As private market rents skyrocket and families are struggling to stay housed, we need a massive investment in affordable housing to meaningfully address the issue. The only way we are going to get that is by building a movement led by residents of affordable homes, non-profit housing providers, and advocates. The Resident Action Project integrates tangible resident-led organizing work with leadership development. Every day, we’re building a housing movement where the folks most impacted by the issues are the ones developing and leading the solutions to solve them. To see this vision become a reality, we are implementing a Local Organizing Model to provide more access to our organizing work across the state.
What is the RAP Local Organizing Model?
RAP is exploring a Local Organizing Model, headed by a Local Organizing Committee and supported by an Anchor Site, that engages local leaders who’ve experienced housing injustice in mobilizing around change in their communities and statewide. The proposed Local Organizing Committee structure is 3-5 RAP leaders who coordinate the RAP membership in their region to inform and advocate for solutions addressing Washington’s affordable housing and housing instability crisis. Central to this model is the Anchor Site – a formal non-profit ally to the Resident Action Project and Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. The Anchor Site provides staff support to commit to partnering with us in creating the space for and organizing with community members impacted by homelessness and other forms of housing injustice.
Interested in Partnering With Us?
There are a number of benefits experienced by participating in this work, including:
- Being apart of steering statewide policies that will directly benefit housing justice and housing programs in our state;
- Advancing internal goals and commitments to equity and engaging impacted people;
- Studies show sharing your story and/or empowering others to share their story and advocate for change builds resiliency factors essential for thriving and maintaining housing;
- The Local Organizing Committee and Anchor Site leaders involved will also have access to organizing and advocacy training and leadership development opportunities, including occasional opportunities to travel; and
- Lead our statewide movement and fight for housing justice all across Washington!
We are in the initial pilot phase of implementing this model, but we need your help! We are currently focusing on firming up Anchor Site partnerships in various communities across Washington State. If you’d like to learn more about how you can help partner with us in this Local Organizing Model, let us know by emailing Kiki Serantes at kikis@wliha.org.
Resident Action Project 