Yesterday, Delegate Jennifer McClellan of the 71st House District met at the Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) building in Downtown Richmond for a Community Conversation on Housing. After a few “housing snapshots” from members of HOME, the conversation turned to how to pass housing legislation.
The take-home message from McClellan was to act early and find the middle ground. She encouraged public advocates to start talking to delegates and senators in the summer because those who wait until the beginning of the session to bring up a point are often not heard. Simply put, nonprofit lobbyists have to compete with big business. Presenting concise, clear talking points to a representative early on is only part of the battle. Attending committee and taskforce meetings is a must. Assume that a legislator will only listen to his or her constituents, so go out and find people to stand up for the issue within the legislator’s district.
Delegate McClellan also asserted the importance of “just stick[ing] with it,” as she cited the long sought after 2008 payday lending legislation as an example. “Never underestimate the power of a letter or a phone call,” advises McClellan. To learn more about your legislators, visit the General Assembly website.
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