NAHRO Launches August Advocacy Initiative

Welcome to the first week of NAHRO’s August Advocacy initiative! To kick off this year’s campaign, NAHRO is joining other national housing stakeholders to bring attention to housing affordability issues affecting many Americans today. This week marks the Our Homes, Our Voices week of action, a national campaign that calls for greater investment in affordable housing. Housing advocacy groups nationwide participate in this annual week of activism, which seeks to amplify housing concerns and educate members of Congress on the crucial needs facing public and affordable housing agencies and their residents. The ultimate goal of this week of action is to articulate how safe and accessible housing benefits communities and to inform Congress that it must fully invest in housing resources in order to protect it.

In collaboration with the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding, NAHRO members and other interested stakeholders can participate in a number of impactful events that will allow you to make your voices heard. You can use the hashtag #OurHomesOurVoices to join a national Twitterstorm on Wednesday, July 26, at 2 p.m. and share why you support investment in affordable housing. You can join hundreds of advocates in calling their members of Congress as part of a National Call-In Day on Thursday, July 27, at 2 p.m.

For more information on these events, visit the Our Homes, Our Voices website and look out for reminder emails from NAHRO in the coming days.

Please note that this is just the first week of our six-week August Advocacy campaign – see below for the full schedule of topics. For more information, please visit the NAHRO website or contact John Bohm or Tess Hembree.

August Advocacy Messaging

• Week 1 (July 22-29): We’ll be joining the Our Homes, Our Voices Housing Week of Action, which includes a July 26th rally on Capitol Hill and a Twitterstorm, as well as a July 27 call-in day.  
• Week 2 (July 31- August 4): Public Housing Capital Fund: Resident Health: This week, we’ll focus on messages and stories about the impact of public housing on public health, and the good work that NAHRO members do to keep their communities both housed and healthy.
• Week 3 (August 7-11): Low Income Housing Tax Credit: This week will be devoted to the importance of the LIHTC and the need to both preserve and expand this successful state-based program, which leverages private investment in order to build affordable housing.
• Week 4 (August 14-18): Small Housing Agency Regulatory Reform: Regardless of whether you’re a large or small agency, speak out to support responsible regulatory relief for overburdened small agencies.
• Week 5 (August 21-25): Housing as Critical Infrastructure: Keep up the drum beat to ensure that housing is included in any infrastructure package considered by Congress.
• Week 6 (August 28- September 1): FY 2018 Appropriations: When Congress returns to Washington in September they will have to make critical decisions about appropriations and possibly the debt ceiling. Let your legislators know the importance of full and prompt funding for housing and community development programs in the upcoming fiscal year.