Our Endangered Homes
In September of 2000 I was one of the 100 families in the project based section_8 program of Greenfield Manor Apartments in Newark that received notice that our owner was opting out of his contract with HUD. I didn’t know what to do, the only thing I was sure of was that I didn’t want to be homeless. So, I said a prayer, went to a rally, asked lots of questions, went to some meetings, and somehow wound up on the Resident Council.

Then I got bombarded with terms like: NAHT... Isn’t that a pesky insect? SWAT...a method for killing the insect? DHC...a pesticide perhaps? I soon learned that these were organizations that could help us win our right to remain in our homes.

As our contract expiration date drew near, we planned a rally and gained some much needed media coverage. At that time we felt confident that we would win the right to remain even if it meant going to court. HUD regulations were stacked in our favor and our owner had not followed the proper procedure for exercising his right to opt-out of his contract.

However, it seemed that HUD wasn’t going to enforce its own regulations and our owner didn’t want to meet with us or offer any comments. So, we still felt the anxiety of not having closure to our frightening situation. With the guidance of the Delaware Housing Coalition (DHC) we continued with our plan and launched a letter-writing campaign targeted at our elected officials. Then I packed my bags to represent Greenfield Manor Apartments at the 10th Annual NAHT Conference – now known to me as the National Alliance of HUD Tenants.

A National Tenant Gathering
It is at this conference that I gained a better understanding of the whole affordable housing spectrum. I was sent with well wishes from our council and the instructions to bring back lots of information to help our cause. Fortunately, Gina Miserendino from DHC was attending the conference also. I was attached to her for four days and I’m sure she still has nightmares about me nagging her constantly with questions.

We checked into the hotel on Thursday evening and by Friday morning I had already met too many people to recall all their names.

The first full day of the conference I attended the opening session where testimonies of housing triumphs and failures were shared and awards were given. All I could do was cry and cry. I heard people from every state in the country share stories of fighting for their homes.

It was the first time since we received our letters that I felt free to let down the strong front. Back home I had to keep it all together for that eighty year old woman in the wheelchair, the veteran, and the family with two young children all of whom were understandably terrified at the thought of having to leave their homes.

At the NAHT conference I was surrounded by others who had at one time been in my shoes and won. I felt a camaraderie, a sense of hope and motivation. The classes and workshops were very informative. I also received a wealth of information to bring back to the council. I was learning from the people who had experienced what I call the affordable housing battles first hand.

"Accountability Session"
Built into the agenda of the conference was a meeting with a top official at HUD, an action at a local apartment complex that was at-risk, and a day of meeting with our state representatives and senators. The meeting with the HUD official was called an "accountability session" – as it was a time to hold HUD accountable for the things that they verbally committed to doing in previous years.

Questions were prepared ahead of time and I was invited to ask the question relating to opt-outs and HUD’S apparent unwillingness to enforce their own regulations. Being a first timer at the conference I decided to get some help from some of the more experienced NAHT members. I am proud to say that we not only put together a question which demanded and received an immediate favorable response, but also delivered it in a way which assured the responder that we intended to personally hold him and HUD to their promise(s).

"Save Our Homes!"
The high feeling from the accountability session with the HUD official was still lingering when I found myself in the midst of several hundred NAHT members. We gathered at an apartment complex in Washington D.C. to support the residents that were at risk of being displaced. I wanted to take everyone home for our next rally. We could see the Capitol building from this location.

With that view as a backdrop, news cameras all about, "Save Our Homes!" chants ringing in my ears, and a "DELA - WHERE will we Go?" sign around my neck it hit me...affordable housing promises from Washington were for people earning thirty-five thousand or more and not for residents like me. Affordable housing was more politics than morals. Like it or not I had to learn the political side of things. Normally I listen to a candidate’s running platform and make a somewhat informed vote on election day.

It was time to get more involved, so with Gina as my guide, we marched right up on capitol hill to the offices of Senators Biden and Carper. We already had the promise of the HUD official to get our regional HUD office to put some things in motion to help secure our homes and we left Washington with a commitment from Senator Carper’s office to do the same.

For Now, We Get to Stay!
Well, something that transpired between September 2000 (when our Resident Council President, Diane Berry, received her letter and made a phone call to HUD) and 10 months later (when Gina and I caught the metro out of Washington with hopeful smiles on our faces) must have triggered something. We won our right to remain!

Right after the NAHT conference, before we could call a meeting and plan our next action I received a phone call from Senator Carper’s office informing me that DSHA had just issued a press release stating that our owner was renewing his contract for another year and would accept enhanced vouchers if he decided not to renew in future years.

Better Homes & Communities
The main thing that I learned at the NAHT conference is that the battle is not over; in fact, our victory is just the beginning. We still have a long way to go to secure our housing at Greenfield Manor for a longer time period and to improve the quality of our neighborhood. Simultaneously, we must fight to change legislation which effects low-income housing in every state in our country. The best way to do this is by simply getting involved.