During last night's public forum, a group of city and housing officials joined students and faculty of Brandeis University to discuss community outreach efforts in Waltham.
Through the college's Community Engaged Learning Program, about 200 students in eight classes have made community outreach a part of their homework this semester.
Last night, partnerships surrounding affordable housing, public housing issues and community outreach efforts were discussed at length.
Diane Hannan, director of the Brandeis Community Service Department, spoke about the university's long-standing commitment to community outreach efforts.
"That's what we strive to do is be a part of the community," she said. " We want Brandeis to be open to everyone and we want the people to look at the Brandeis campus as their campus."
John Cooper, executive director of the Mass. Union of Public Housing tenants, spoke about tenant rights.
"The citizens need to have a voice on how they are going to live ... many need the right to organize," Cooper said. "Residents for the most part have been the whistle-blowers when things go bad ... the goal here is to educate residents and to have residents network with each other."
Last night's discussion centered around restoration efforts and plans for a new community center at the Prospect Hill Terrace apartment complex.
As part of the university's engaged learning program, students and faculty have become heavily involved in community outreach efforts at the complex and have tapped into the needs of residents living there.
"I want you to know I've been a public housing resident for 22 years ... it's been a long fight but I enjoy every minute of it," said Olga Olmedo, a tenant advocate for Prospect Hill. "I'm really glad of this and the (Community Engaged Learning program) to get this community center for Prospect Hill."
The future center is the result of a collaboration between Brandeis, Waltham Alliance to Create Housing and various city agencies.
Starting next week, a temporary community center will open in a vacant apartment at Prospect Hill Terrace and will feature a new computer lab. The permanent location at 24 Hanson Road is expected to be finished by December 2008.
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com.
