Austin's public housing authority has grabbed top honors in the state and nation.

The Housing Authority of the city of Austin ranked No. 1 among large cities in Texas and tied for No. 2 in the nation.

The rankings come from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

They gave Austin high marks for both its 19 Public Housing projects and its voucher program. The inspection covers physical condition, finances, management and a resident survey.

In 1996 Austin's housing authority got a failing grade on this inspection.

Since then, the head of the agency says its shown remarkable success. The high scores will allow the authority to be more competitive getting grants.