Tenant Education and Outreach

The Tenant Education and Outreach (TEO) program is funded through Section 514 of the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRAA), which permits annual Section 8 appropriations to be made available for tenant capacity building and other related activities. The TEO program, as with previous efforts funded through MAHRAA, aims to build the capacity of tenants to be active partners in the preservation of at-risk Multifamily properties. Tenant capacity building is the process of developing and strengthening the skills, abilities, processes, and resources that tenants and tenant organizations need to be active partners in the preservation and improvement of their housing communities. The intermediary organization provides and oversees administration of sub-awards to local tenant organizations that serve Project-Based Section 8 properties. The TEO program empowers tenants to advocate for their concerns and engage collaboratively with assisted housing providers. The TEO program assists tenants in their efforts to work productively with property management, hold management accountable for property conditions, improve management and oversight of HUD-assisted multifamily properties, and advocate for the preservation of affordability.