By Jill Winsor
Mark your calendars, and join us for the National Housing Week of Action, May 1 – 8!
Every year, there is a national housing week of action – it’s just one more opportunity for us to speak up and speak out together about every Oregonian having a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home.
We know we need all levels of government to work together to help make this vision a reality. We need our Congressional delegation to increase federal investment in affordable housing. Federal programs through the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to help build and maintain for affordable rental housing, and help pay for rent assistance and services to help people experiencing homelessness.
We know that right now, those resources do not meet the need – only one in four eligible families receives the help they deserve. We need Congress to expand these programs to reach everyone who is eligible.
This year, we are going to make some noise for these important programs, by participating in the National Housing Week of Action, Our Homes, Our Voices campaign!
Save the date now, and stay-tuned for details on how you can participate with us in this week of action. We will provide opportunities for you to:
- Talk to your Congress people and tell them what home means to you!
- Share images and info on social media
- In-person events
We know that advocacy with our Congress people works! In March Congress took action on an omnibus budget bill for 2018 that included significant increases for affordable housing, plus an expansion of the 9% federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), a key tool to develop affordable housing in Oregon. The letters, calls, and in-person conversations that everyday people had with their Congresspeople made this happen. There is still so much more to do and our congressional delegation needs to continue to hear from us that we want to see a bold and sustained commitment to ensure that everyone has a safe, accessible and affordable place to call home.
Stay tuned to our Facebook, Twitter, and this blog to keep up to date on our plans, and make sure to join us!