Legislative Advocacy: State Advocacy
Recognizes agencies demonstrating the most efficient, effective, and creative use of resources to achieve state legislative objectives.
Judging Criteria
Legislative Advocacy entries will be judged on the degree to which they:
- Advance the overall mission of the agency
- Are innovative
- Are replicable
- Demonstrate coalition building
- Forge effective relationships with state and/or federal legislators
- Achieve strategic objectives
- Anticipate, identify, and prioritize legislative issues
- Reach target audiences
- Employ analytical skills to anticipate and identify the potential ramifications of issues
- Provide benefits that outweigh costs
- Demonstrate effective use of resources
If you have questions, please email awards@ncsha.org or call 202-624-7710.
2020 Winner
MassHousing
New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency
2020 Entries
MassHousing:
REACH – Addressing the Racial Homeownership Gap
MassHousing and the Racial Equity Advisory Council for Homeownership (REACH) successfully advocated for and secured $60 million in funds for a new homeownership production program to narrow the racial homeownership gap and also increase funds by $2.5 million for down payment assistance.
Michigan State Housing Development Authority:
MSHDA Bond Cap Increase
MSHDA legislative staff worked with both stakeholders and elected officials to pass much needed legislation allowing them to continue their affordable housing mission. The proposed bill amended MSHDA’s governing statute (Public Act 346 of 1966) to increase MSHDA’s limit on corporate bonds and notes from what was, at the time, a $3.4 billion limit to a maximum of $5 billion.
New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency:
New Jersey Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program
On April 29, 2019, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Assembly Bill 664, codifying the New Jersey Judiciary’s Foreclosure Mediation Assistance Program (FMAP) as a permanent program with the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency (NJHMFA) to provide free housing counseling assistance to homeowners at risk of housing instability to take effect on November 1, 2019, and further dedicating a funding stream to fund the program in perpetuity.
Rhode Island Housing:
PolicyMap: Achieving Legislative Objectives via Data Tools and Rich Reporting
RIHousing supports statewide legislative advocacy efforts and General Assembly member engagement and education via a newly launched, innovative online portal and first-of-its-kind customized reporting that provides district level data on housing needs and RIHousing programs at legislators’ fingertips. This effort has allowed us to use data to boost our advocacy strategy, develop and convene broad-based support around housing issues, and provide a central, statewide, and shared platform for data.
