Advocates, it’s time for another Twitterstorm! This is a great way for us to take action and build momentum for Homes for All even with the physical restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHAT IS A TWITTERSTORM?
A Twitterstorm is simply a short period of time during which advocates join together to send a high volume of tweets on a specific topic. We will prepare tweets for you (found below) and you can copy and paste them throughout the hour, or schedule your tweets in advance. You can also create your own tweets and use the hashtags below to keep us together. Please retweet and “favorite” tweets as they are sent out, even if they are tweets you’ve posted already!
GOAL
The goal of this Twitterstorm is to encourage lawmakers to pass legislation for $100M for Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) funding.
We’ll do this by:
- Favoriting, retweeting, and posting the prepared tweets for the full hour
- Using LAWMAKER in our tweets
- Using the following hashtags in your tweets: #Homes4AllMN; #mnleg; #Bonds4Housing; #COVID19
- Tagging the following lawmakers:
- Leadership: Gazelka, Kent, Hortman, Daudt – @PaulGazelka; @SusanKentMN; @MelissaHortman; @KDaudt
- Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan – @GovTimWalz; @LtGovFlanagan
- Key Lawmakers: Westrom, Weber, Hausman, Theis – @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
DETAILS
What: Twitterstorm to build momentum around FHPAP housing assistance
When: Monday, April 6, 2020.
Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Where: Twitter
Hashtags/Tags/Action Alert: #Homes4AllMN #Bonds4Housing #mnleg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt @GovTimWalz; @LtGovFlanagan @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
Who: YOU! Please join us and invite your followers/friends to join as well.
SAMPLE TWEETS to Copy/Paste:
- We need investments to FHPAP housing assistance especially with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pls prioritize safe and secure housing. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- Please support FHPAP housing assistance so Minnesota’s communities remain strong. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg. To make our communities strong, we need Homes for All.
- No one should lose their home because of a job loss, medical bills or other unexpected events. Support FHPAP housing assistance now to help low-income renters and homeowners weather uncertainty. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
- We can’t let another eviction and foreclosure crisis happen because of #COVID19MN. Take action NOW to protect low-income renters and homeowners by passing FHPAP rental/mortgage assistance. #Homes4AllMN #MNLeg
- As we #StayHomeMN, no one should have to worry about being unable to pay their rent or mortgage. We need FHPAP to keep Minnesotans housed safely #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- Anxiety is running high everywhere in MN, but especially in communities of low-income renters & homeowners. Support FHPAP housing assistance so that all Minnesotans can emerge on the other side of #COVID19MN together. #Homes4AllMN #MNLeg
- Help stabilize our communities during #COVID19MN; support FHPAP housing assistance for homeowners and renters around the state. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- We need leadership to pass a #COVID19MN response package that includes $100 Million in rental assistance. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- 1 in 4 MN households are housing cost-burdened, & if we don’t do something immediately this number will increase. We need to pass a #COVID19MN response package that includes $100 Million in housing assistance. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
- On average, food service workers are left with $63/retail sales workers are left at $329 each month to make ends meet. These workers won’t be able to pay for food, medicine, and other household needs. Pls support $100 Million in housing assistance. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg
- Pls support $100 mil in FHPAP housing assistance to prevent homelessness; FHPAP will assist with past due rent, mortgage payments, & halting evictions. #Homes4AllMN #mnleg @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
- FHPAP housing assistance allows low-income households and individuals to access naturally occurring affordable housing. In this time of uncertainty, investments in housing assistance are more important than ever. #Homes4AllMN #MNLeg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- Housing is a workers’ rights issue. Almost a third of Minnesotans experiencing homelessness are employed, and 13% work full-time. We need housing assistance to support Minnesota’s working households. #mnleg @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
- FHPAP connects people with support services and housing navigation. It’s a critical piece of MN’s homelessness prevention & response system that helps people get out of homelessness and stay housed. #Homes4AllMN #MNLeg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- FHPAP funds rental assistance, but it also helps with utilities, one-time rental deposits, transportation, mortgage payments, and more. Support FHPAP because one size doesn’t fit all for vulnerable households! #Homes4AllMN #MNLeg @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt
- Did you know FHPAP funds can be used for mortgage payments, utilities, & transportation costs – in addition to rental assistance and navigation services?? Invest $100M in FHPAP and help stabilize our communities. #Homes4All #mnleg @torreywestrom @senatorweber @hausmn66a @reptheis
- As Minnesotans, we take care of our neighbors in times like these. @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt, you can help take care of your neighbors by investing $100M into FHPAP. This program will help households pay their rents, mortgages, utilities, & more! #Homes4All
- COVID-19 will hit low to middle-income renters & homeowners hard. Help prevent a foreclosure and housing crisis like the one in 2008, and invest in #Homes4All. Specifically, invest $100M in FHPAP. @PaulGazelka @SusanKentMN @MelissaHortman @KDaudt #mnleg
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The Homes for All virtual rally is only two days away! And as we gear up to make sure housing is a legislative priority, we need your advocacy more than ever. Right now Minnesota’s lawmakers have the opportunity to make a huge impact on our housing crisis by passing a bonding bill that supports construction of affordable housing, the repair and rehabilitation of existing housing, and more. Please reach out to your lawmakers by clicking on this link and let them know:.png)
Don’t worry, it’s simple! A Tweetchat is just a specific time period during which we focus our conversation around a particular topic and hashtag to raise awareness and visibility. On Friday, May 8, from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m., we’ll be building momentum for our rally by discussing why we need #Bonds4Housing to achieve #Homes4AllMN. We’re posting the discussion questions below so you have a chance to reflect and post your replies. Our goal is to build as much buzz and momentum as we can around bonds for housing and encourage folks to join us for the Virtual Rally happening immediately afterward!
Advocates, take action with us right now! We need legislative leadership to pass a COVID-19 response package immediately that includes: