2020 has been a year like no other in this century, and that is saying a lot. This time last year, we were discussing planned trips to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress and their staffs on our affordable housing agenda during an election year that portended little legislative activity. Then the event that would forever change our lives struck—the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus.
This worldwide pandemic has changed the way we work, shop, eat, interact with our friends and family, and, yes, how we communicate. It initiated a legislative scramble to deal with the virus that was unprecedented in its urgency and cost. As did many of our colleagues in Washington and across the country who needed to secure federal resources for their industries, we immediately began to reach out to Capitol Hill. But there was a significant roadblock. On March 12, the Capitol complex was closed to the general public, meaning there would be no more in-person meetings on Capitol Hill. Not long after, only essential personnel were allowed in their Capitol Hill offices, relegating most congressional staff to working from home. In the midst of the pandemic when Congress and the administration were discussing trillions of dollars in aid to keep businesses and society in general from collapsing, we had to pivot to make sure our interests were addressed even though we could not meet with or easily contact decision makers.
It was at this point that our years of developing relationships and the mutual respect that ensues from working with policymakers and thought leaders proved invaluable. Being a former Capitol Hill staffer helps, as does years of working the halls of Congress on behalf of our industry. But in times like this, relationships matter.
We quickly realized virtual meetings were the answer to our communication conundrum. The online meetings were easy to schedule, provided an efficient avenue to present our issues, helped us develop new relationships, and were actually enjoyable. We now regularly have video calls with staff to discuss our COVID-related agenda as well as commiserate about life during the pandemic. What became clear in this new virtual environment, when in-person interaction is nonexistent, is that Senate and House members are also eager to have conversations using this new medium.
Our virtual interactions have provided closer relationships with decision makers, which can only benefit our agenda going forward. For example, we had a virtual meeting with a member of the Senate Finance Committee. A typical office meeting with this senator would last around 15 to 20 minutes, but we chatted on the computer for 40 minutes about everything from the crashing AFR (applicable federal rate) for 4% low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) deals to new recipes for jambalaya. In the course of the conversation, we mentioned to the senator that we were working with one of his colleagues from the other party on the 4% LIHTC. He offered to follow up with his colleague, and he did.
Virtual conversations have enabled us to have consistent communications with key policymakers and staff to raise awareness of a housing crisis that has only gotten worse. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) has said many times that we will only succeed in getting the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act (AHCIA) passed if her colleagues acknowledge there is a housing crisis in this country. For better or worse, the pandemic has elevated awareness both in Washington, D.C., and around the country that there is a crisis.
We, along with our colleagues, have spent endless hours in virtual meetings with policymakers advocating for affordable housing resources. While the results have not been as fruitful as we had hoped, we have elevated issues such as the 4% fixed LIHTC to the point where we are confident it will be enacted this year or early in 2021.
As has been the case with our advocacy efforts, it is most successful when the industry as a whole participates. Virtual calls are easy to set up and often lead to a better line of communication with your senators’ and representatives’ offices. Here are some simple steps to get started:
- Download a virtual conferencing application. Almost all of the available conferencing apps are free, including Zoom, Ring Central Meetings, and GoToMeeting. If you use Microsoft, you might also have Microsoft Teams. You do need to use a computer or device with a camera and a microphone.
- Get the contact information for your representatives’ staffs. You may contact Allison Marino at [email protected] to get staff emails. Our staff directory will be online at www.HousingAdvisoryGroup.org shortly after the new 117th Congress has been sworn in. You may also be able to find staff email addresses on the members’ websites.
- Reach out to staff and ask them if they would have a virtual meeting with you/your group to discuss a specific issue. Be sure to give them a synopsis of the issue. If you are planning a group meeting, keep it to a workable size. This is especially important if you are going to open up the virtual meeting to questions for the staff.
- Keep the call to 30 minutes. Staff members are busy and likely have a number of virtual meetings and telephone calls throughout the day and week.
- Make sure to follow up with the staff to thank them and follow up on any action items that were discussed. This can be done through email.
We all hope by the end of 2021 that the pandemic will have passed and life for the most part will return to normal. That said, many of the mechanisms and practices that have become common during the pandemic will likely remain a normal part of how we do business. This includes virtual meetings. Let’s use them to our advantage as we build support for our affordable housing agenda.
