From Surviving to Thriving: The Complex Experience of Living in Public Housing

Abstract

Interviews with 12 African American women who were long-term residents of a public housing complex and were engaged in tenant management activities found that obstacles in the complex reinforced their resilience and that their roles as mothers and their adherence to spiritual beliefs gave their lives meaning. Although tenant manage ment has not yet brought about collective empowerment, it has pro vided a foundation for personal development. The implications of these findings for social work practice and policy are discussed.