Public housing redevelopment: Seven kinds of success

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Abstract
Three comprehensive redevelopment efforts were undertaken in Boston public housing projects during the 1980s, attempts that may well represent the clearest precedent for the current U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initiatives under the Urban Revitalization Demonstration program. Despite receiving similar levels of funding and undergoing similar design and development processes, the results of these three redevelopment efforts vary widely: Two of them have become nationally recognized models for public housing revitalization, while the third proved disappointing to all involved. This article examines and evaluates the three efforts. It argues that redevelopment success should be measured by at least seven criteria: smooth implementation, recognized design quality, improved tenant organization capacity, enhanced maintenance and management performance, improved security, progress on socioeconomic development, and resident satisfaction. It concludes by emphasizing the potential of partnerships among tenant groups, housing authorities, and private management companies to play a greater role in public housing policy.

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