Conservation Education and Outreach Adapts to Pandemic, OHA Recycling Initiative
Track
Diversity & Environmental Justice
Speakers
Faustina Mututa, City of Oakland Housing Authority
Title
Resource Conservation Manager
Speaker Abstract
City of Oakland’s Housing Authority (OHA) provides subsidized housing to nearly 16,500 families. OHA serves a diverse community in neighborhoods throughout the city. OHA owns and manages over 200 scattered sites, and 6 large campuses of multifamily dwellings (MFDs) and 6 administrative buildings. The MFDs range from 4 to over 300 units. These properties are covered by local and state resource recovery mandates. How is OHA contributing to equitable access to recycling and composting in affordable housing?
As a participant in the Department of Housing & Urban Development’s (HUD) Moving to Work (MTW) Demonstration Program, OHA works with community partners and stakeholders to develop and implement innovative solutions to the persistent issues of access to quality affordable housing, and lack of opportunity in America’s very low income neighborhoods. OHA acts as one of “America’s Housing Policy Labs,” demonstrating and evaluating new solutions that can be replicated across the country; a goal of the recycling initiative. The presentation is a story of OHA’s recycling education initiative, and how it has adapted to the pandemic. OHA strives to provide equitable access to recycling and compost by providing on-going education and tools. The audience will learn and takeaway the following:
- OHA role in recycling education
- Modeling recycling behavior starting with OHA staff
- How to meet residents where they are
- Representation matters in program development and implementation
- In-person interaction vs virtual outreach
- Effective messaging resulting in maximum participation
- Why environmental education is important to marginalized communities