Tenant – Led Community Building in MHSA Housing Anne Cory Corporation for Supportive Housing 2/9/11

2 Definition of Community Building Community building involves a range of activities, which include: –connecting tenants to each other –connecting tenants to the staff –connecting tenants/the program to the neighborhood and the community at large Community Building recognized that the relationships among tenants can support housing stability.

3 By Building Community, a Tenant: Develops a vested interest in the well-being of their residence; Becomes more aware of how his/her actions affect the community’s well-being; Builds self-esteem through social and interpersonal connections; Develops skills; Fills the void left when tenants leave the community of the street, the jail, or the drug treatment center.

Elements of Community Building Engaging and fostering relationships within the residence Involving tenants in decision-making processes Connecting tenants to the neighborhood and the larger community Promoting positive norms of behavior within the residence

Engaging and Fostering Relationships Within the Residence Form a welcome committee Create a formal orientation process Create welcoming common spaces Promote interaction Create and maintain forums/systems for communication Enhance natural supports Reach out to all tenants 5

Involving Tenants in the Decision-Making Process Involve tenants in the planning of activities, outings, parties and other special events Identify natural leaders and develop leadership skills Solicit input about the supportive services that are being offered Create open communication forums such as community meetings Involve tenants in the development of House Rules and other building policies 6

7 Defining the Process is Very Important How are tenants’ ideas to be incorporated into the decision-making process? Who makes the final decisions? What is the process for evaluating and revisiting decisions in the future?

Connecting Tenants To The Neighborhood Allow neighborhood groups and organizations to use space within the residence for meetings and events Provide space for a gallery Create linkages to other organizations, self- help groups, coalitions and advocacy groups Encourage involvement in neighborhood community-development efforts 8

9 Community Meetings  Community Meetings can serve many purposes:  troubleshoot issues  dispel rumors  sing praises  reduce the number of “public secrets”  give community members the comfort of knowing there is a forum to express concerns

Tenant Councils Can serve as communication and problem- solving forums Help building management stay in touch with tenants 10

General Organizing Principles Assist tenants in identifying & prioritizing common interests or concerns Progress from simple to complex activities Identify at the outset what issues are non- negotiable and why Focus on both the product and the process 11

General Organizing Principles Involve participants in the organizing effort who have the ability to motivate residents Evaluate who meets, how often, and how meetings are structured to maximize effectiveness Model decision-making, problem-solving, negotiating and conflict resolution skills Teach skills for organizing, leading and documenting results from meetings 12

Benefits of Tenant Involvement: For the Tenant Combats isolation, improves social and psychological ties among community members. Helps tenant develop an interest in the well- being of the facility. Helps to create a culture of mutual understanding and tolerance. Increases tenant’s awareness of how his/her actions affect the community’s well-being Builds self-esteem through social and interpersonal connections Develops skills

Benefits of Tenant Involvement: For Services Staff Allows a point-of-entry for engagement Makes their job easier by delegating tasks and responsibilities Opportunity to observe building dynamics on a new level Increases positive activities and diminishes negative activities Helps identify natural leadership in the community of tenants

Benefits of Tenant Involvement: For Property Management Early identification of property management and maintenance issues Increases the likelihood that the building will be maintained. Increases buildings’ safety and security Establishing a positive community can avert some problems before they erupt

Tenant Involvement and Positive Norms Engaging tenants in a dialogue about the norms of the residence and how they can help promote them is an effective community development strategy. The first step in promoting positive norms is to identify: –Existing norms –Desired norms –Undesirable but tolerable behaviors –Intolerable behaviors

Tools Social Norms and Organizing Issues Worksheet Examples from supportive housing projects 17

In conclusion… Resident participation is a partnership, and like any partnership, roles and expectations must be clear and explicit for the partnership to work. In defining these roles, the partners exercise power and influence over the outcome of the partnership. Oftentimes, how much power each partner has must be negotiated. When the stakes are high, it is not easy to negotiate power. For low- income residents who have few other options and cannot easily leave the situation, organizing often offers one viable strategy for building power. Good organizing necessitates good community planning, which means facilitating people through a process of learning. 18

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