Dear Readers,
The last three years have presented many challenges for tenants and housing justice advocates. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a lasting impact around the world. Many systemic inequalities in the United States were magnified by the pandemic, including growing racial inequities. Low-income tenants have faced major rent increases across the country, making it harder to find affordable homes. Throughout its 2021-2022 session, Congress has worked to address these concerns by passing a budget reconciliation package. NLIHC in turn fought to ensure that any reconciliation bill included targeted housing investments in rental assistance, public housing, and the national Housing Trust Fund to support tenants. Meanwhile, as these advocacy efforts continue, the country is gearing up for one its busiest political seasons: the November 2022 election.
Many of us have asked ourselves for years: What will it take to persuade policymakers to prioritize the needs of low-income renters? When you look at voter turnout rates among these individuals, it’s obvious what it will take: more votes. Historically, low-income tenants have shown up to the polls at lower rates than high-income people. In the 2020 general election, 83% of individuals with annual incomes above $100,000 turned out to vote, compared to only 49% of those with incomes below $20,000.
As we all know, low-income people face many barriers to voting, such as less-flexible work schedules that may not allow time off to vote; more difficulty obtaining legal identification; transportation impediments that make getting to the polls harder; and a greater likelihood of misinformation about their rights as voters. People experiencing homelessness, returning citizens, and survivors of natural disasters can face especially tough barriers to voting. These challenges are compounded by efforts in some states to suppress the votes of low-income tenants, who are disproportionately people of color, senior citizens, and people with disabilities. Low-income people have the power to reduce the gap in voter turnout by showing up to the polls.
NLIHC’s nonpartisan Our Homes, Our Votes campaign aims to address these disparities by empowering low-income people to vote. The main purpose of the campaign is to give low-income renters and organizations serving low-income people the resources necessary to engage in voting, including resources to register, educate, and mobilize voters. Housing is an issue that is often overlooked in elections, but with the help of tenants like yourself, we can ensure that affordable housing is foregrounded in elections at every level.
We are stronger as a country when we all participate in the voting process. Affordable housing will only become a national priority when candidates and elected officials see low-income renters and affordable housing advocates as a large, active voting bloc. In this special issue of Tenant Talk, we provide you with the tools to make your voices heard and the resources to get out the vote in the 2022 election season. Now, let’s get to the polls!
In Solidarity,