Tools

Maria Fernandes-Dominique Spotlight

Lia Downing, MKI
"Maria Fernandes-Dominique brings an array of valuable experiences from a variety of mission-driven organizations to her work with the Mel King Institute. She is a self-described community development practitioner with an impressive background, having held roles at NeighborWorks America, the Boston Bar Association, Boston Children’s Hospital, and now Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts." To read more, please see the full Spotlight.

Carol Roberts Spotlight

Lia Downing, MKI
"The fellow residents in Carol Roberts’ public housing complex are not afraid to give her a call. As the tenant board president of Caffrey Towers in Brockton, she has worked to build trust with her neighbors, and that trust comes with its own responsibilities." To read more, please see the full Spotlight.

The Grievance Process Booklet

MLRI
"Using Your Public Housing Grievance Process. A Know Your Rights Guide for Public Housing Tenants in Massachusetts."

How the Mel King Institute’s Public Housing Training Program is helping one tenant group to bridge divides amongst residents

Nadine Sanchara, MACDC
"The public housing residents in Salem have a strong tenants organization, and while they face many challenges, the Mel King Institute’s (MKI) Public Housing Training Program is preparing them to work together towards their common goals." To read more, please see the full blog.

Mel King Institute Public Housing Training Participants Form New Tenant Groups

Nadine Sanchara, MACDC
"In spring of 2020, just as COVID was ramping up, Judy O’Kulsky began knocking on her neighbors’ doors at the public housing development where she lives in Belchertown, MA. Judy was able to get her neighbors involved in a newly forming tenant group." To read more, please see the full blog.

Boston Builds Credit

Boston Builds Credit
Here, you’ll find free and low-cost resources to help Boston and area residents understand how credit works and learn how to build, protect and improve your credit scores. With a trusted network of partners working with the City of Boston and United Way of Massachusetts Bay & Merrimack Valley, our team can put you in contact with a trained financial coach and financial wellness workshops.

DHCD Webinar: Funding and Supporting Capital Improvements at Your LHA 5.26.22

Stefanie Brynen
Join this webinar with DHCD (The Department of Housing and Community Development) to learn more about funding and supporting capital improvements at your Local Housing Authority. Due to successful advocacy on the part of MassNAHRO and Mass Union, an additional $150 million will be available for LHA capital improvements through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Join us to learn how residents can be involved in decisions regarding these funds, as well as an overview of the capital improvement planning process and the RCAT program (Regional Capital Assistance Teams).

Slides for DHCD Webinar : Funding and Supporting Capital Improvements at Your LHA 5.26.22

COVID-19 Community Impact Survey Webinar

MA Department of Public Health, Health Resources in Action
In this video, representatives from Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Health Resources in Action, and the COVID-19 Community Impact Survey (CCIS) Regional TA Providers provide a brief background of the CCIS, what resources are available including technical assistance, and outline the process of engaging in technical assistance to transform data into action.

Racial Identity Development

Beverly Daniel Tatum
Application of Racial Identity Development in the Classroom

Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022

Thomas Ruffen, Public Housing Resident
For residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Thomas Ruffen, member of the Mildred Hailey Tenants Organization in Boston, MA.

Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022

L'aura Jordan, Public Housing Resident
For residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with L'aura Jordan, member of the Elm Terrace Tenants Organization in Greenfield, MA.

Local Tenant Organization Success Stories Webinar, March 2022

Sue Kirby, Public Housing Resident
For residents of public housing, what makes for a successful Local Tenant Organization? In this webinar we talk about how to connect with residents in your development to build a powerful network that can make changes to benefit everyone. Residents are often held back by “The Big 4” -- fear, hopelessness, confusion and division. But through building trusted relationships we can overcome these barriers and improve the quality of life. What follows is an interview with Sue Kirby, the president of the Morency Tenants Organization in Salem, MA.

Slides for Who's Who - DHCD, the LHA Board, and the Local Tenant Organization Webinar 3.9.22

Sarah O'Leary and Bill Halfpenny, DHCD
Powerpoint slides that correspond with webinar here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1NoMQRuMenHaqA3scTzMHYceS6oibA3PQoA1_eKlbS58/edit?usp=sharing

Who's Who - DHCD, the LHA Board, and the Local Tenant Organization 3.9.22

Sarah O'Leary and Bill Halfpenny, DHCD
Join this webinar with DHCD and the Mel King Institute to understand the different powers of the Local Tenant Organization, the LHA Board, and DHCD. Residents will learn more about the "chain of command" for resolving individual problems, the expansive powers of their local Board, and the limits of DHCD's authority.

Organizing for Racial Equity Within the Federal Government

Race Forward
President Biden’s Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government presents a generational opportunity to bring the full force of the federal government to the work of racial equity and justice. To realize its potential, racial equity practitioners will need to organize from within government to continually bring people together towards a common vision of racial equity. In order to sustain momentum such organizing should be coupled with investments in growing organizational capacity and networked infrastructure across the whole of government

The Structural Racism Remedies Repository

UC Berkley
The Othering and Belonging Institute at UC-Berkeley has just released a Structural Racism Remedies Repository, compiling “over 1,000 policy recommendations in many areas where structural racism is most prevalent, including policing, criminal justice, housing, transportation, voting rights, education, and many others.”

How the Mel King Institute’s Public Housing Training Program is helping one tenant group to bridge divides amongst residents

Resident Leadership Academy
Blog post about Sue Kirby, a resident tenant leader.

Mel King Institute Public Housing Training Participants Form New Tenant Groups

Resident Leadership Academy
Blog post about Judy O'Kulsky, a resident tenant leader.

Choosing Integration Report Release

MassINC
Click below to watch the recording including the research presentation and a recap of group conversations for the report Choosing Integration.

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