The redevelopment of distressed public housing: Early results from HOPE VIprojects in Atlanta, Chicago, and San Antonio

The redevelopment of distressed public housing under the Urban Revitalizati on Demonstration Program, or HOPE VI, has laudable social, physical, commun ity, and economic goals. Three public housing projects in Atlanta, Chicago, and San Antonio demonstrate the complexity and trade-offs of trying to les sen the concentration of low-income households, leverage private resources, limit project costs, help residents achieve economic self-sufficiency, des ign projects that blend into the community, and ensure meaningful resident participation in project planning. Although worthwhile and ambitious, HOPE VI cannot achieve all these goals. More of them can be achieved by developing strategies related to the streng th of the local real estate market. To that end, the U.S. Department of Hou sing and Urban Development and public housing authorities must use the mark et-based tools in the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998. Standards for improved physical design and resident participation and furth er research on critical supportive services for residents are also needed.