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Mission
The RI HUD Tenant Project is dedicated to preserving affordable
housing in the state of Rhode Island by helping tenants of HUD-subsidized
housing organize to save their homes. We work in buildings that
are privately owned but receive federal subsidies in the form
of project-based Section 8 contracts or mortgage guarantees or
subsidies. In the state of Rhode Island, thousands of affordable
housing units have subsidy contracts that expire between 2009
and 2012. Our goal is to ensure that contracts are renewed at
each one of these projects. We do this by educating and empowering
tenants to take direct action. By forming a tenant association,
low-income residents of these buildings can affect the future
of their affordable homes.
Brief Background
For several years, Congress provided funds to help tenants organize,
primarily to understand and influence the future of their homes
when the Section 8 contract expires. In response, HUD created
the Outreach, Training, and Assistance Grant (OTAG) and Intermediary
Technical Assistance Grant (ITAG) programs in 1994, to provide
three-year grants to locally-based tenant organizing projects
or nonprofit organizations to "organize the unorganized"
tenants at the city or state level. Congress authorized HUD to
spend up to $10 million annually from Section 8 funding for this
purpose.
Funding
We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Our organization is
funded by a HUD Outreach, Training, and Assistance Grant (OTAG)
received by People to End Homelessness, an advocacy organization
for homeless people in RI. While we are funded by a HUD OTAG,
we are not a part of HUD. We are also funded by Rhode Island Housing
and the Rhode Island Foundation.
Although we
have a HUD OTAG grant, our cash flow is rather restricted. Please
make a donation today so that
we can continue doing this important and necessary work.
NAHT Affiliation
We are affiliated with the National
Alliance of HUD Tenants (NAHT). Founded in 1991, NAHT
is the first national membership organization of resident groups
advocating for 2.1 million lower income families in privately-owned,
HUD-assisted multifamily housing. Through NAHT, tenants have proven
that united action can mount an effective campaign to save people’s
homes.
Since its inception,
NAHT has pursued a four-part
strategy to win tenant-friendly HUD policies and improvements
to housing preservation and disposition laws: the “Save Our
Homes Campaign”, establishment and institutionalization of
tenant's Right To Organize, the “Organize the Unorganized”
campaign, and Access & Reform at HUD. Some have been groundbreaking
accomplishments, especially in reference to HUD and its policies.
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Tenants'
Right to Organize. There
are regulations in place which require owners to recognize
tenant associations or organizing committees that
meet regularly, are democratic, and are "completely
independent" of owners and management agents.
These regulations recognize the right of tenants to
leaflet, doorknock, post notices, and convene meetings
without management present, and without prior notice
to, or permission from, management.
Residents
also can invite "outside" organizers to
assist them. HUD-funded organizers have the right
to go into a building without a tenant invitation
to help residents organize.
NAHT
helped HUD create a “Resident Rights & Responsibilities”
Brochure, which HUD requires landlords to distribute
to all HUD tenants each year. Get your copy here!
Are
you a victim of discrimination?
Housing
discrimination based on your race, color, national
origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability
is illegal by federal law. If you have been trying
to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe
your rights have been violated, click
here to file a fair housing complaint.
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