Organizing for Healthy Communities: A Report from Public Housing in Los Angeles

Background: Public health outcomes in public housing communities deserve and require more attention. Recent work in Los Angeles demonstrates a model for contributing to improved health outcomes in public housing communities. Objectives: This article describes community organizing and coalition-building efforts focused on community health issues in public housing, and documents outcomes and lessons learned from resident-led work in the Los Angeles Human Right to Housing Collective. Methods: Our team used a case study of the practice of community organizing, coalition building, resident engagement, advocacy, health impact assessment, and a human rights framework. Results: Results include successes that promote individual and community health in public housing communities in Los Angeles, including public housing preservation, improved maintenance procedures, and increased tenant participation. Conclusions: Community organizing and resident-driven projects are fundamental to improving community health in public housing communities; it is necessary for decision makers to deeply engage with organized residents and incorporate their recommendations.