Over 400,000 people live in public housing in New York City. Together, they have the potential to form a powerful coalition of voices. But in 2009 Community Voices Heard, a member-based organization of low-income people including many residents of public housing, released a study finding that the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) violated federal laws on public housing resident participation. CVH and its members wanted to improve NYCHA’s accountability and increase resident participation.
CUP worked with CVH staff and members, and designer Jeff Lai of Office of Jeff, to create We Are Public Housing. This issue of Making Policy Public breaks down the two paths to resident participation: NYCHA’s system of resident representation and the grassroots activism approach.
The first two panels unfold when CVH members share the information with tenants during door-knocking outreach. Residents can then take the pamphlets inside and unfold them further to find out more details about the systems of participation.
The poster side features examples of how people are getting involved, as well as the call to action: We Are Building Power!
You can get your own copy of the poster here.