Impact

Building Community Support for Affordable Housing in Litchfield County: a Toolkit

Created By

and 4 partners in our collective impact network

Towns, cities and local organizations in Litchfield County fight an uphill battle to create more housing that is affordable, often because of public perceptions about what affordable housing looks like, how it’s built, who needs it, and how it contributes to a community. Housing advocates and community leaders need to begin changing these perceptions and building public will for affordable housing by using our toolkit: Building Community Support for Affordable Housing in Litchfield County.

As you use these tools you may also find our Litchfield County Housing Needs Assessment Tool helpful as it provides data and analysis on housing stock characteristics, household incomes and affordability for all of the county’s 26 towns. Within this you will find tips and examples for engaging your community through:

Op-eds
Letters-to-the-editor
Social media posts
E-newsletters
FAQs
Public meeting testimony
Communication with elected officials

Use the toolkit alongside our narrative change playbook.

The toolkit will help you bring to life the recommendations in our playbook, Building Community Support for Affordable Housing in Litchfield County: a Playbook.

download playbook

Audience: Who Are We Targeting?

Make a list of who specifically you would like to engage and consider the strategies that are most likely to reach them. We know that changing perceptions takes time and consistent effort. Some of our local housing organizations have a communications subcommittee that creates an annual plan for which tools they will use and what messages they most want their audience to receive. You can think about who you might want to engage in these categories:

Influencers

Consider who in your community people listen to and trust when they speak. These influencers could help you build support for affordable housing, including people with lived experience, elected officials, school leaders, faith leaders, business leaders, and others. Ask them to attend a public meeting to express their support, or get a quote from them for your next e-newsletter, social media post, or letter to the editor.

Gatekeepers

Gatekeepers are the agencies, organizations and institutions which hold the keys to power in your community. Without their support, you may not be able to achieve your objectives. The most obvious examples are local elected officials, town staff, and planning, zoning, and wetlands commissioners.

Public at-Large

Members of the public may be for, against, or neutral towards your cause. Your goal is to engage them and bring them on your journey. You don’t need to convert everyone to an advocate, but the tools you employ should help you to connect with as many people as possible in a dialogue about affordable housing.

Messaging: What Are We Saying?

To persuade key stakeholders and build public will, housing advocates need to use new and more effective messaging. As you utilize the tools in this toolkit, make sure you are clear about what message you want to get across. The LCCHO Playbook Building Community Support for Affordable Housing in Litchfield County contains detailed messaging ideas and talking points including:

Focusing on solutions and local success stories to build residents’ optimism about their ability to create housing opportunities
Demonstrating that housing opportunity is foundational to the quality of life that residents enjoy, and a solution to many common challenges in our communities
Offering an aspirational vision for a more equitable housing system where everyone has the opportunity to live in our communities and showing residents how they can help achieve that vision by supporting local affordable housing efforts
Sharing stories of people who are directly impacted by the lack of housing options and highlighting how the housing system needs to change rather than the individual

Initiative Centers for Housing Opportunity: Litchfield County, CT
Topic Housing Affordability; Collective Impact; Communication; Community Organizing
Region Litchfield County, CT

in partnership with

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation strengthens communities through philanthropy and leadership. Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation responds to regional priority issues while addressing their root causes, expanding the role of philanthropy as a force for change.
Foundation for Community Health

Foundation for Community Health is a private, not-for-profit foundation serving the greater Harlem Valley of New York and the northern Litchfield Hills of Connecticut, FCH works to create the conditions required for health, well-being, and equity. To accomplish their mission, FCH makes grants, conducts research, provides technical assistance, and supports collaboration and advocacy.
Northwest CT Community Foundation

Northwest Connecticut Community Foundation has been taking on tough problems for more than 50 years, to improve the quality-of-life in Northwest CT by supporting nonprofits that speak to the charitable passions of our generous donors.
Partnership for Strong Communities

Partnership for Strong Communities promotes equitable change in Connecticut housing policy by coordinating advocacy, advancing research, and uniting diverse partners.