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PUBLIC ACT 11-72 Connecticut’s New Law – Resident Participation in Public Housing Revitalization. During the 2011 Connecticut Legislative session, a bill was passed by both houses of the Connecticut Legislature that guarantees public housing
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PUBLIC ACT 11-72Connecticut’s New Law – Resident Participation in Public Housing Revitalization
During the 2011 Connecticut Legislative session, a bill was passed by both houses of the Connecticut Legislature that guarantees public housing residents the right to participate in public housing revitalization and disposition.
Governor Malloy signed the bill in July 2011. The new law is called Public Act 11-72. It became effective on October 1, 2011.
Why was Public Act 11-72 needed? All around the state, the face of public housing is changing. Projects are being torn down; buildings are being gutted and rehabilitated; entire complexes are being sold to private developers.
Many long-term residents have been permanently displaced from their homes. Many more face the possibility of being displaced in the near future.
Public Act 11-72 establishes a reliable, inclusive planning process, so that residents will be assured a real voice when decisions are being made about the future of their homes.
What questions do residents want to address? • In a revitalization initiative, residents want to be heard when questions are considered, such as: • What will the new development look like? • What will the new rent levels be? • Will current residents be displaced? • Will there be job opportunities for • residents during the construction phase • and afterwards?
What are the plans for property • management, security systems, • playgrounds, a community room, and • other features? • Will a new owner replace the housing • authority? • Will there be homeownership • opportunities in the new development? • •What will the governance of the new • development be – will there be a board • established that includes residents?
Put yourself in residents’ shoes – what other questions about your new community would you have? Would you want to have a real voice when decisions are made about these things? Other questions: 1.__________________________________________________ 2.__________________________________________________ 3.__________________________________________________ 4.__________________________________________________
What exactly is a resident participation plan? A resident participation plan describes a specific, ongoing process to enable meaningful resident participation during the planning, implementation and monitoring of revitalization or disposition activities.
What are the key elements of a resident participation plan? • - Notice of the right of residents to form a • tenant organization; • - Regular and substantial involvement of the • tenant organization’s representatives in • implementing the participation plan; • Information about technical assistance • resources for residents; • The right of residents to include advocates in • planning activities;
Opportunities for residents to participate in • selection panels to choose development • partners and consultants; • The availability of documents, including • design plans and funding applications for • inspection by residents at a readily • accessible location.
What housing authority activities are covered by the new law? What housing authorityactivities are covered by the new law? -Renovation, rehabilitation, revitalization or redevelopment for which the estimated cost exceeds 50% of the property’s replacement value; -Demolition that results in the loss of one or more housing units; -Sale, lease, transfer or other change in the ownership or control of a public housing project.
Does the law apply to both state and federal public housing? Yes. Connecticut residents who live in public housing, whether state or federal, will be able to participate in planning the future of their communities.
Will the law affect state-funding decisions concerning public housing revitalization? To whatever extent that DECD and CHFA may provide funding for public housing revitalization, the agencies will require the housing authority to have a resident participation plan. They will consider a funding preference to revitalization proposals in which the housing authority and its residents have achieved a signed resident participation plan agreement.
Won’t this resident participation process just delay much-needed revitalization? On the contrary, revitalization projects are delayed when participatory planning has not taken place. With resident involvement from the beginning, revitalization efforts are more likely to be successful and avoid difficulties farther down the road.
Where has Public Act 11-72 been used to date? The Bristol Housing Authority, Darien Housing Authority, East Hartford Housing Authority, and the Housing Authority of the City of Hartford have all signed detailed resident participation plan agreements with their tenant associations.
For more information on Public Act 11-72, call the Publicly-assisted Housing Resident Network (PHRN) at 860-563-2943 or e-mail Les Williams at les@ct-housing.org.
