage with young residents. Beyond managing affordable housing, the authority provides programs and services that reach hundreds of families across the city.
Leading the organization is CEO Angela Jiménez, who grew up in High Point’s public housing and, in 2010, became the first woman to lead the authority since its founding in 1940. Her journey is a testament to what’s possible for anyone who starts where she once did.
Chess as a Teaching Tool
The idea for the chess club came in 2016 when Jiménez watched the film “Life of a King.” The movie tells the story of Eugene Brown, a man who served time in prison and later founded a chess program for at-risk youth in Washington, D.C.
Inspired by the way he used the game to teach kids about making smart life choices, Jiménez invited Brown to bring the program to High Point. He agreed, commuting weekly from Hickory — and twice weekly during summers — to run the program.
About 20 children participate in the chess club each year, learning not only how to play the game but also how its lessons apply to real life. They are encouraged to think several steps ahead, consider the consequences of each move, and envision how they want the match to play out.
For Jiménez, programs like the chess club embody the HPHA’s mission to help residents build confidence, gain independence, and access the tools they need for a brighter future. Her focus on these efforts has earned her multiple awards, including Women Pioneers of the Triad, Triad Movers & Shakers, and the Carl Chavis YMCA Minority Achievers’ Corporate Executive award.
Leading by Example in High Point
Growing up in public housing, Angela Jiménez saw the challenges families faced and the stigma that often followed them. Determined to pursue a different path, she graduated from high school in Gainesville, Florida, and served in the U.S. Army.
She later earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business Administration from High Point University.
Jiménez first came to the HPHA in 2003, where she gained leadership experience across several departments and eventually became Chief Operating Officer. From there, she went on to direct the Rockingham Housing Authority, returning to High Point in 2010 as CEO and becoming the first woman to hold the title in the organization’s then 70-year history.
Along with her degrees, she holds certifications that cover a wide range of housing programs, including HUD public housing, Section 8, tax credits, mixed finance, and assisted housing management. Her professional designations include Certified Property Manager, Accredited Residential Manager, and Graduate of the REALTOR Institute.
Jiménez is also licensed as a North Carolina Realtor and Real Estate Broker-in-Charge and has earned credentials as a Certified Housing Counselor, Workforce Specialist, and Notary Public.
She is deeply involved within the broader community in High Point, serving on the Planning & Zoning Commission, the United Way of Greater High Point, the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and various regional and national housing organizations. A graduate of Leadership High Point, she continues to be both a leader and a role model in the city she grew up in.
A Lifeline for the City of High Point
The Housing Authority of the City of High Point has been part of the city for 85 years. Guided by a seven-member board of commissioners and operating under HUD regulations, it has grown into one of the most essential resources for individuals and families in High Point.
The authority manages 1,146 public housing units and 101 Section 8 New Construction units. Nearly 1,900 Housing Choice Vouchers are also distributed, giving families the ability to find homes in the private market.
Together, these programs stretch to every part of the city, serving seniors who need stable housing during retirement, families with young children, and those with disabilities who count on reliable housing support.
Empowering Residents to Dream About What’s Next
Housing itself is essential, but just as important is giving residents a greater sense of independence and the ability to move forward in their lives.
One way the HPHA supports that goal is through the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which is open to families living in either HPHA Public Housing or the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program. Each participant works with a caseworker to set personal goals that may include paying off debt, pursuing a degree, or buying a first home.
As participants’ earned income grows, their rent may also increase. When that happens, HPHA deposits a portion of the increase into an interest-bearing escrow account. Families who complete the program can later use those savings to buy a car, make a down payment, pay off loans, or invest in other needs that improve their overall quality of life.
Participants are also eligible for workforce development courses through funding from the City of High Point’s Community Development Block Grant, which provides access to occupational training that opens up more job opportunities and increases earning potential.
With the Housing Counseling and Homeownership Program, residents learn about budgeting, credit repair, and ways to avoid foreclosure. Every year, the HPHA hosts a housing fair where families can meet directly with banks, lenders, and nonprofit partners, gaining tools that can change the course of their financial lives.
One of the HPHA’s most impactful initiatives is the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Families generally contribute 30 to 40 percent of their income toward rent, and the voucher covers the rest.
This allows families to move closer to better schools, helps seniors stay in areas that are familiar to them, and ensures people living with disabilities can find safe housing that fits their needs. For landlords, the program offers regular monthly rent payments, which ultimately reduce turnover rates.
From Demolition to Renewal
Improving housing also means supporting the neighborhoods that surround it. Throughout the years, the Housing Authority of the City of High Point has led some of the most ambitious redevelopment projects in the city’s history.
In 1998, the authority received a HOPE VI grant to replace Springfield Townhomes, a 198-unit complex. The following year, the site was cleared, and with $60 million in combined funding, Spring Brook Meadows was developed.
The new community featured senior rental housing, 118 single-family homes, and amenities including a YMCA, daycare center, athletic fields, and even a golf practice facility.
The former Clara Cox Homes site was later redeveloped into Park Terrace, adding 250 mixed-income units across 20 acres.
Most recently, attention has turned to Daniel Brooks Homes, the oldest public housing community in High Point. With HUD approval and a $6.5 million city bond, 246 families are being relocated, and plans are underway for 100 new mixed-income units on-site and 164 more off-site.
Residents who participate in the Family Self-Sufficiency Program will have the option to return.
Making Moves That Matter
Eighty-five years after it was first established, the HPHA remains a vital part of the community. Led by Angela Jimenez, CEO of the City of High Point Housing Authority, the organization has expanded its impact beyond housing alone, focusing on education, job growth, and community programs that help residents achieve long-term stability.
From growing up in public housing to becoming the authority’s first female CEO, Jiménez knows both the struggles residents face and the opportunities that open up when the proper support is available.
Her leadership carries that vision forward, with initiatives that range from homeownership counseling and family self-sufficiency programs to youth services such as tutoring, summer enrichment, and financial literacy.
These efforts, along with community partnerships and redevelopment projects, demonstrate the same idea at the center of the chess club — the choices made today can open the door to better opportunities tomorrow.
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