Living with Ambiguity

Abstract

has to ask her daughter-who is a single parent, lives across town, and has a full-time job and a family to take care of-for help. To purchase home health care with an income just above Social Security would be costly; and who would the agency send, would she arrive on time, would she be pleasant or in a hurry? The patient feels very good that she can perform this task on her own. New York City, besieged by rent strikes, seemingly uncontrollable maintenance problems, and adverse publicity, decided to institute a tenant management and ownership program for many of its publicly held apartments. In several projects, tenants formed organizations and, with much technical assistance (in the areas of law, accounting, and management) and support from the city and other agencies, took over the management and, in some cases, ownership of the housing. Among other things, the tenant organizations selected new tenants (or owners); hired employees; handled all repairs, maintenance, and financial arrangements; established recreation and child care facilities; and ran an employment service. Were the tenant organizations empowered?