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 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.