Media/Messaging for Affordable Housing

1. Media/Messaging for Affordable Housing What We Learned and How We Can Use It CDN would like to acknowledge the resources and work of the Neighborhood Partnership Fund, the City of Portland, Multnomah County, Larry Wallack, Patricia McCaig, Gary Conkling, Renee Davidson, and all of the participants in the Housing Messaging Think Tank

2. Media/Messaging for Affordable Housing Objectives: • To introduce and engage housing advocates with messaging strategy derived from work in Portland with media and messaging expert Larry Wallack and pollster Patricia McCaig • Present members with options how to use messaging work in regular organizational activities • Encourage increase advocacy using the messaging to advance housing as a community priority

3. Messaging a Tool, Not a Guide • Messaging not intended to guide mission • Messaging makes mission inspirational • Messages are broad enough, we can talk effectively about all those we serve • ‘Homeless’ or ‘people with disabilities’? • ‘Low income households’ or ‘hard working families’

4. Frames • We receive facts in terms of our internal frames • Frames don’t appear overnight • We must understand what frames other people are applying and deliberately put our messages into frames that help us in the long term.

5. Frames you may recognize • Death Tax • Personal Accounts • Tax Reform • Culture of Life

6. Lakoff’s three levels of analysis • Level 1: Big ideas and universal values like fairness, equality, and justice • Level 2: Issue types such as civil rights, the environment, public health • Level 3: Specific policy areas such as affordable housing, beer taxes, toxic waste sites Adapted from The Frameworks Institute http://www.frameworksinstitute.org

7. Problem with Progressive Frames Progressive often spend too much time on issues and specific policies, rather than invoking values and big ideas NUMBers leave many folks NUMB We need to both simplify and amplify: Value frames are easier to understand and more likely to tap into people’s passion

8. Value Frames suggested by George Lakoff • National Debt vs. Baby Tax • Environmental Protection vs. Poison-free communities • Trial lawyer vs. Public protection attorney

9. Developing a message • Statement of concern, what is wrong? • Statement of the value/frame, why it matters? • Statement of solution, what is the policy? Adapted from Berkeley Media Studies http:// www.BMSG.org

10. Message Development • How do we determine what messages work? • RESEARCH AND POLLING

11. Messages that Work • Hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities • Children deserve an opportunity to succeed in school and life, which is tied to having a stable home • Housing gives people an opportunity to build better lives. To succeed you need a place to call home • Its only fair that everyone has a safe, decent place to live

12. Messaging Exercise Break into groups of two. Using 1 of the 4 messages, develop a one minute statement in with you make a case for more funding for land trusts Lead with your chosen message, and use the message forumula: • Statement of concern, what is wrong? Use an example from your job • Statement of the value, why it matters? Build on the value from the message you chose • Statement of solution, what is the policy? Choose one of the three policy solutions that would bring more funding for housing

13. Message Discipline • Once you identify message that work, Message Discipline is essential • Repetition establishes steady drum-beat • Avoid getting mired into details

14. Messaging Exercise Pivoting: Use ‘safety phrase’ to re-direct converstion Find a partner. Use you one minute statement. The listener will challenge the speaker’s statement and the speaker will use a safety phrase in response. The goal of this exercise is to learn how to ‘reframe’ a conversation back to your values based message. Sample challenges: • We are in tight budget times. Where is this money coming from? • We need to focus all our attention on schools. • Why should I support a handout program? People should be able to make it with a crutch from the taxpayers.

15. Housing Poll: Portland Metro Area, Summer 2004 • Sample • 600 interviews of registered voters. • 200 each - Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties • Method • Telephone interviews conducted August 31- September 2, 2004 • +/- 4% margin of error

16. Purpose • Probe public awareness and general attitudes about affordable housing; • Identify affordable housing priorities & key beneficiaries; • Test different messages and messengers

17. Interesting Demographics • Homeownership: • 81% of survey respondents were homeowners • 18-34 39% own home 61% no • 35-54 87% own home 13% no • 55 + 86% own home 14% no • Plan to buy or sell home in next 5 years? • 33% plan to buy or sell • 67% no Of those who own home (81%) • 29% plan to buy or sell home) • 71% no

18. Now, thinking about your community, how would you describe the availability of low cost housing? Split sample(Q6&7) Low Cost Housing

19. Now, thinking about your community, how would you describe the availability of affordable housing? Split sample(Q6&7) Affordable Housing

20. Now, thinking about your community, how would you describe the availability of low cost/affordable housing? Split sample(Q6&7) Low Cost Housing Affordable Housing

21. What are the top two issues you’d like to see your local elected officials do something about? (Q2) (open-ended) Education (General) Taxes Jobs/Unemployment Health Care/Insurance Road Construction/Maint Education Funding Safety/Law Enforcement Affordable Housing Crime/Drugs Control Growth Traffic

22. Now, I’d like to read you a list of issues facing your community today. Using a scale of 0 to 10, I’d like you to tell me how much each issue concerns you personally. (Q3) Very Concerned (8-10) The cost of healthcare Prep kids - college/work Guarantee funding for K-12 Prev crime/public safety Protecting water quality Not enough family wage jobs Improving roads/trans system Lack of affordable housing Lack of low cost housing

23. Next, I’m going to read you two different statements about government’s role in providing more affordable housing in your community. Please tell me which statement most accurately reflects your point of view. (Q10) Statement A “Hard work and personal responsibility are the keys to personal achievement – including home ownership. Government programs already do enough to take care of the needy in our community. Providing affordable housing is just another handout & make it harder for people to succeed.” Statement B “A core belief in America has been that if you worked hard you could afford a decent home. Today, someone who earns minimum wage cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment at fair market rent anywhere in America. Government should help anyone who works afford a decent home, even if they make minimum wage.”

24. Next, I’m going to read you different statements some people make about affordable housing. Please tell me if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree with the statement. (Q8) Strongly Agree Hard-working people should be able to afford housing/still have $ for food & basic necessities. Children deserve an opportunity to succeed in school / life, which is tied to having a stable home. Housing gives people opport. to build better lives. To succeed, you need a place to call home. It’s only fair that everyone has a safe, decent place to live. Family home buying power has not kept pace with the rise in home prices. Communities are stronger when they provide a range of housing for different income levels

25. (Q8) (continued) Strongly Agree If people want to own a home they need to earn it. Investing in housing is good for our economy because it creates local jobs. Jobs come first, affordable housing will follow. Low income working families cannot find affordable housing. Local government should help provide a range of affordable housing for individuals/ and families in their communities. Government spending on affordable housing saves $ for other services - health care/public safety/jails.

26. Now, I’d like to read you a list of different groups of people who may need assistance in securing an affordable place to live. Using a scale of 0 to 10, please rate each of the following. (combined 7-10)(Q9) High Priority (9-10) (7-8) 81% 72% 68% 65% 47% 52% 50% 44% 33% 31%

27. I’d like to ask you about your priorities for affordable housing funds. I’m going to read you some different affordable housing programs. Using a scale of 0 to 10, please rate the importance of each program for funding. (Q11) 7-8 High Priority (9-10) Providing care services to low income residents who are disabled or can’t live totally independently. Providing emergency housing assistance for families facing sudden job loss, death or a serious health crisis. Providing housing for people with special needs. Assisting low income families and individuals with home repairs. Rehabilitating existing low income housing. 71% 64% 63% 54% 55%

28. (Q11) Continued High Priority (9-10) 7- 8 Acquiring and preserving affordable units and rents. Providing housing for the homeless. Assisting low income individuals and families in becoming homeowners. Building more rental and low income housing for individuals and families. Providing rent assistance to low income people. 54% 46% 46% 46% 44%

29. Finally, I’d like to read you some people and groups who might speak out on affordable housing needs. For each one, please tell me whether you would find them very believable in talking about affordable housing needs. (very and somewhat combined) (Q21) Very Believable Somewhat Believable Oregon Food Bank Police and sheriffs Non profit / charitable groups Small business Neighborhood Associations Educators Religious leaders

30. (Q21) (very and somewhat combined) Continued Very Believable Somewhat Believable League of Women Voters Local Chambers of Commerce Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Homebuilders Local elected officials Realtors Oregon Business Alliance Developers

31. Messages that Work • Hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities • Children deserve an opportunity to succeed in school and life, which is tied to having a stable home • Housing gives people an opportunity to build better lives. To succeed you need a place to call home • Its only fair that everyone has a safe, decent place to live

32. Putting the Messaging to Work • In the media • In housing information materials • In your organization’s publications • In grant applications and reporting

33. Messages ideal for framing housing issues in Letters to Editor Note how messaging creates ‘our headline’ In the Media

34. In some cases, you can use multiple messages, and hybrid versions of the messages In the Media

35. Expanding on ‘opportunity’ theme In the Media

36. Always use messaging in press releases. Sometimes, media outlets will use your words verbatim In the Media

37. Outreach Materials Messaging makes housing information more accessible

38. Outreach Materials From Information to Inspiration

39. Outreach Materials Use the messaging in your newsletter: PCLT Spring News

40. Messaging Exercise Using one or messages, write a letter to the editor or opening 2 paragraphs to organizational newsletter • About new project, or promoting a policy to increase funding to land trusts • Remember: Issue/problem, frame and solution • No more than 100 words