The word “newsletter” dates back to 1675 but has undergone a transformation in the past decade due to the Internet. Several housing entities use monthly or quarterly newsletters to share knowledge with residents. A newsletter allows the entity to distribute up-to-date information to residents and the community. The information can range from when rent is due to safety tips. Other examples of newsletter topics are community events, inspection dates, REAC inspections and requirements, scholarships, future improvements, housekeeping tips, health and wellness information, parenting tips, security and safety, and housing policy updates.

Newsletters are also an excellent method to distribute the housing entities’ policies. The distribution of policies may be tracked and documented using the newsletter. In court, the newsletter can be used to prove a resident was informed of a policy and still violated the rules. The newsletter defense may not always hold up, but it can improve your case.

While some feel newsletters are a waste of time and money, technology has made them fairly inexpensive to produce. Since 1982, Watervliet (NY) Housing Authority Executive Director Charles Patricelli has been publishing an excellent monthly newsletter. Patricelli claims it costs $100 in supplies to produce 300-to-400 copies. He uses Adobe PageMaker to produce the 12- to 16-page newsletter, which covers a wide range of topics. The format remains the same each month but articles vary by season, current events, or various housing announcements. Every so often, Mr. Patricelli repeats articles on safety topics, which are used to reinforce good habits by residents.

In Watervliet, newsletters are hand-delivered to the public housing residents and mailed to Section 8 residents. About 2000 copies are emailed to residents and prominent community figures like the mayor, judges and local business owners.

When emailing newsletters, make sure they are solicited: No one likes to receive spam. Emailing a newsletter allows it to be tracked. This way, entities can see who opens it. The newsletters are also downloadable from the Watervliet Housing Authority website at www.watervliethousing.org.

Mr. Patricelli says residents enjoy the newsletter and take advantage of the information provided. One way to ensure readership is to make it rewarding for residents. By creating an interactive section, residents will be more apt to read it. One idea is to devise a question or number and offer a prize to the residents who answer it. When including a word or number puzzle, though, change its location so residents must look through the newsletter to find it.

Newsletters can be a valuable tool for housing authorities. The information provided may have a positive impact on resident involvement, housekeeping issues, or even a reduction in claims. And, since every housing entity should have a scheduled, open line of communication with residents, a newsletter is an excellent way to accomplish this goal.

If you have questions regarding newsletters or need help with topic ideas, please contact your Risk Control Associate or Elizabeth Rohr at 800-873-0242 (ext. 228).