Advocate

Advocacy means supporting and defending a cause that you believe in. Advocates support and argue for the rights and needs of the poor and vulnerable. They also provide them the skills and opportunities to speak on their own behalf. Advocates work for justice by impacting the public conversation about an issue, leading to changed responses and solutions. Source: Catholic Charities USA)

ANYONE!  The more people who speak out on behalf of something, the better the chance for change.   

• Urge Congress to Support Affordable Housing Measures

Affordable homeownership matters to children, families and communities.  Homeowners are more likely to have better living and emotional environments for their children than renters.  Homeowners have more control over the resolution of safety hazards in the home and also have a greater incentive to make improvements owing to their ownership of the property.  

Homeowners are more likely to be satisfied with their homes and neighborhoods, participate in civic activities and stay in the community for a longer period of time.  Because homeowners tend to stay in one place longer than renters, greater stability results for the family.  Children’s outcomes improved the longer they lived in their homes.   This stability means that children stay in the same schools and that the family tends to develop stronger relationships with their neighbors and surrounding community.   

Investment in a community makes for a stronger and safer community, which is also associated with a more positive environment for children. Even when other influential factors (such as income and neighborhood characteristics) are taken into account and controlled for in research, the homeownership factor still proves significant and positive on the well-being of children.  

Because they have a stake in the community, homeowners are more likely to advocate for the necessary investment in infrastructure and services, which in turns helps create revitalized, safer neighborhoods.  It is this sense of ownership that helps empower individuals to change their communities for the better.