HUD OTAG

Prior to 2007, the NC Housing Coalition administered the Outreach Training and Assistance Grant (OTAG) program under a HUD grant. At present, HUD has stopped funding the OTAG program, although we are lobbying the Obama administration to renew funding to create a similar program. Our work involved meeting with residents to inform them of the importance of their role and participation in the restructuring process. Tenants were summoned to voice their opinion on the physical condition of their property and the quality of management. Those comments were then included in planning major capital improvements on the property, which has a long term effect on the tenant’s well-being as well as the property’s value. This holds property managers accountable and ensures that the developments are positive places for the surrounding neighborhoods through good maintenance and management.


The Coalition’s OTAG staff worked on the ground-level door-knocking apartments to distribute meeting announcements/reminders, holding resident meetings to educate tenants and site managers on M2M and assists in communicating tenant comments to the Participating Administrative Entity (PAE) assigned by HUD to underwrite the restructuring plan.


Another focus of OTAG centered on organizing residents and providing resources to address the immediate needs and areas of concern expressed by tenants. OTAG staff scheduled and met with residents to regularly to deal with solution to ongoing problems at their apartment community.

The Coalition is currently lobbying the Obama administration to renew funding to create a similar program in 2011.