Real Estate

One of the first steps a housing advocate can take is to contact your elected officials.Letters and phone calls are extremely effective ways of communicating with your elected officials. Many legislators believe that they represent not only the position of the writer or caller but also many other constituents who did not take the time to write or call.

These tips will help increase the effectiveness of your message:

Keep it brief: Letters should never be longer than one page, and should be limited to one issue. Legislative aides read many letters on many issues in a day, so your letter should be as concise as possible. Likewise, when calling your officials address one issue at a time and be prepared to get your point across quickly.

Be polite: Remember to keep the tone of your letter or call cordial. Communicating in a strong but respectful manner will add credibility to your voice.

State who you are and what you want up front: Tell your legislators up front that you are a constituent and identify the issue about which you are contacting them. If your issue pertains to a specific piece of legislation, it helps to identify it by its bill number (e.g. H.R. ____ or S. _____).

Hit your three most important points: Choose the three strongest points that will be most effective in persuading legislators to support your position and flesh them out.

Personalize your message: Tell your elected official why this legislation matters in his community or state. If you have one, include a personal story that shows how this issue affects you and your family. A constituent's personal stories can be the very persuasive as your legislator shapes his or her position.

Personalize your relationship: Have you ever voted for this elected official? Have you ever contributed time or money to his or her campaign? Are you familiar with her through any business or personal relationship? If so, tell your elected official or his staff person. The closer your legislator feels to you, the more powerful your argument is likely to be.

You are the expert: Remember that your legislator's job is to represent you. You should be courteous and to the point, but don't be afraid to take a firm position. Remember that often your elected official may know no more about a given issue than you do.