The National Affordable Housing Management Association (NAHMA) is accepting preorders for its 2026 NAHMA Drug-Free Calendar for September delivery. Make sure you have some on hand to give residents and colleagues as appreciation gifts; as a bonus, they fit every budget. Order the calendar today by downloading and returning the 2026 calendar order form to NAHMA. The calendar cost is $5.50 each, which is an allowable project expense for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The yearly art and poster contest for the NAHMA calendar is open to children and senior residents 55 years or older who live in a community of a NAHMA- or a local AHMA-member company, as well as residents with special needs who live in a permanent supportive housing community or Section 811 community of a NAHMA- or a local AHMA-member company.
The underlying message for the annual contest is always a drug-free theme. Still, NAHMA opens the door for more avenues of expression by incorporating a subtheme into the poster contest. The subtheme for the 2025 art contest was The Power Is Mine: Taking Responsibility for Our Choices.
Besides federal and other popular holidays, the calendar also contains a QR code—which can be scanned using the camera on a smart device—that links to a Calendar of Observances to be more inclusive. The Calendar of Observances features a diverse listing of religious observations and national and international holidays that are searchable by month.
Edriel J. Garcia Costales, 14, a ninth grader from Manatí, Puerto Rico, was selected as the grand prizewinner in this year’s national art contest. The talented artist’s creation appears on the cover of the 2026 NAHMA Drug-Free Kids calendar. Edriel also receives an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for a future NAHMA conference and a scholarship of $2,500 from the NAHMA Educational Foundation.
The annual contest consists of the local AHMAs selecting winning posters from their art competitions, which are then sent to NAHMA for consideration in the national contest. Each national winner of the NAHMA contest receives a $1,000 educational scholarship from the NAHMA Educational Foundation. All winners are also featured in the 2026 NAHMA Drug-Free Kids Calendar. Only students are eligible for the grand prize.
Additionally, participants in the annual art contests held by the local AHMAs are eligible to be selected as Regional AHMA Art Contest Honorable Mentions. Those chosen for this distinction will have their artwork featured in a special section of the calendar and receive a $100 scholarship. These participants are in addition to those selected as national winners.
All of the selected artwork can be seen on the national program’s Winning Posters Gallery webpage.
The original grand-prizewinning artwork will be part of the auction at the NAHMA Educational Foundation fundraising gala in October, with the proceeds supporting the foundation’s scholarship program.
The calendars are available for preorder now with a September delivery. The order form is available for download on the Drug-Free Kids Calendar Contest Overview webpage at www.nahma.org. The calendar costs $5.50, which is a HUD and USDA allowable project expense.
About NAHMA
NAHMA is the leading voice for the affordable housing management industry, promoting developing, managing and preserving quality affordable multifamily housing. NAHMA advocates for legislative and regulatory policy and provides affordable housing professionals with the knowledge to advance excellence in the communities they serve. NAHMA’s membership represents 75% of the affordable housing industry and includes its most distinguished multifamily owners and management companies. Visit www.nahma.org for more information.
About the NAHMA Educational Foundation
The NAHMA Educational Foundation is organized and operated exclusively as a Section 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Founded in October 1994, the NAHMA Educational Foundation works to assist residents of federally subsidized housing as they strive to enhance their lives, job opportunities and children’s futures. Its mission is also to enhance the livability and standing of communities managed by NAHMA member companies nationwide. For more information, visit www.nahma.org/about/educational-foundation.
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