The Resident Relations Department assists public housing residents and Section 8 clients to become better educated and economically self-sufficient by creating pride, respect and stability through job training, job placement and educational, cultural, and recreational programs.

Executive Director, Mr. Rudolf Montiel

PROVIDE

o Educational development, employment training, job placement, and job retention services;
o Youth and family services;
o Cultural, educational and recreational support services;
o Neighborhood revitalization activities; and
o Leadership training for all ages
o Encourage and increase community participation.
o Reduce crime and participation in gang, anti-social and drug-related activities.
o Implement innovative solutions to major barriers to work, such as childcare, transportation, healthcare, literacy skills,

Commissioner, Elenore Williams

The Resident Relations Department has a committed staff of program specialists, social workers, residents, grant writers, and dedicated directors. We receive most of our funding through competitive grants at the local, state and federal levels. The Administration provides financial control for numerous funding streams, negotiates and writes contracts, MOUs and grant proposals, and manages space use agreements for social service providers located at public housing developments.

The Fund Development unit is responsible for generating revenue for the department and the agency as a whole. The goal of this unit is to create additional stakeholders from which scholarships, grants and donations are garnered and subsequently used to support public housing programs. HACLA's non-profit 501(c)(3) status often helps to establish such cooperative relationships; thereby, making it possible for HACLA to implement noteworthy activities, such as the Annual Talent Show, Graduation Gala and award winning Anti-Violence Campaign.

JOBS PLUS

Jobs Plus is a national demonstration program designed to address concentrated joblessness within urban public housing communities by examining innovative responses to such conditions. Jobs Plus targets the hard-to-employ low-income populations and helps them find, keep and advance in jobs. Los Angeles is one of seven cities participating in the program, but the only city to have two sites, Imperial Courts and William Mead Homes. Jobs Plus has three core elements: (1) Work-related activities and services; (2) Financial incentives to encourage and support work; (3) Activities to build and sustain community support for work.

Former Jobs Plus participant at work

WORKSOURCE DEVELOPMENT

HACLA's WorkSource Center is certified by the City of Los Angeles and seeks to promote self-sufficiency in customers and the surrounding communities by providing a variety of family services. Many of these services include educational and vocational training, job development and placement, case management, support services, youth and family development, gang prevention, and drug diversion. Since all services provided by WorkSource Centers are centralized in their respective locations, customers always have a wide selection of programs and services to choose from. Currently, the services provided through the WorkSource Centers fall into five key categories.

Literacy, vocational and entrepreneurial training, job readiness, work experience, and on-the-job training opportunities.

Transportation to work and/or school, childcare, educational and employment resources, professional attire for employment, and work-related tools/equipment.

(Up to 12 months after employment) Counseling, support services and career planning.

The Computer Learning Center (CLC) Initiative provides free structured computer based-training to residents of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA). Through a network of twelve computer learning centers located throughout the City of LA, adults learn and master marketable skills through the Office Automation program; children develop critical thinking skills and have fun improving their reading, spelling and math; and youth build graphic design and writing skills by collaborating to create news magazines, graphic arts portfolios, and other special projects.

The Community Resident Liaison (CRL) unit of Resident Relations develops and maintains positive, constructive and cooperative relationships between HACLA, development residents and the community at-large through special event coordination, program implementation, translation and interpretation assistance, and transportation services. CRLs provide foundational support and guidance to resident governing bodies in parliamentary and electoral procedure as well as sponsor, support and develop conflict resolution, mediation workshops and resident safety programs. These programs are directed towards enhancing the quality of life for public housing residents. Examples of CRL activities are leadership seminars for residents, cultural diversity workshops, community building and organizing events, and the Joint Advisory for Neighborhood Empowerment (JANE) collaboration between Section 8 staff and Resident Liaisons.

Language Services provides accurate and professional translation and interpretation services for non-English speaking residents of HACLA developments. Any language that cannot be translated by a member of the Language Services staff is made readily available through contracted agencies. Although English to Spanish translation is the primary translation and interpretation provided, thirteen other languages (Arabic, Armenian, Cambodian, Cantonese, Farsi, Khmer, Korean, Indonesian, Mandarin, Malay, Russian, Thai, and Tagalog) can also be interpreted and translated for residents. Such services are offered at all public meetings and are present in translations of HACLA program literature. It's the goal of Language Services to ensure that any non-English or limited-English speaking resident has equal access to HACLA services and programs.

TRANSPORTATION SERVICES

The Transportation Services unit was established to address the lack of affordable transportation available to residents seeking or sustaining employment. To make it possible for residents to participate in employment-related activities, Transportation Services provides numerous 12-passenger, 7 passenger and 4-passenger vans. These vans are used to transport residents to pre-employment services, vocational classroom training, paid work experience, support services, and many more programs offered by HACLA to alleviate barriers to employment, childcare and job placement. In addition, the unit provides transportation-related assistance to residents participating in other programs provided by Resident Relations, such as Jobs Plus, CSCs, Hope VI, Youth Initiatives, and many more.

HOUSING-BASED DAY SUPERVISION PROGRAM

The Housing-Based Day Supervision program was established as a gang prevention and intervention unit. The goal of the program is to reduce participation in gang activity and eliminate anti-social behavior in youth ages 8-17, reduce criminal activity and enhance quality of life in housing developments through leadership development, educational empowerment, sports activities, and cultural programs. With a Deputy Probation Officer and Youth Program Assistant housed on-site, staff provides supervision services to at-risk populations, youth, probationers, and the families atlarge during daytime and nontraditional hours (evening and weekends). Supervision is provided to the Imperial Courts, San Fernando Gardens, Ramona Gardens, and Pico-Aliso Gardens communities.

YOUTH LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT - CITYWIDE YOUTH ADVISORY COUNCIL

The Citywide Youth Advisory Council is a leadership development program for young people ages 13-25. It is designed to promote programs that provide youth with improved educational, recreational and social service opportunities, emphasizing life skills, empowerment and self-sufficiency. The Citywide Youth Council works in collaboration with local Resident Advisory Councils (RACs) to organize and support local councils and ensure that their concerns and interests are represented. Moreover, it strives to educate youth about their rights and responsibilities under existing federal, state and local law and HACLA Rules and Regulations.

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Elenore A. Williams, Chairperson
Michael Nogueira, Vice Chairperson
Maria Del Angel, Commissioner
Lovie Jackson, Commissioner
Jane McGlory, Commissioner
Manuel Salas, Commissioner
Ellen Sfair, Commissioner Executive Assistant

EXECUTIVE OFFICE
Rudolf Montiel, Executive Director
John R. Garcia, Division Director of Housing Programs

RESIDENT RELATIONS
Lourdes Castro-Ramirez, Acting Director
Connie Alvarez, Assistant Director

RESIDENT RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
520 S. LaFayette Park Place, Suite 400
Los Angeles, California 90057
(213) 252-6100 Fax: (213) 252-5474