5.5 Leveraging Your Message to Advance Your Advocacy Agenda

Leveraging Your Message to Advance Your Advocacy Agenda Zack Olmstead Homeless Policy Director Housing California

Housing CA Background
Nonprofit 501(c)3 organization
Lobbies on state level policy and budget issues to prevent and end homelessness and increase the supply of decent, safe and permanently affordable homes for all Californians
Funded by annual conference, sponsorships, memberships, and grants

History
1970’s nonprofit affordable-home developer regional trade associations formed
1980’s formed a statewide homeless coalition and a statewide housing coalition
1990’s merged into CA Housing and Homelessness Coalition (CHHC)  Housing California (HCA) in 1996
Housing
Homelessness
Tenant’s rights

Identifying the Issue
What is the goal?
More funding?
More attention to issue?
Is it politically feasible? Economically feasible?
A no to either of these doesn’t necessarily mean you shouldn’t pursue, but it will determine expectations and what represents a success
What’s the time frame?
What stakeholders need to be consulted?
Are there discernible activities/benchmarks to measure progress?

Creating a Message
Keep it Simple
Don’t expect that targets know your issue
Often it works well to relate message to other issues that are consuming media coverage or policy debate
Personal Stories/Human Connection if possible
Sympathetic face of issue a plus (vets, DV, seniors, etc.)

Identifying Your Target(s)
Know your audience!
Elected officials?
The public (voters)?
Media?
Messages Often Need to Vary depending upon target
Example: Public may care about a message about serving the most vulnerable, but elected officials and media may pay more attention to cost savings argument

Examples
Messaging with the new governor
$25 billion budget deficit with deep cuts to HHS
Key question is what the role of government should be
We are saying that creation of ELI homes and ending homelessness is a core function of government
Framing “housing” as an infrastructure issue for legislature but “homelessness” as a social issue with the public
Based on polling

Examples
Working to get new Lt. Governor to serve as statewide champion on homelessness and Chair of a new State Interagency Council
Selling point in current $ tight environment is focus on more federal $ and using existing programs in new ways for homelessness

5.5 Leveraging Your Message to Advance Your Advocacy Agenda

by National Alliance to End Homelessness

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