This is the fourth in a series of four discussions that will lead you through formulating a community intervention step by step. Read the scenario and then answer the questions by replying to the thread. Be mindful to integrate course material and reading throughout your answer. Netting et al. (2023) chapters can help with this activity: 2, 10, 11, & 12.
Part 4: The Landlord
When they discuss the concept of oppression and the target population, Yolanda asks, with some distaste in her voice, “I wonder who owns those buildings?” They realize they need to discover who owns the deplorable buildings. After all, someone should begin to advocate for residents’ needs and see if basic repairs can be done. Tamara quickly googles the city tax office and finds that the owner is a prominent minister of a large suburban church.
After Harry, Yolanda, Derrick, and Tamara have acquired and analyzed this tax information, they approach the agency’s most experienced community organizer, who slowly shakes his head while telling the new workers the agency’s history with the landlord. He says that the minister was approached by agency staff a couple of years ago about making repairs. The minister said that he was “doing God’s will” by providing housing for “God’s unfortunates.” The community organizer relayed that the discussion was polite and that it was suggested to the minister, in a non-threatening way, that it would be a good idea to make basic repairs because the city might otherwise condemn the building. The minister explained that he really did not want to put any more money into the apartments because that would be a bad investment, and rather than wasting more money, he would close them down. But he feels that closing down the apartments would be a terrible loss for the people living there and for the community.
Critical Thinking Questions
1. What is your reaction to this information? What race or ethnic dimensions should be considered? What are the possible human rights violations?
2. Name one approach to community change that the social workers should consider employing. Also, name two tactics that would align with the approach you identified.
3. Next steps: What might you do now that you have this background information? (Detail a specific and comprehensive plan based on course readings and discussions).
4.Outline a detailed recruitment plan for a community meeting, including the best place, best time, and additional details.
5. Develop at least two slogans to be used at an event equating the issues experienced by the barrio residents with human rights violations.
5. Identify at least one (1) outcome evaluation measure that could be appropriate to use to evaluate the usefulness of the community meeting.
