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Take Action
Federal Appropriations
Robust federal investments for affordable housing, homelessness, and community development programs are needed to address the growing affordable housing and homelessness crisis in communities across the country. Help us push Congress to include vitally important investments in affordable homes in the annual federal appropriations process!
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION'S NAME TO OUR LETTER!
Factsheet: Understanding Appropriations v. Reconciliation
At-A-Glance: UNDERSTANDING APPROPRIATIONS V. RECONCILIATION
Other Policy Aims
NLIHC also works to advance other key housing legislation at the federal level.
Bridge the Gap Between Incomes and Housing Costs
As rents continue to rise and wages remain stagnant, there is not a single county in the U.S. where a full-time worker earning minimum wage can afford a two-bedroom apartment. Join us in calling for the large-scale, sustained investments and reforms necessary to bridge the gap between incomes and housing costs and ensure people with the lowest incomes have an affordable place to call home!
ADD YOUR ORGANIZATION'S NAME TO OUR LETTER!
Tell Congress to expand the availability of rental assistance by passing the "Family Stability and Opportunity Vouchers Act"!
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
Expand and Preserve the Supply of Affordable Homes
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is the primary source of financing for the construction and preservation of affordable housing, but on its own, the tax credit rarely builds or preserves homes affordable to households with the greatest and clearest needs. Urge Congress to pair any expansion of LIHTC with key reforms and to create a new renters tax credit to put more resources directly into the hands of people struggling to pay rent!
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
Add Your Organization's Name To Our Letter!
Provide Emergency Rental Assistance
Around the country, millions of the lowest-income renter households are just one economic shock away from eviction. The bipartisan "Eviction Crisis Act" would create a permanent program to provide low-income households facing an unexpected economic shock with short-term, emergency rental assistance and housing stability services to help stabilize before they face eviction or fall into homelessness. Urge Congress to help prevent evictions by passing the Eviction Crisis Act!
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
Strengthen and Enforce Renter Protections
Households experiencing or at risk of homelessness may also face discrimination based on their race, sex, disability status, and more. This discrimination creates additional barriers to safe and stable housing. HUD must enforce the Fair Housing Act to protect communities from discrimination and ensure everyone has equal access to housing. Congress must defend civil rights by funding fair housing programs, demanding HUD do its job to enforce the law, and supporting the Fair Housing Improvement Act to expand protections for renters facing discrimination.
CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS!
The National Tenants Bill of Rights provides a legislative framework to address discrimination by enshrining a set of tenant rights, including the rights to: a fair application; a fair lease; freedom from discrimination and harassment; habitable homes; reasonable rent and costs; safeguards against eviction; and the right to organize. Urge Congress to enact the National Tenants Bill of Rights!
ENDORSE THE NATIONAL TENANTS BILL OF RIGHTS!
Disaster Housing Recovery, Research, and Resilience
Throughout the country, disaster housing recovery is hampered by the inefficient distribution of federal funds following disasters. The "Reforming Disaster Recovery Act" would permanently authorize the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, which provides states, tribes, and communities with flexible, long-term recovery resources needed to rebuild affordable housing and infrastructure after a disaster. Urge Congress to support disaster housing recovery reform by passing the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act!
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Policy Priorities
NLIHC is dedicated to achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice. NLIHC supports all policy initiatives that advance our mission and goals, including:
- Bridging the gap between incomes and housing costs.
- Expanding and preserving the supply of affordable homes.
- Providing emergency rental assistance.
- Strengthening and enforcing renter protections.
- Ensuring federal disaster recovery resources reach all impacted households equitably.
Learn more about our current policy priorities.
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Learning Lab
Our Learning Lab brings together a wide range of resources and information to support your housing advocacy efforts.
Advocacy 101: Introduction to Advocacy
Learn about the basics of advocacy, key terminology, and the importance of advocacy in housing policy.
- Basics of Advocacy
- Advocacy vs. Lobbying (especially 14:08 to 16:01)
- Does Advocacy Work? (especially 17:53 to 19:51)
Effective Storytelling for Advocacy
Explore training materials on how to craft and share personal stories to influence policymakers and public opinion.
- Effective Storytelling presentation by Marisol Bello of Housing Narrative Lab (especially 38:51 to 50:42)
- Storytelling Tips & Tricks (pg. 13-14)
- More Storytelling Tips & Tricks
Meeting with Legislators
Find tips and strategies for setting up and conducting effective meetings with local, state, and federal legislators.
- Advocacy Meetings (especially 20:19 to 33:10)
- Meeting Request Template
- In-District Meetings
Engaging the Media and Using Social Media for Advocacy
Explore strategies for working with journalists and media outlets to gain coverage for advocacy issues, and learn about best practices for leveraging social media platforms to amplify advocacy efforts and engage a broader audience.
Building and Sustaining Coalitions
Get guidance on forming and maintaining coalitions with other organizations and stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts.
Understanding Housing Policy
Explore key housing policies, legislation, and regulations at the local, state, and federal levels.
- Key Legislation
- How a Bill Becomes a Law (especially 2:50 to 5:24)
- The Budget Process (especially 7:08 to 12:19)
Data-Driven Advocacy
Access training materials on how to use data and research to support advocacy initiatives and make a compelling case to policymakers.
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Get Connected
Use the following resources to get and stay connected with NLIHC's advocacy efforts:
