With November came the true end to warm weather and the conclusion to election season. This year, we were blessed with 49 brand new faces at the Legislature, marking the beginning of an era and a lot of work for us. Tides are changing for Minnesota and as advocates for the right to decent, affordable housing in our state, it’s our job to educate the freshman legislators on issues of homelessness and affordable housing both locally and statewide. It is our responsibility to promote legislation, like the Housing Solutions Act, as viable options for the future of healthy housing in Minnesota.
The Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless is excited for the opportunity to really get some things done at the Capitol this year. It starts, though, with taking the time to educate every single policymaker, both new and reelected, about the need for affordable housing. As a staff of 4 and a Coalition of nearly 150 organizations, we rely heavily on our members to help us advocate in each and every district. As such, on behalf of the Housing Solutions Alliance, MCH has started to organize statewide site visits between legislators and providers. We believe it is program board members, staff, and clients who have a unique ability to truly open our elected officials eyes. Who better to tell the story? Who better to paint the picture of the need than those who run and utilize the amazing programs that reach far beyond their resources?
Site visits are a unique way to influence policymakers’ knowledge on affordable housing and homelessness and if done effectively, go beyond serving as a tool for education. Elected officials get to see the need first hand and get to learn about how programs serving struggling people in their district are run and managed. In addition, they make the connection from real dollars to programs to outcomes. They see how the acquisition of adequate resources has the potential to benefit real people and would result in healthier, more stable communities. An invitation to tour and learn about specific programs gets the ball rolling for a long-term relationship with your legislator and as such, you’ll have more of an influence on the important decisions they make on specific policies.
The Coalition has not only organized and promoted legislator/provider site visits, but has worked very hard to make this as easy as possible for people who are incredibly busy with constant direct service. It is our hopes that providers will take as much ownership in these efforts as possible so we’ve created a guide with an explanation of the nitty-gritty – how to plan a site visit from square one, who should be at the table, what should the agenda look like, what to talk about, what logistical information you should be aware of, etc. In actuality, preparation and holding the site visit only demands a few hours of an individual’s time and with help from others involved in your organization, is fairly stress-free.
We’d like to invite you to join the effort! Contact us if you’re interested in getting more information about site visits or if you’d like to set one up. Organizing a site visit gives you an opportunity to get important housing and homelessness issues on the table before MCH’s Affordable Housing and Homelessness Citizen Lobby Day on February 15th. Let’s remember, we are ALL advocates!
Contact Stephanie at 612-230-3288 or weir@mnhomelesscoalition.org.