Advocate

Habitat for Humanity serves as a voice for people in need of decent housing by working to change laws and shape policies that affect access to housing.

Call Your Elected Officials

One of the most effective ways to make your voice heard is by calling the offices of elected officials. When done well, your call can influence a policymaker to support issues in the best interest of Habitat for Humanity and other affordable housing efforts.

Tips for an effective call:

  1. Ask to speak to the aide who handles the issue about which you are calling. Your call will be more effective if you speak to the legislative assistant who is responsible for housing issues. This may not always be possible. If you are asked to leave a message, ask for the aide's name for future reference.
  2. Identify yourself as a constituent. When your call is answered, give the receptionist your first and last name and your city of residence. Elected officials are most interested in calls coming from peole who can vote for them.
  3. Succinctly state the reasons for your call. Have your facts ready when you call and make a few brief points explaining why the issue is important. If you have expertise or professional experience, mention that connection.
  4. Clearly explain what you are asking the official to do. Depending on the situation, you may be asking for the official to cosponsor a particular bill, make a proclamation, vote for specific measure, etc. Know what your goal is when you call and articulate it.
  5. Be polite. Staff members are likely to receive many daily calls, particularly from angry constituents. Your message will be better received if you speak calmly and clearly.
  6. Express gratitude. Elected officials are people too! Thank them for the work they've done and for their time taking your call.
Find your elected officials

Write Emails and Sign Petitions

Writing emails and letters to your elected officials are an important part of advocacy. Elected officials often keep track of how many emails and/or letters they receive on a certain issue. When an official receives many emails about a particular issue, it may motivate them to focus more on that topic.

Habitat for Humanity International links to a number of email templates and petitions to make sending a message convenient. 

View current priorities on habitat.org

Join Advocacy Groups

Connect with local and national advocacy groups to stay informed about issues impacting affordable housing. Some suggested resources:

Advocacy Matters

Advocacy means supporting and promoting a cause you believe in.

At Habitat for Humanity, we advocate to change policies and systems in the United States and internationally to eliminate barriers to adequate and affordable housing.

Building is part of the solution. But that’s not enough. In addition to lifting our hammers, we have the ability – and, now more than ever, the responsibility – to promote sustainable and inclusive policy solutions, ensuring everyone has access to adequate and affordable housing.

Billions of people worldwide lack an adequate home.

Today, one out of every four people around the world are still in need of a safe, healthy and affordable home. Millions live in constant fear of eviction. Disasters displace millions more from their homes each year, endangering their future. In the U.S. alone, more than 18 million households – or 1 in 6 families – spend more than half of their income on housing.

We know we can’t achieve change alone. Policy advocacy is stronger when we work in partnership with others. Our worldwide network enables us to work at all levels – including directly with communities around the world, in coalition with peers and with governments to ensure adequate and affordable housing for all.

Read About Habitat's Advocacy Work
U.S. Representative Sanford Bishop of Georgia right meets with Jonathan Reckford