New efforts to upgrade living standards and the environment through active resident involvement in public housing management have been endorsed by many community leaders, social organizations and housing researchers. The wide variation in experiences among localities in tenant participation must be taken into account as well as the broad diversity of public housing requirements within an authority and across the country: in large and small communities; in single units as well as multi-family projects; and for elderly as well as family occupancy. HUD, NAHRO, and other housing researchers have determined that national and local policies should encourage the development of a variety of ways to achieve the goals of participation in relation to the individual characteristics of each public housing authority, its own unique program and its tenants. In selecting tenant management sites, three initial criteria have been established: Housing authority commitment to the concept of Need for strong organizational and managerial Existence of a cooperative relationship between the The most important criteria are the readiness of the tenants and a postive and cooperative attitude on the part of the public housing authority. The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority is committed to exploring the feasibility of tenant management as well as looking into other forms of private contract management with a view toward developing alternate management systems. Efforts to advance tenant participation in public housing must proceed from an understanding of the public housing program--its purpose as well as the legal, administrative, and financial framework within which it operates, for the best interests of the public housing program, the residents, and the community at large. Today we are arriving at standards--standards upon which to build responsive, efficient management operations through which opportunities for employment, education and access to local resources can be provided low-income families in the community. A sincere and continuous effort will be required by the housing authority, residents, and community, working in partnership to achieve mutual goals of creating a sound living environment and better public housing through increased tenant participation. 48-671 0-85--23 |