1. Agenda Why advocate 115th Congress
Advocacy Strategies & Getting Involved
Why this year is important: Opportunities and Challenges
Advocacy Examples
Interactive Activity
Q&A

2. ADVOCACY: What is it?
Advocacy: “the active support of an idea or cause”
Ranges from general issue education to lobbying around specific legislation
Federal, state, local levels of government
Alliance focuses on federal advocacy

3. FEDERAL ADVOCACY: Why is it important?
Homeless assistance programs rely on federal funding to operate
Local capacity to end homelessness depends on programs like the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants

4. FEDERAL ADVOCACY: Why is it important?
Congress relies on constituents for information
YOU are the experts on this issue!
Up to YOU to give people experiencing homelessness a stronger voice in the political process
Involve clients to directly advocate as much as possible

5. 115th Congress: Partisan Balance
535 Members
291 Republicans (54%);
239 Democrats (45%);
2 independents; and
3 vacancies
Republicans lost a net 6 seats in the House but maintained a 241:194 majority
Republicans lost a net 2 seats in the Senate but maintained a 52:46 majority
218 votes needed in the House (simple majority)
51 votes needed in senate, but 60 votes needed for cloture

6. Changes from 114th – 115th Congress
House:
Party
114th
115th
Gain/Loss
Democratic
188
194 +6
Republican
247
241 -6
Independent +2
Total
435
N/A
Party
Senate:
Party
114th
115th
Gain/Loss
Democratic 44 46 +2
Republican 54 52 -2
Independent 2
Total
100
N/A

7. How Will This Impact Our Work?
Republican support will be critical!
In both Chambers for appropriations
Especially in the Senate for blocking harmful authorizing legislation
Government spending is more conservative when Republicans are in power
We will need to ramp up advocacy to make a strong case for funding homeless assistance programs!

8. Identifying Targets
Targets = Members with the most power to grant our request
Identifying targets helps us use our time efficiently
Who make ideal targets?
Members on the Appropriations Committee and relevant Subcommittees like T-HUD
(Especially Chairs / Ranking Members)
Members on relevant Authorizing Committees
Congressional Leadership

9. Identifying Champions
Research/get to know each of your Members
Is the Member particularly interested in helping a certain population?
What issues is the Member engaged in?
What motivates the Member?
Faith, morality
Results, cost savings
Advocate early to your new Members of Congress

10. Priority “asks” this year
Provide $2.487 billion for HUD’s McKinney-Vento programs in FY 17
Provide at least 2.6 billion for HUD’s McKinney-Vento programs in FY 18
Expand NDD and HUD Funding
Support proposals to increase housing affordability
Do not repeal Medicaid expansion

11. Alliance’s Homelessness Funding Campaign
Send s followed up by calls to your congressional delegations
Ask your local leaders to tell your congressional delegations how important it is to fund efforts to end homelessness
Public Sector (Mayor, City Council, Governor, State Legislators, State department heads)
Others (Board, CoC, Community Action Agency, faith-based partners, Campaign contributors)
Site visits during late April recess
Meetings in DC during Capitol Hill Day in July

12. Getting Involved in 2017 Join our Advocacy Update list
Sign up here or on the Alliance Advocacy Info Table on the app

13. Sustained Advocacy: Effective Strategies
Regular personalized calls and s
Meetings at your district offices
Raise the issue at town hall and other public events
Call on MOC to do more or thank them
Continued mobilization of key local players
*Don’t let Members off the hook!
*Often the more work, the more effective

14. Have more questions? Want to get involved? Please email:
Julie Klein
/ (202)