Introduction to Housing Advocacy: Use What You Know to Get Housing

Educate Yourself

• Know the facts about housing: Read about housing and ask questions.
• Know your housing rights: Read about your rights and ask questions.
• Organize what you know and decide what you want to say about it: This is called your advocacy message.

Collaborate for Ideas and Support

• Find advocacy partners and build advocacy partnerships: Find people or groups who agree with your advocacy message and who can help you with ideas.
• Work with your advocacy partners: Agree on rules and responsibilities for you and your partners, so that you can send the same advocacy message.

Inform Others

• Choose your audience: Decide which people or groups you believe should hear your advocacy message.
• Contact your audience: Find out the best way to get to your audience. For example, by phone, by regular mail or e-mail, or in person.

Speak Up

• Train yourself and your advocacy partners: Keep learning because things are always changing, stay involved and practice delivering your advocacy message whenever you can.
• Keep speaking up: Advocacy takes time. Repeat your advocacy message and keep using what you know to get housing.

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