A study was conducted to gain a better understanding of problems facing limited resource families, specifically residents of four public housing communities. A needs assessment was developed and administered by a resident team from the housing communities. Through a systematic sampling technique, 100 households were selected from a target population of 500 households in 4 public housing communities in Cabell County, West Virginia. Sixty-three households responded. They reported that the most important problems affecting residents were as follows: unemployment, underemployment, drug abuse, crime, poverty, and family violence. Residents rated several programs to be most important in improving their quality of life. Four existing programs had the most importance in improving lives in housing communities: educational programs (General Educational Development programs), crime prevention, Wellness for Families, and recreational programs for youth. A recommendation based on these findings was to increase collaboration between educational institutions and social service organizations when planning programs and addressing issues concerning limited resource families. (Appendixes include a list of 11 references and 6 data tables.) (YLB)