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Section 8

MISSION

 

The name of the non-profit corporation is the Jersey City Tenant Affairs Board (TAB).

 

The principal office of the Corporation is 563 Montgomery Street, Jersey City, New Jersey

 

The purpose of this organization is to improve the living conditions of federally assisted housing residents in Jersey City by coordinating the efforts of Resident Management Corporations and Resident Councils to enable them to take concerted action on issues and problems effecting federally assisted housing residents, and to support and assist tenant organizations in carrying out programs which will improve both the physical and social environment of federally assisted JCHA public and affordable housing sites.

 

Specifically, the purposes of the Tenant Affairs Board are:

 

  1. To organize and support viable Resident Councils and/or Resident Management Corporations, within all housing developments.
  2. To promote programs through local resident Management Corporations and Resident Councils, which will provide for additional or improved recreational opportunities for federally assisted JCHA housing residents.
  3. To educate federally assisted residents as to their rights and privileges and responsibilities under the existing Federal, State and Local laws in addition to JCHA requirements.
  4. To secure for federally assisted housing residents the cooperation of governmental agencies, which has responsibility for properly enforcing the law and protecting and assisting federally assisted housing residents.
  5. To coordinate the activities of each of the local Resident Management Corporations and Resident Councils to insure maximum communication among all residents organizations.
  6. To assist the Jersey City Housing Authority when seeking operating and capital funds and other Grants.
  7. To promote the JCHA mission and Strategic Goals at all JCHA owned public and affordable housing developments.

 

HISTORY

The Tenant Affairs Board, incorporated as a non-profit corporation since 1981 by resident organizations, work in partnership with the Jersey City Housing Authority to support site-based organizations and to provide a variety of services and programs to improve the well being of public and affordable housing residents, and The Tenant Affairs Board, known as the "TAB", is a not-for-profit organization (501 C4 Tax Exempt Organization) incorporated in 1981 by the resident organizations of the public and affordable housing developments in Jersey City.

The goal of the TAB is to improve the living conditions of residents by coordinating the efforts of Resident Management Corporations and Resident Councils to enable them to take concerted action on issues and problems effecting residents. The primary reason for incorporating was to create an organization which could address the problems, issues and themes which are common to all housing developments. The TAB supports and assists individual site resident organizations in carrying out programs which will improve both the physical and social environment of the JCHA developments. The TAB further acts in an advisory capacity concerning the JCHA's securing of funds, prioritizing of resources and implementation of programs and services.

 

The TAB is currently comprised of elected representatives from each of the public housing developments in Jersey City; the Board of Directors of the Resident Management Corporation or Resident Council of each site is entitled to two representative to serve on the TAB. (When and if other JCHA developments, such as the Senior Citizen Sites or Affordable Housing Sites request membership, they will be eligible to have a representative and alternate serve on the TAB).

 

The TAB members are, by definition, elected officials from each site; the Chairperson, an elected position, of the RMC/RC is entitled to serve as a member of TAB; the alternate is an elected member of the RMC/RC Board and is formally designated in writing by the respective Executive Boards. The term of the TAB representative and alternate continues until such time as the representative or alternate's status as an RMC/RC elected officer terminates. Thus, the term of the TAB office is co-terminus with the term of the office of the respective public housing site. Each RMC has one vote on the Board, which can be exercised by the representative or the alternate in the representative's absence. The TAB representatives and alternates must be residents in good standing of the site that they represent and are preferably at least 21 years old.

 

The TAB holds meetings at least once per month except July and August, which are conducted in accordance with the TAB’s By-Laws and which are open to all JCHA residents.

 

The principal address of the corporation is:

         563 Montgomery Street unit #33-2 

        Jersey City, New Jersey 07302.

 

The officers of the TAB are the Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, 2nd Vice Chairperson, and Treasurer; the officers are elected by majority vote of the TAB at an annual election meeting. TAB also recognizes the office of Chaplain. If an office becomes vacant, an interim election is held among the remaining Board members, with the member receiving the majority of the vote serving out the term. The officers form the TAB Executive Committee, which manages the affairs of the board between meetings, coordinates the activities of the various committees, and plans agendas for Board meetings.

 

As a  recipient of federal funds, and therefore in accordance with the requirements of the federal Single Audit Act and applicable OMB regulations, the TAB’s federally funded activities are audited in conjunction with JCHA audits, since the JCHA administers the TAB payroll and expenditures. The JCHA funds these expenditures after approval of the Agency budget and within allowable Federal regulations.

 

The TAB has adopted By-Laws and is empowered to pass resolutions, operate programs, receive and expend funds, establish bank accounts, and conduct fund raising and any other activities to carry out the goals of the organization.

 

Since its inception, the TAB has initiated, developed and sustained a variety of programs and activities to improve public housing, including management, security, anti-drug, employment, training, recreational and educational programs. The TAB receives funds from the JCHA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD) and other governmental sources, hires and employs staff and works closely with the JCHA to operate the programs. This Agreement describes the current activities of the TAB and JCHA, the respective roles and responsibilities of the parties and relevant parameters and principles governing the actions of the TAB/JCHA.

 

Issues To Be Addressed:

A specific goal that the Tenant Affairs Board would hope to achieve if a grant was awarded would be to learn how to successfully recruit new resident members into the various resident organizations in order to sustain community involvement into the future. It is especially important to interest young adults and parents in participating in the betterment of their communities.

 

Technical Assistance:

The Tenant Affairs Board would utilize technical assistance to:

1.      Improve membership recruitment development.

2.      Increase and sustain partnerships, particularly those which might provide resources needed to continue or develop new programs or provide services for low income families.

3.      Develop meaningful strategic planning to address identifiable issues.

 

December 2002