(a) HAs with 250 units or more.

(1) A HA shall officially recognize a duly elected resident council as the sole representative of the residents it purports to represent, and support its tenant participation activities.

(2) When requested by residents, a HA shall provide appropriate guidance to residents to assist them in establishing and maintaining a resident council.

(3) A HA may consult with residents, or resident councils (if they exist), to determine the extent to which residents desire to participate in activities involving their community, including the management of specific functions of a public housing development that may be mutually agreeable to the HA and the resident council/resident management corporation.

(4) A HA shall provide the residents or any resident council with current information concerning the HA's policies on tenant participation in management.

(5) If requested, a HA should provide a duly recognized resident council office space and meeting facilities, free of charge, preferably within the development it represents. If there is no community or rental space available, a request to approve a vacant unit for this non-dwelling use will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

(6) If requested, a HA shall negotiate with the duly elected resident council on all uses of community space for meetings, recreation and social services and other resident participation activities pursuant to HUD guidelines. Such agreements shall be put into a written document to be signed by the HA and the resident council. If a HA fails to negotiate with a resident council in good faith or, after negotiations, refuses to permit such usage of community space, the resident council may file an informal appeal with HUD, setting out the circumstances and providing copies of relevant materials evidencing the resident council's efforts to negotiate a written agreement. HUD shall require the HA to respond with a report stating the HA's reasons for rejecting the request or for refusing to negotiate. HUD shall require the parties (with or without direct HUD participation) to undertake or to resume negotiations on an agreement. If no resolution is achieved within 90 days from the date HUD required the parties to undertake or resume such negotiations, HUD shall serve notice on both parties that administrative remedies have been exhausted (except that, pursuant to mutual agreement of the parties, the time for negotiations may be extended by no more than an additional 30 days).

(7) In no event shall HUD or a HA recognize a competing resident council once a duly elected resident council has been established. Any funding of resident activities and resident input into decisions concerning public housing operations shall be made only through the officially recognized resident council.

(8) The HA shall ensure open communication and frequent meetings between HA management and resident councils and shall encourage the formation of joint HA management-resident committees to work on issues and planning.

(9) The resident council shall hold frequent meetings with the residents to ensure that residents have input, and are aware and actively involved in HA management-resident council decisions and activities.

(10) The HA and resident council shall put in writing in the form of a Memorandum of Understanding the elements of their partnership agreement and it shall be updated at least once every three (3) years.

(11) The HA, in collaboration with the resident councils, shall assume the lead role for assuring maximum opportunities for skills training for public housing residents. To the extent possible, the training resources should be local to ensure maximum benefit and on-going access.

(b) HAs with fewer than 250 units.

(1) HAs with fewer than 250 units of public housing have the option of participating in programs under this part.

(2) HAs shall not deny residents the opportunity to organize. If the residents decide to organize and form a resident council, the HA shall comply with the following:

(i) A HA shall officially recognize a duly elected resident council as the sole representative of the residents it purports to represent, and support its tenant participation activities.

(ii) When requested by residents, a HA shall provide appropriate guidance to residents to assist them in establishing and maintaining a resident council.

(iii) A HA shall provide the residents or any resident council with current information concerning the HA's policies on tenant participation in management.

(iv) In no event shall HUD or a HA officially recognize a competing resident council once a duly elected resident council has been established. If a duly elected resident council has been formed, any input into changes concerning public housing operations shall be made only through the officially recognized resident council.