What Happens When Tenants Manage Their Own Public Housing

Tenant management of public housing shares characteristics with many of the vogues that have swept public policy over the past two decades. The concept is first heralded as a dramatic new solution by some citizen advocates and high officials. It is then tested at a few demonstration locations, often against the best judgment of the veteran line staff. Because it is new and untried, and because established interests tend to rally against it, it proves difficult to implement. There are delays. Public commitment becomes increasingly half-hearted and the effort is slowly abandoned. Where there is a responsible attempt at evaluation, it is often inconclusive. It may come too early in the venture for anyone to be sure it has been given a fair test. Unless the reform is promoted as a success and widely adopted, it is gradually labeled a failure. Its concepts or principles are widely thought of as discredited.