Power of Resident Voices

Background: Resident leadership is important to the quality of life in public housing communities in urban areas. This study focused on capturing the voices of resident leaders in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Objective: The research aims to document the role of resident leaders from their unique perspectives and to make recommendations to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for needed improvements. Methods: This research is exploratory and used mixed methods and grounded theory to understand resident leaders’ perceptions ( N = 232) of their contributions to public housing governance and housing authority–resident partnerships. Findings: The resident leaders documented their investment in making the lives of their residents better. Key themes were mutual support, providing resident services, and elevating the voices of residents. Conclusions: Overall, the leaders reported feeling a strong sense of accomplishment and community impact through their primary role as advocates for their residents.

Corporate governance · Exploratory research · Feeling · Grounded theory · Perception · Public housing · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Place Attachment and Urban Studies · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies