Legislative Updates 
Advocacy
Mobilizing for change…
There is no better strategy for impacting federal policy than advocacy. Together with service providers, state coalitions, our local and state partners, and people who have become homeless we are persuading Congress to make ending homelessness a national priority. As a result, Congress has increased funding for HUD’s McKinney Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program and severe cuts have been prevented to critical housing programs like Section 8 and the Community Development Block Grant program.
Advocates bring a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to the job and they are leading the movement to end homelessness. Get more involved in federal advocacy by:
- Signing up for the Advocacy Update that provides a periodic report of the latest from Congress. (All of the updates have been archived for your convenience in the Advocacy Update Archive), and
- Borrowing from the Alliance's Tips and Tools for Success, developed to help you communicate effectively with your Senators and Representatives.
Annual Conference 2008 Advocacy Activities Excitement is brewing around the advocacy activities at this year’s Annual Conference and Capitol Hill Day on July 28-30. Over 50 State Captains will lead their colleagues on Capitol Hill (some for the first, others the fiftieth time) to meet with their U.S. Senators and Representatives. Several conference activities are planned which promise to be fun, interactive, and informative to help you prepare for Hill meetings, sharpen your advocacy skills and learn new ways to be effective. Join us! Check out the Alliance’s Annual Conference 2008 Advocacy Activities page or contact Sarah Kahn at skahn@naeh.org for more information.
National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act and Section Eight Voucher Reform Act: Information for Advocates
Advocates are urged to ask their Senators to co-sponsor the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007, S. 2523, and the Section Eight Voucher Reform Act of 2008 (SEVRA), S. 2684, recently introduced in the U.S. Senate. This link provides advocacy-related tools and information on both bills.
The President's FY 2009 Budget Proposal: Analysis and Policy Implications
Annual Federal Budget Briefing held on February 5, 2008.
2007 Policy Guide
The National Alliance to End Homelessness has published a Policy Guide to help policymakers and advocates understand federal programs and policies regarding housing and homelessness. The 63-page guide includes information about relevant federal programs and proposals, including homelessness funding, proposals to reauthorize HUD’s McKinney-Vento homeless assistance programs, and information about funding levels of mainstream housing and services programs.
Nonprofit Lobbying Guide
This resource will help you understand the dos and don’ts of nonprofit lobbying, what lobbying is, determining how your organization measures lobbying activities, and how to get more involved in Federal advocacy.
Federal Advocacy Training
The Alliance’s federal advocacy experts present Federal Advocacy Trainings at a variety of conferences and forums year round. Materials used in those trainings provide helpful information about the nuts and bolts of Federal advocacy and lobbying.
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This audio conference covered the HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
This video highlights how communities across the country are decreasing homelessness among families. Thanks to the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, it’s yours to use for free. 
