Report on Housing Group’s Call to Action
By Patti La Cross
On June 3, the Housing Group of the Racial Justice for All Children task force put out a Call to Action. We asked MOSES members to join us in nudging Madison’s Community Development Authority (CDA) to retire some of its most restrictive rules faced by individuals and families seeking housing through the CDA because they have no other options.
Those rules include using consequences of poverty itself: little or no income; debt that keeps people unhoused; a notice of eviction – whether or not the eviction took place; “contact with police,” whether or not the applicant was party to a criminal activity and whether or not they were arrested; an out-of-date ID card; and pages more that we saw as “low-hanging fruit,” ripe for change. While we don’t know how many MOSES members submitted the requested letters, and the CDA hasn’t shared any changes they may intend to make, we thank all who sent comments.
This was our first use of the new Call to Action option, which we accomplished with Barbie Jackson’s help. I am hopeful this handy Call to Action tool will allow members throughout MOSES to join across task forces to support the work of the whole.