Advocacy Basecamp

L.A.’s homelessness and housing crisis is decades in the making. To understand the plan to end homelessness, we need to look at how we got here, create a clear picture of the scale, and discuss who’s affected.

Homelessness is a complicated, enormous problem. The good news is that we know how to solve it. For the first time, L.A. County has a comprehensive plan and the necessary resources to enact it. One major pillar of this plan is creating more supportive and affordable housing. This is where we focus most of our advocacy efforts.

Learning how to talk to people about ending homelessness is one of the most important skills you need as an advocate. This includes knowing what to say, how to say it, and when to say it, as well as adapting your message to any situation or audience. Conversations that build trust and personal relationships are at the heart of effective organizing.

The most common question we receive is: “What can I do to help?” We all have a role to play in ending homelessness, and everyone brings unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to our shared work. Our campaign is centered around community organizing, which brings people together to advocate for systemic change and solutions.

As soon as you enter the world of political advocacy, you’re bound to encounter plenty of terms and acronyms. Some of them may sound familiar and some may not. Either way, you should familiarize yourself with a few key terms that are likely to come up frequently in conversations about our housing and homelessness crisis.