Exhibit 31.1

            WINTHROP RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATES I, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
                            FORM 10-QSB JUNE 30, 2006

                                 CERTIFICATIONS

      I, Michael L. Ashner, certify that:

1.    I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB of Winthrop
      Residential Associates I, Limited Partnership;

2.    Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain any untrue
      statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
      make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
      statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
      this quarterly report;

3.    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
      information included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all
      material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash
      flows of the small business issuer as of, and for, the periods presented
      in this quarterly report;

4.    The small business issuer's other certifying officer and I are responsible
      for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as
      defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the small
      business issuer and have:

      a)    designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
            disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
            supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
            small business issuer is made known to us, particularly during the
            period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

      b)    evaluated the effectiveness of the small business issuer's
            disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
            conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and
            procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based
            on such evaluation; and

      c)    disclosed in this report any change in the small business issuer's
            internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
            small business issuer's most recent fiscal quarter that has
            materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
            the small business issuer's internal control over financial
            reporting;


                                    13 of 18
<PAGE>

                                                                    Exhibit 31.1

            WINTHROP RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATES I, A LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
                            FORM 10-QSB JUNE 30, 2006

5.    The small business issuer's other certifying officer and I have disclosed,
      based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial
      reporting, to the small business issuer's auditors and the audit committee
      of the small business issuer's board of directors (or persons performing
      the equivalent functions):

      a)    all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
            or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
            reasonably likely to adversely affect the small business issuer's
            ability to record, process, summarize and report financial
            information; and

      b)    any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
            other employees who have a significant role in the small business
            issuer's internal control over financial reporting.


      Date: August 14, 2006                           /s/ Michael L. Ashner
                                                      --------------------------
                                                      Michael L. Ashner
                                                      Chief Executive Officer
                                                      and Director


                                    14 of 18