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Lesson 8: Creating relationships

Managing Effective Relationships

Any First Nation and the residents of its housing program have a valuable relationship. It is crucial that both parties know and understand their roles and responsibilities in that relationship. Policies exist to foster and build positive relationships between the two parties. However, if policies are not implemented and enforced then the relationship can become conflicted and dissolve into conflict.

As a manager, you are tasked with educating your tenants so that they understand the program they are joining and the consequences if they do not abide by the rules. The First Nation must also live up to its obligations to the tenants based on the policies and rental agreements that they enter into with the tenants. This is why all policies and procedures must be clearly set out and be easy to understand, implement and enforce for the manager.

The First Nation and the residents of its housing programs are a symbiotic relationship. As a housing manager, you are charged with managing expectations. If either you, or the tenants, have unrealistic expectations of the other there will be unnecessary tension and conflict. As a manager you want to clearly state the roles and responsibilities of yourself and the tenants at the beginning of the relationship.  According to the Assembly of First Nation Guide To Housing Policy (2010), there are needs/expectations of the occupant and First Nation that need to be displayed. They include:

Establishing expectations can prevent problems which is why it is critical that the policy include clear direction for communication between the two parties.

Shawn (A-in-chut) Atleo, then National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations, described the situation as follows:
Substandard and deplorable housing conditions in First Nations are a
persistent and growing phenomenon. Current housing programs do not
meet the increased demand for new housing units, brought on by the
higher than average population growth, overcrowding, the outstanding and
current effects of flooding, and deteriorating units as a result of poor
construction and impacts from mould.

Strategies to Improve Relations on your First Nation

Housing conditions in many First Nation communities have gained considerable attention over the last number of years. Issues include:

• Housing shortages,
• chronic overcrowding,
• sub-standard housing conditions and
• the resulting socio-economic and health problems are well-researched and documented.

While the wide-ranging problems are apparent, the short and longer-term solutions are more elusive.

According to AFN (2010), implementing strategies to improve relations can chart the course towards:

• greater economic stability for the community;
• job creation, skills development and business opportunities for community members;
• optimized use of resources – financial, natural, technical, and human;
• upgrading of the existing housing stock – addressing occupant health and safety concerns;
• increase durability of new and existing housing – extending the life span of the housing in the community;
• providing community members with a sense of pride in the homes which they rent or own; and,
• replacing the short-term focus of the political process with long-term policies.

Improving Customer Relations

The first step in improving customer relations requires gaining clear understanding of the current situation in the community. Creating a vision involves opening the eyes of the community members to how they would like things to be versus how things currently are in the community. When trying to improve customer relations, the view may be somewhat “hazy”, but starting the process can provide a view of what is desired in the future.

The second step of improving customer relationships requires that community members see both “the forest” and “the trees”. Working with the customers to improve the relationship means creating a series of specific goals and what you want to accomplish in that relationship.  The establishment of specific and measurable goals is fundamental to the development of an effective Community Housing Plan and improved customer relations.

Finally, improving customer relations requires that community members develop detailed strategies and workplans that will guide community housing initiatives over the course of the planning period. These detailed strategies and workplans need to demonstrate how changes can take root and transform the community.

Another important element in improving customer relationships is a clear description of who is responsible for the management and enforcement of the policies. This description should include the day-to-day policies and a description of duties and the limits of authority under which they operate. The person or people with these duties could include many titles include property manager, housing manager, housing director, housing coordinator, as well as supporting staff such as rental and/or lease administrators and housing clerks.

Journal Entry Evaluation Rubric 

Reference

Assembly of First Nation. (2010). First Nations Guide to Housing Policy – assembly of First Nations. https://www.afn.ca/uploads/files/housing/housing-policy-guide.pdf

Shawn (A-in-chut) Atleo, National Chief, Assembly of First Nations, Proceedings of the Standing Senate Committee
on Aboriginal Peoples, Issue No. 3, 2nd Session, 41st Parliament, 11 February 2014, p. 3:112.