Training will teach community members how to advocate for affordable housing
Next month, Housing Assistance Corporation (HAC) and Community Development Partnership (CDP) will launch the Cape Housing Advocacy Training, a collaborative effort between the two nonprofits to provide people throughout the region with the tools to support affordable housing in their communities.
“We all have friends, family members and colleagues who have struggled to find affordable housing on Cape Cod. This workshop gives people the resources to do something about it and let their voice be heard by the decision makers in our region,” HAC CEO Alisa Galazzi said.
The trainings will begin on Tuesday, February 13. Participants can choose between taking three 90-minute Tuesday sessions in either the afternoon or evening; or one five-hour session on a Saturday. The sessions are geared toward anyone who has struggled to find affordable housing on the Cape and Islands and wants to make a difference. The training is free and open to the public.
In order to attend the training, participants must pre-register. They can do so at haconcapecod.org or capecdp.org. Priority deadline for registration is Friday, February 2.
Participants will have the opportunity to attend sessions across the Cape. The session dates, times and locations are as follows:
- Mid-Cape, 3 sessions: Tuesdays, February 13, 20 and 27, noon to 1:30pm at Shepley Showcase, Hyannis
- Outer Cape, 3 sessions: Tuesdays, February 13, 20, and 27, 5 to 6:30pm at Wellfleet Public Library, Wellfleet
- Lower Cape: 1 session: Saturday, February 17, 9am to 2pm at Harwich Community Center, Harwich
- Upper Cape: 1 session: Saturday, March 3, 8am to 1pm at Falmouth Public Library, Falmouth
The three sections of the training are Myth-busting, Speaking with Confidence and How to Make a Difference. Attendees will learn:
- How housing is created
- Common arguments against housing (NIMBY)
- Counter arguments to support housing (YIMBY)
- How to tell your story
- Speaking with confidence
- How town government works
- How you can have an impact
The training is tied to the Cape Community Housing Partnership, a larger initiative which HAC and CDP are undertaking together to address the region’s housing needs. In the fall of 2017, the two agencies trained more than 125 municipal officials in the Cape Housing Institute. They will also introduce a public education campaign focused on changing attitudes about affordable housing.
Presenting sponsors for the Cape Community Housing Partnership are Cape & Islands License Plate Fund; Cape & Islands United Way; Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Trust; Cape Cod Foundation; the Estate of Bernard Kaplan; Cape Cod Young Professionals; and Shepley Wood Products.
About Housing Assistance Corporation
HAC is a 44-year-old nonprofit based in Hyannis, whose mission is to ensure that all on Cape Cod and the Islands have a safe, stable, decent place to live. HAC operates four homeless shelters on Cape Cod; develops affordable housing; oversees Section 8 vouchers for the region; conducts foreclosure counseling; holds educational workshops for first-time homebuyers and those looking to rebuild their credit; and keeps residents in their homes through its homelessness prevention program. To learn more about HAC’s programs and services visit www.HAConCapeCod.org.
About the Community Development Partnership
The Community Development Partnership supports an array of programs that strengthen our Lower Cape community, providing greater opportunities for all who live here to thrive. Our work starts with creating affordable homes—so essential to a healthy economy, but a real challenge in communities like ours where seasonal and vacation dynamics drive the market beyond the reach of many who live and work locally year round. We also work to launch entrepreneurs and strengthen local businesses. We believe a vibrant future depends on sustaining traditional industries like fishing, farming, art and hospitality, and inspiring new ones—especially when they’re based on renewable natural resources. In all that we do, we aim to protect the natural environment around us—preserving the character and sustaining the future of this special place we call home. To find out more, go to www.capecdp.org. This institution is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
