Affordable housing advocacy group wants to make it a campaign issue

LOS ANGELES – This year, a new coalition of housing groups and non-profits wants to make sure affordable housing becomes a focus of the midterm political debate. Via a series of promotions and videos, as well as a feature-length documentary coming out this fall, the Home1 advocacy campaign seeks to sound a clear warning about the scope of this problem and make this “silent crisis” part of the larger debate.

According to Stephen Whyte, founder and managing director of Vitus, an affordable housing developer and member of Home1, “We need to do a better job, as advocates and part of the industry, to put together a better message and stop being so technical.” He says, “Home1 will raise awareness, so the man on the street knows it’s a crisis and an issue to be worked on. Hopefully, this awareness translates into more support for the tools that continue to make affordable housing possible.”