‘Accomplir’ : the secrets of an efficient residential association

The association Accomplir was very prominent in the Parisian and national press last year, due to its very strong commitment to one of the projects to renovate the Les Halles area of central Paris – a project which, against all expectations, was finally accepted by the Paris town hall. Its secretary, Élisabeth Bourguinat, discusses the working of this association which was created in 1999 to "develop conviviality and reinforce civic responsibility in the Les Halles area". The apportioning of tasks, the pursuit of internal democracy, the importance of written communications, and the networking are just some of the secrets behind the efficiency of Accomplir, which can been measured by the way in which it has achieved its dual purpose. This account raises several questions : how does one reconcile working in a democratic way with leadership by certain members ? How representative is this extremely active association ? How should one manage the ‘post-victory’ era ?