Memo to Members

Take Action: Join October 10 Pre-Debate Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 Tweetstorm

Oct 07, 2019

Participate in the #OurHomesOurVotes2020 tweetstorm on Thursday, October 10 from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET to urge the moderators of the next presidential debate to ask a question on affordable housing and to encourage candidates to talk about their affordable housing proposals at the nationally televised event.

The lack of affordable housing and homelessness are a national crisis on the top of minds of voters and is front-page news across the country. The 2020 presidential candidates are responding as never before: Ten candidates have released plans and proposals to address the crisis, with most centering on the needs of the lowest-income renters and people experiencing homelessness, and several candidates mentioned affordable housing during the past debates.

Despite this elevated attention of the issue, the moderators of first three Democratic presidential debates failed to directly ask the candidates what they would do to address homelessness and housing poverty in America. Voters and advocates alike want to know where the candidates stand on affordable housing!

The next Democratic presidential debate will be held on Tuesday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET in Westerville, Ohio. Will the debate moderators ask the candidates about their solutions to the affordable housing crisis in America? Join NLIHC and our Our Homes, Our Votes 2020 partners to urge them to though the October 10 tweetstorm! 

Following are sample tweets.  Sample images to be used in your tweets can be downloaded at: https://tinyurl.com/yyywtke4

  • .@ErinBurnett #DYK that 60% of people in the U.S. say housing affordability is a serious problem in the area where they live? We agree. What do the candidates think? #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@AndersonCooper #DYK that 8 in 10 people in the U.S. think the pres. & Congress should take major action to make housing more affordable for low-income households? We agree. What do the candidates think? #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@MarcLacey #DYK that 76% of the public says it’s harder today to find stable housing compared to previous generations? We agree. What do the candidates think? #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@JoeBiden We look forward to hearing more about your national goal of ensuring 100% of formerly incarcerated individuals have housing. Talk about it at the next #DemDebates! #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@CoryBooker We’re looking forward to hearing you talk about your plans to create a Renters Credit and expand the Housing Trust Fund to help millions of Americans struggling to cover rent. Talk about it on the #DemDebates stage! #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@PeteButtigieg We agree “families can’t be secure if the cost of housing means they can’t make ends meet…” We want to hear more on your plan to ensure #affordablehousing for families at the next #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@JulianCastro We want to hear more about how you plan to solve the rental affordability crisis & provide fair housing for all by expanding the Housing Trust Fund, rental assistance & more during next #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@TulsiGabbard More than 800 organizations and millions of voters will be waiting to hear how you will address the nation’s #affordablehousing crisis at the #DemDebates. Check it out https://tinyurl.com/yx9u6qxu #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@KamalaHarris We look forward to hearing more on how you plan to combat the racial homeownership gap and provide relief to cost-burdened renters. Talk about it during the next #DemDebates! #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@AmyKlobuchar We look forward to hearing more on how you plan to expand #affordablehousing & address the rural housing crisis. Talk about it during the next #DemDebates! #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@BetoORourke More than 800 organizations and millions of voters will be waiting to hear how you will address the nation’s #affordablehousing crisis at the #DemDebates. Check it out https://tinyurl.com/yx9u6qxu #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@BernieSanders We want to hear more about your newly released housing plan and how you plan to expand the Housing Trust Fund during the next #DemDebates! #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@TomSteyer More than 800 organizations and millions of voters will be waiting to hear how you will address the nation’s #affordablehousing crisis at the #DemDebates. Check it out https://tinyurl.com/yx9u6qxu #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@EWarren We look forward to hearing more on how you plan to expand the Housing Trust Fund and more to remove barriers to #affordablehousing during the next #DemDebates #OurHomesOurVotes2020
  • .@AndrewYang More than 800 organizations and millions of voters will be waiting to hear how you will address the nation’s #affordablehousing crisis at the #DemDebates. Check it out https://tinyurl.com/yx9u6qxu #OurHomesOurVotes2020

Before you tweet, tell The New York Times that you want to hear about this issue on the debate stage. The Times debate moderator, Marc Lacey, is open to question suggestions. Tell him candidates should answer the question: What’s your plan to end the nation’s affordable housing crisis? Submit your question today at: https://tinyurl.com/yyxwppxz and then share it on social media!

Tomorrow, October 8, is the deadline for organizations to sign the Our Homes, Our Votes: 2020 letter to the debate moderators urging them to ask the candidates what they will do to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis. More than 800 organizations have already signed onto the letter; advocates can see if your organization has already signed at: www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/sign-on-letter

Follow @OurHomesVotes on Twitter for additional content to share and retweet.

For more information on all the presidential candidates’ positions on affordable housing, go to: https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/

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