Full-Page Ad in Des Moines Register: Over 1,000 Organizations Call for Presidential Debate Moderators to Ask About Affordable Housing

Yesterday, today and tomorrow in Iowa’s preeminent newspaper, The Des Moines Register, a full page ad calls on the moderators of the January 14 presidential debate to ask the candidates a question on affordable housing and homelessness. The Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 partners NLIHC and the Polk County Housing Trust Fund reprinted a letter signed by over 1,000 organizations and also sent the letter to the debate moderators calling for a question during the debate in Des Moines.

Six 2020 Democratic presidential candidates will take to the national stage in Des Moines tomorrow for a televised debate hosted by CNN and The Des Moines Register. The debate provides an opportunity for the candidates at the debate - Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Tom Steyer, and U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren - to explain how they would address the increasing homelessness and dire shortage of affordable homes in America.

Lauren Johnson, director of communications and community outreach for the Polk County Housing Trust Fund - a partner of NLIHC’s on Our Homes, Our Votes 2020 - explained why it is critical for the candidates to address affordable housing while in Iowa: “When people think about the affordable housing crisis, they often don’t think too much about Iowa. However, those who live here see the same national issues on the ground – a rise in homelessness, the increasing cost of rent, and a substantial gap between white and African American homeownership in the City of Des Moines. To put an end to this crisis in Des Moines and across the country, we will need strong leadership and substantial federal investment. It is imperative that the candidates have the opportunity to discuss how they’ll tackle these big issues on the debate stage in Des Moines this week.”

Join NLIHC and Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 in calling on the candidates to talk about affordable housing at the debate! All of these candidates with the exception of Vice President Biden have released robust affordable plans, and voters want to hear the candidates discuss their solutions during the debates.

Follow @OurHomesVotes on Twitter for additional content to share and retweet, and use #OurHomesOurVotes2020 for all your affordable housing-related presidential election tweeting!

For information on all the presidential candidates’ positions on affordable housing, go to: https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/