Our homes, Our Voices National Housing Week of Action Local Events

Red HookBrooklyn, New York

Advocates at the New York Housing Conference and the Red Hook Initiative collaborated to create and host a social media booth at a public housing site in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. Public housing and other neighborhood residents visited the booth throughout the day to take photos, record video statements, and write postcards to their members of Congress, sharing positive stories of their public housing homes and communities. Videos and additional photos are online at http://twitter.com/rhookinitiative.

San Rafael, CAMarin County, California

Pat Soberanis addresses a group of residents and advocates in the community room of the Maria B. Freitas Senior Community, a Section 202-funded affordable housing development of Mercy Housing. Pat’s event, organized almost entirely by herself and other low income residents, was a hit. The event featured stations for voter registration, letter writing to elected officials, and sharing stories about housing. There were two teach-ins throughout the day, which were featured on the evening TV news in the Bay Area.

Week of Action MinneapolisMinneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis advocates and residents gather for a screening of the documentary feature “Sold Out: Affordable Housing at Risk.” The film explores the tragic displacement of renters being pushed out of housing that is being “upscaled” through improvements and conversions to luxury rentals. The event was organized by Minnesota Housing Partnership, an NLIHC state partner, which produced a significant report with data that informs the content of the film.

Week of Action Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara, California

Transition House and the Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara convened local leaders at a public housing facility to call for an end to the proposed cuts to HUD programs. Santa Barbara Mayor Helene Schneider addressed some young advocates, who are seen here coloring houses that were sent with a message to Representative Salud Carbajal (D-CA). The children provided an important perspective at the event and reminded attendees why affordable homes are so important.

Week of Action MiamiMiami, Florida

Daniella Pierre of the Miami Dade NAACP led Miami advocates in a march around the construction site of a luxury apartment building to protest rising rents and unrestricted high-end development in Miami. Activists spoke with members of the media and other attendees about the local and national affordable housing crises. Together, they drew attention to the need to invest in affordable housing and to ensure that Miami’s growth includes low income community members.

Week of Action LansingLansing, Michigan

Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness gathered low income renters, service providers, and allies from throughout the state at the Capitol to proclaim that housing programs work. The event featured ten speakers, each telling a story about how HUD programs were essential to escaping homelessness. In this photo, Crystal Robinson of Detroit stands with her three children and speaks to the crowd about her experience and about the crucial role of federally-funded housing programs. Photo by Heather Nash, Washtenaw Housing Alliance.