All of us can effectively advocate for housing programs with our members of Congress and other policy makers.
Whether you are a student in an urban planning program, a new employee at a housing agency or community development corporation, or a seasoned affordable housing advocate looking for a refresher on key programs, this section will give you the overview of housing programs and advocacy tools you need to be a leader in the affordable housing movement and to advocate effectively for socially just housing policy for low income Americans.
Advocates’ Guide 2020
The Advocates’ Guide is a go-to resource for affordable housing and community development practitioners, advocates, and policymakers for detailed descriptions of every federal housing and community development program, as well as current challenges, opportunities, and practical strategies for addressing the shortfall in housing that is affordable and available to low income people and communities.
Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 1, Section 1: About the Advocates’ Guide
- Chapter 1, Section 2: 2020 Public Policy Priorities
- Chapter 1, Section 3: A Brief Historical Overview of Affordable Rental Housing
- Chapter 1, Section 4: The National Need for Affordable Housing
- Chapter 1, Section 5: Income Targeting and Expenditures for Major Housing Programs
- Chapter 1, Section 6: Housing as a Human Right
Chapter 2: Advocacy Resources
- Chapter 2, Section 1: How Laws Are Made
- Chapter 2, Section 2: The Federal Budget and Appropriations Process
- Chapter 2, Section 3: FY19 Budget Chart
- Chapter 2, Section 4: Introduction to the Federal Regulatory Process
- Chapter 2, Section 5: Lobbying: Individual and 501(c)(3) Organizations
- Chapter 2, Section 6: Congressional Advocacy and Key Housing Committees
- Chapter 2, Section 7: Federal Administrative Advocacy
- Chapter 2, Section 8: Using Federal Data Sources for Housing Advocacy
- Chapter 2, Section 9: Using the Freedom of Information Act for Housing Advocacy
- Chapter 2, Section 10: Avoiding and Overcoming Neighborhood Opposition to Affordable Rental Housing
- Chapter 2, Section 11: Resident and Tenant Organizing
- Chapter 2, Section 12: Resident Participation in Federally Subsidized Housing
- Chapter 2, Section 13: Our Homes, Our Votes: A Guide to Voter Engagement Activities for Nonprofit Housing Providers and Resident Organizations
- Chapter 2, Section 14: 2019 Our Homes, Our Votes Engagement Plan
- Chapter 2, Section 15: Best Practices and Lessons Learned: Building Multi-Sector Coalitions
- Chapter 2, Section 16: Working with the Media
Chapter 4: Rental Housing Programs for the Lowest Income Households
- Chapter 4, Section 1: Housing Choice Vouchers
- Chapter 4, Section 2: Project Based Vouchers
- Chapter 4, Section 3: Vouchers: Tenant Protection Vouchers
- Chapter 4, Section 4: Vouchers: Family Unification Program
- Chapter 4, Section 5: Foster Youth to Independence Initiative
- Chapter 4, Section 6: Mainstream and Non-Elderly Disabled (NED) Vouchers
- Chapter 4, Section 7: Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers
- Chapter 4, Section 8: Public Housing
- Chapter 4, Section 9: Rental Assistance Demonstration
- Chapter 4, Section 10: Repositioning of Public Housing
- Chapter 4, Section 11: Moving to Work Demonstration & Expansion
- Chapter 4, Section 12: Project-Based Rental Assistance
- Chapter 4, Section 13: Section 202: Supportive Housing for the Elderly
- Chapter 4, Section 14: Section 811: Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program
- Chapter 4, Section 15: USDA Rural Rental Housing Programs
- Chapter 4, Section 16: Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)
- Chapter 4, Section 17: Homeless Assistance: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Programs
- Chapter 4, Section 18: Homeless Assistance: Federal Surplus Property to Address Homelessness
- Chapter 4, Section 19: Rental Housing Programs of the Lowest-Income Households: Renters' Tax Credit
Chapter 5: Affordable Housing Programs
- Chapter 5, Section 1: Federal Housing Administration
- Chapter 5, Section 2: HOME Investment Partnerships Program
- Chapter 5, Section 3: Housing Bonds
- Chapter 5, Section 4: The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Chapter 5, Section 5: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits
- Chapter 5, Section 6: Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Housing Programs
- Chapter 5, Section 7: The Affordable Housing Program and Community Investment Program of the Federal Home Loan Banks
- Chapter 5, Section 8: Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program
- Chapter 5, Section 9: State and Local Housing Trust Funds
- Chapter 5, Section 10: Cuts to Housing Benefits
Chapter 6: Special Housing Issues
- Chapter 6, Section 1: Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes
- Chapter 6, Section 2: Housing Needs of Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, Dating Violence, and Stalking
- Chapter 6, Section 3: Inclusionary Housing Policies
- Chapter 6, Section 4: Manufactured Housing
- Chapter 6, Section 5: Olmsted Implementation
- Chapter 6, Section 6: Protection Tenants at Foreclosure
- Chapter 6, Section 7: Housing Access for People with Criminal Records
- Chapter 6, Section 8: Criminalization of Homelessness
- Chapter 6, Section 9: The Mortgage Interest Deduction
- Chapter 6, Section 10: Medicaid Expansion
- Chapter 6, Section 11: Disaster Housing Programs
Chapter 7: Housing Tools
- Chapter 7, Section 1: Housing Counseling Assistance
- Chapter 7, Section 2: Fair Housing Programs
- Chapter 7, Section 3: Disparate Impact
- Chapter 7, Section 4: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), Part 1
- Chapter 7, Section 5: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), Part 2
- Chapter 7, Section 6: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), Part 3
- Chapter 7, Section 7: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH), Part 4
- Chapter 7, Section 8: The Community Reinvestment Act
- Chapter 7, Section 9: Consolidated Planning Process
- Chapter 7, Section 10: Continuum of Care Planning
- Chapter 7, Section 11: Public Housing Agency Plan
- Chapter 7, Section 12: HUD-Funded Service Coordination Programs
- Chapter 7, Section 13: Section 3: Job Training, Employment, and Business Opportunities Related to HUD Funding