The Waltham Housing Authority has agreed to organize a community center for Prospect Terrace, a low-income public housing community off of Prospect Hill Road. Brandeis students and faculty, including members of the University's community engaged learning initiative, have helped advocate for the center and will be involved in various projects that occur there.

The final decision came as a result of a petition signed by 47 tenants.



After a meeting with Housing Authority officials, members of Tenants Organizing to Reform Community Housing and outside contributors were told that on Dec. 1 a temporary center would open in a vacant apartment in Prospect, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Prof. Mark Auslander (ANTH), academic director of community engaged learning, a campuswide effort to bring Waltham residents to campus events and Brandeis students and faculty to Waltham community programs.



The plan also states that a temporary center will open in December 2008 after renovations on a larger building in the complex.



Although the tenants are given the right to have a community center by the Housing Authority, the funding for such a project is not guaranteed, Auslander wrote. Funds for the new center will come through fundraising, and organizers are also hopeful for donations and grants from outside groups.



"We will definitely be doing bake sales and anything else we can do to help raise money," Auslander wrote.



Director of Community Service Diane Hannan said that there has been a relationship with Prospect Terrace since 1966. Since then, Brandeis students have worked with tenants to help advocate for housing rights and helped establish the original community center that was replaced by a day care center about 15 years ago. The day care was closed down a year ago because of staff shortages.



"Once the day care left, all the pieces started to fit together," Hannan said, referring to the vacant spot available, and the tenants' petition. She said one of Prof. Laura Goldin's (ENVS) classes began to work with the community, and a number of Brandeis faculty worked with the tenants to petition the Housing Authority to promise a community center.



"We're aiming to have computer access, tutoring, after-school programs available to children," Hannan said. "The center will morph around whatever the community needs."



"The general need is a safe place for children to go after school and on the weekends," Auslander said. "Also there is an outlet for educational enrichment for both the kids and the adults, and there is a deep longing for social connectivity in the community."



Hannah Chalew '09, who is involved with CEL as a community engaged fellow, said she worked with children of the community for three days to create the mural.



"We met the kids on Friday, and they all seemed so excited and ready to share their ideas and work with us," she said during an interview. On Saturday and Sunday Chalew and the students primed and painted the wall.



"It was a challenge to put all the ideas into one big image, but it was a lot of fun," Chalew said. "I think that it's important that we continue involvement, because it adds another dimension to our education and theirs."



"I have lived here for five years," said Marie Paul, a tenant who moved her family from a shelter to Prospect Terrace. "I think it's about time that an opportunity like this has occurred."



Paul has two daughters who still live with her in Prospect. "The kids won't have to walk to the library. They can stay here and parents can better supervise," Paul said.



"Kids in the community are really excited," said Izamonique Edouard, Paul's 11-year-old daughter. "I think it's a fantastic idea. We can play games and get help with our homework."



Tenants, students and faculty alike expressed this same enthusiasm, which is helping plans for the center come together.



"I have so many ideas that are becoming realities," said Goldin, who teaches some courses with CEL in mind, including "Greening the Ivory Tower," a class that invites students to lead environmental projects at Brandeis and in the surrounding community. Goldin said she just got approval to hang large canvases on which the children will paint natural scenes, and the class was just allotted a large space that will hopefully become a sustainable garden for the entire community.



Auslander said he hopes this success for the tenants will mean they will begin to advocate for themselves on important issues.



"I was praying for changes all the time," Paul said. "Now this is my prayers about to come true. The center is something for a lifetime.