Through their roles handling maintenance requests, filling vacant units, collecting rent, and connecting residents to services in some communities, property managers are in frequent contact with residents. Historically, policies have set up property managers as enforcers of property rules, a dynamic that breeds distrust, stretches staff capacity thin, and disempowers residents. Dismantling this dynamic through trauma-informed approaches requires shifting the environment and culture for both residents and staff. It is critical that housing providers train staff on trauma-informed approaches, provide supports for staff capacity and well-being, and allow staff to provide feedback and suggestions about management practices. Residents should be treated as partners in the processes that set and revise management policies and procedures. 

POAH learned through resident engagement that they could make changes to their income certifications and physical inspections processes to better support residents and improve manager-staff interactions. 

• Residents and front-line staff identified income certifications as a source of stress and frustration, citing paperwork burden, short timelines to report income changes, and the reality that much of the work still happens using paper files, which require in-person visits. Together, staff and residents devised strategies to address these challenges, including extending time requirements, creating an online platform to improve transparency, allowing electronic signatures, and shifting lease renewals from annual to triennial. 
• On physical inspections, POAH heard from residents and staff that unit inspections are frequently disruptive and generate anxiety for residents, particularly those with histories of trauma. Based on this input, POAH is changing their home visit process with the goal of making the process less invasive and anxiety inducing. First, POAH is increasing transparency around home visits with new educational materials so that residents know the reasons for inspections and what they can expect. In addition, POAH resident service coordinators and property management staff will be conducting home visits together to decrease unwanted or unexpected interruptions and traffic through residents’ homes. 

Next section: Resident Services