Real-Life Decision Making
Decision-making skills are extremely important in community organizing.
That's because community organizers make decisions that can have a huge impact
on people's quality of life. But it is important to understand that decisions
are a group effort.
"I'm not an island to myself," says community organizer Yusef Bunchy Shakur.
"When you become an island to yourself that leads to absolute power, which
leads to absolute corruption. I hear all the time how great [the] work I do
[is], but that great work is the result of great people who support me, great
people who advise me, great people who allow me to vent to them, great people
who donate to me, etc."
You are a community organizer working for residents of a federally subsidized
housing complex. A private developer owns it, but the government pays him
a set fee under a 20-year contract to house low-income people.
That contract, however, will run out this year. The owner has indicated
he will not renew the contract because he wants to sell or redevelop the property,
which is right downtown. Another private company has already expressed interest
in buying the property.
But the city is against this idea because the plan would eliminate much-needed
social housing. So it has threatened to force the current owner to sell the
property to the city's social housing authority. The owner, of course, has
refused. It may be difficult for the city to find a judge who would be willing
to rule for the city.
But as these three sides battle it out, the residents have no input whatsoever.
So you organize a local council to represent the residents. You also invite
leaders from other housing complexes to a meeting where you present and discuss
possible solutions.
What do you recommend?