Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020
Last fall, ReFrame Association signed a letter that was sent to various media outlets and debate moderators urging them to ask presidential candidates about the most important issue impacting our economic well being, health, educational success, and more—affordable homes. It was successful! For the first time in debate history, presidential candidates were asked for their solutions to the affordable housing crisis. At the November presidential debate in Atlanta, three candidates answered with many more hands raised. Watch this historic moment:
The letter we signed was part of Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020, a non-partisan campaign to register, educate, and mobilize more low income renters and affordable housing advocates to be involved in voting. ReFrame Association was also listed in a version of the letter that was published in the Los Angeles Times as a full-page ad in December. It was accompanied by two front-page stories and two op-eds on homelessness and affordable housing.
The campaign is being organized by a friend of ReFrame Association, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). NLIHC is dedicated solely to achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes.
Fifteen presidential candidates have put forth proposals and have shared a range of ideas to end the housing crisis. You can see what the candidates are doing and saying about affordable housing here.
Consider joining us in urging the moderators for upcoming debates to ask candidates: “What’s your plan to end the nation’s housing crisis?” If your organization would like to sign this letter, you can do so here. NLIHC also offers other digital resources for getting involved, such as a voter engagement toolkit.
If you are passionate about advocating for housing, please join us for ReFrame Washington, an event that we’re hosting in DC on March 10-12, 2020. While there are other housing agencies that offer advocacy trips to Capitol Hill, ours is the only one we're aware of that is focused on preserving affordable housing through rehab and repair. We’ll meet with staff from National Low Income Housing Coalition as well as the Housing Assistance Council and Habitat for Humanity International’s Government Relations & Advocacy Office. Attendees will also meet with Senators, Representatives, and/or their staff, and employees at HUD, USDA Rural Development, etc. Registration is open now.
Together, we can advocate for safe and healthy housing for everyone!
