Operational Support

It is important for managers and supervisors to understand and learn to identify various forms of racism and classism, and how they may be perpetuated in the organization’s interactions with residents, even unknowingly. Progress can occur when staff learn how to resolve conflict, respect differences and work cooperatively with people of various backgrounds. A manager’s ability to help staff openly discuss issues of racism and other forms of oppression greatly enhances the team’s ability to work toward developing healthier relationships, and in turn, more equitable organizations.

Leadership/Board of Directors

It is important to understand how to advance justice as a leader and prioritize authentic connections across all levels of the organization. Board members and senior leadership should be proponents of the housing equity plan if the organization is to move from well-intentioned ideas to decided actions. Risks and opportunities related to reputation, strategy, financing, regulatory compliance and human capital have proven to be strong motivators for increased focus on racial equity objectives. The effective oversight of a housing equity plan typically requires that board members:

• Ensure the CEO and board chair have the capacity and commitment to drive the organization’s housing equity efforts long-term.

• Take steps to build a board and decision-making structure of people who are racially and ethnically diverse.

• Make housing equity an active part of the business strategy and work toward clear and quantitative key performance indicators.

• Regularly evaluate the potential impacts of the company’s operations on communities of color, embracing relevant opportunities and mitigating relevant risks consistent with the organization’s business strategy.

• Weigh the perspectives of stakeholders (including employees) in leadership’s decision-making.

• Create a structured onboarding and ongoing training process that prepares all directors and leaders for effective oversight of the housing equity work.

• Seek out best practices and learn from peers and experts.

Resident Relationships

Residents can play an important role in the creation, implementation, and evaluation of an organization’s racial and housing equity plan, particularly in organizations that serve many BBIPOC and/or low-income residents. Organizations can also benefit from resident engagement in development processes that help to achieve community buy-in and ensure a development’s success. How an organization interacts with the community can affect residents’ feeling of commitment to the community, contribute to the physical protection of the development, and have a positive impact on resident behavior. There are a number of concepts which can be helpful when engaging residents:

• Respect residents and their time.

• Involve diverse groups to capture a range of opinions and preferences.

• Be aware of the organization’s and staff members’ position and biases.

• Gain the resident’s trust; deliver on the promises made.

• Use simple, direct language.

• Design housing, programs, and services with culture in mind.

• Team up with other organizations to create a network of support for resident success.