peter wluka and megan amundson bwh boston 2011
TRANSCRIPT
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Regional Forum on Workforce Housing
Bringing Workers Home
Massachusetts “No on 2” Campaign
David Wluka & Megan Amundson
July 28, 2011
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What is 40B?•Passed in 1969, sets a reasonable goal for all communities to provide at least 10% of their homes as affordable
•At least 25% of the homes must be affordable to households earning less than 80% of the area median income (approximately $66,000 for a family of four in Greater Boston)
•Enables municipal zoning boards to approve affordable housing under flexible zoning rules if at least 20%-25% of the homes have long-term affordability restrictions
•Must meet all state environmental laws and building requirements
•Every proposal must first be approved under a state or federal housing program
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Challenges
•Complicated issue to explain
•Staying out of the weeds
•Opponents co-opted “pro-affordable housing” message
•Controversial in many communities (specific projects determine public opinion)
•Fundraising
•Having to reach millions of voters within limited timeframe
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The Beginning of No on 2
•25 member Steering Committee
•200 member Advisory Committee
•Earned Media and Polling Consultants
•Raised $1.2 million from more than 1,000 individuals and organizations
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No on 2 Campaign Structure
•8 Person Leadership Team
•Full-time campaign manager, 8 organizers, office staff
•Earned Media, Paid Media, Social Media, and Polling Consultants
•1,600 Supporters
•Raised $1.2 million from more than 1,000 individuals and organizations
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Key Themes and Messages
•“Affordable Housing”
•80% of new affordable housing outside the larger cities over the past decade
•58,000 homes for working families and seniors
•47,000 jobs and $9.3 billion in economic activity over past decade
•Law creates real homes for real families (homeowner videos)
•Law responsible for high quality housing developments across Massachusetts (development profiles)
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Highlighted Residents
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Highlighted Developments
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Key Themes and MessagesSeparate Messages by Geography
•Urban Message
•“Providing Housing Options”
•Suburban Message
•“Local Preference”
•“Keeps your Neighbors in Town”
•“Allows you to Live Where you Work”
•Message for Cities/Towns over 10% Affordable Housing
•“Fairness”
•“Responsibility will fall on cities to fill the need if towns don’t build affordable housing”
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Key Themes and Messages
Separate Messages by Demographic
•Seniors
•“Allows seniors to stay in the town where they have built their lives”
•Working Families
•“Provides opportunities for working and young families to own homes”
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Building a Coalition
Natural Allies and Outreach to Key Communities
•Development and Real Estate Community
•Faith Community
•Senior Services Community
•Civic Engagement Community
•Environmental Community
•Smart Growth Community
•Unions
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Building a CoalitionA diverse coalition of Massachusetts groups joined together to protect 40B, including:
•Habitat for Humanity
•AARP
•Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
•Greater Boston Real Estate Board
•League of Women Voters of MA
•Environmental League of MA
•MA Affordable Housing Alliance
•MA AFL-CIO
•MA Association of Realtors
•MA Council of Churches
•Progressive Business Leaders Network of MA
•Soldier On/United Veterans of America
•YMCA of Central MA and the North Shore
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Role of Coalition•Provided overall advice on message and strategy (held six advisory committee meetings)
•Reached out to constituencies with common message (e-mail, web site, social media, mailings, door to door)
•Provided in-kind staffing and other resources
•Hosted community meetings
•Assisted with fundraising
•Worked with local media
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Grassroots Outreach & Organizing
Outreach to local elected officials and opinion leaders
•Legislators
•Local Elected Officials
•Party Officials
•Gubernatorial Candidates
•Housing Authorities
•Affordable Housing Management Companies
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Grassroots Outreach & Organizing
•4,500 lawn signs
•1.2 million palm cards
•Elected officials
•Direct mailings
•Community meetings and visibility events
•Literature drops at affordable housing developments
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Grassroots Outreach & OrganizingVisibility Efforts and Using Volunteers
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Grassroots Outreach & OrganizingElection day coverage
653 Polling Locations Covered
In 150 Cities and Towns (of 351)
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Communications Strategy
•www.protectaffordablehousing.org Website
•Earned Media
•Social Media
•Paid Media
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Communications Strategywww.protectaffordablehousing.org Website
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Communications Strategy
Earned Media
•Attended 30 editorial board meetings, which resulted in 62 favorable editorials
•40 op-eds were placed
•Initiated coverage with reporters
•Spoke on radio shows
•Taped television segments
•Rapid Response Team
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Communications Strategy
Social Media
•Over 3,000 Facebook friends in 3 months
•Field tool
•Engaged followers
•Pictures and video
•Over 300 Twitter followers
•Supporters
•Media
•Blog on the website
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Communications StrategySocial Media
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Communications StrategyPaid Media
•Web ads
•Local newspaper ads
•Boston Globe ad
•30 second television ad (final 10 days of campaign)
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Election Results
•58% (1.25 million voters) voted “No” to 42% “Yes”
•80% of cities and towns voted “No”
•Widest margin of three ballot referendums
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Election Results
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Lessons Learned
•Have consistent, concise messages
•Public opinion polling is critical
•Build diverse coalition early; capitalize on existing relationships
•Maintain close, in-house staffing of campaign
•Use data to support claims made to the media
•Involve real people as voices and faces of campaign
•Different messages for different audiences
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What Victory Got Us
•No political will to change the law
•Local partners use the results to indicate support for their projects
•New momentum to advocate for affordable housing
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What’s Next?
•Reconvened Steering Committee post-election
•Scheduled 14 community meetings to develop local and state agenda on affordable housing
•Maintaining and updating supporter database
•Revamping campaign website
•Creating online tool for local housing strategies
•Working group on 40B improvements