On January 28th, 13 Plymouth staff added their voices to those of more than 500 others at the 2014 Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia.
Plymouth staff had a huge collective impact at the 2014 Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Day in Olympia on January 28th. Red scarves were worn by all advocates that day to identify themselves as champions of safe, healthy and affordable housing.
Story by Jacob Gelb, Analyst, Plymouth Housing Group
The annual event, organized by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, connects policymakers with champions for affordable housing. Elected officials get a chance to hear from passionate and informed stakeholders from all walks of life.
Many who participated this year were homeless or formerly-homeless people who shared their personal stories, painting a vivid and very human picture of the benefits of safe, affordable housing.
Plymouth case manager and first time Advocacy Day participant Juawana Grant said, “The message from each state legislator was the same: if we want to influence the decisions made in Olympia, we have to advocate for what we want. Hearing the personal stories of constituents shows them the very real impact their decisions have on people’s lives.”
Theresa Hohman and Brandon Getz took Juawana’s advice to heart. Read about their incredible meeting with Washington state Speaker of the House Frank Chopp.
Now Here’s Where You Come In.
The legislature will be in session until the middle of March, making decisions with long-term impacts on Plymouth and Plymouth residents. Every voice in the chorus of support for affordable housing makes a difference.
It’s a Lot Easier Than You Think. (no policy wonk experience required!)
Contact your state legislators to let them know you understand the community-wide benefits of affordable housing programs like ours. Ask them to fight for the budgets that will meet the urgent need and spread the remarkable benefits.
What You Can Ask For:
—an increase in the Housing Trust Fund. (Why? Because The Housing Trust Fund is our state’s key investment in affordable housing. The ability of nonprofits such as Plymouth to transform lives and communities depends critically on a robust Housing Trust Fund).
—an expansion of the Housing and Essential Needs (HEN) and Aged, Blind and Disabled (ABD) programs. (Why? Because they provide essential support for individuals with mental and physical disabilities. With HEN and ABD, these vulnerable community members can afford rent, food and basic living expenses. Many Plymouth residents rely on these programs to remain stably housed in our buildings).
—permanent document recording fees. (Why? Because Washington state has used recording fees on some real estate documents as a significant source of funds for homelessness programs. These fees are set to be reduced in 2015, which would drastically reduce funding for programs like Plymouth’s).