Ten Organizations Affirm 3-year plan for Bridge to Power
Seattle, WA – Housing organizers and leaders convened from across the United States January 29-31, 2025 to launch Bridge to Power (B2P), a dynamic innovative organizing blueprint with the purpose of building and wielding collective power to catalyze transformative housing solutions. B2P is an entity that will amplify local housing solutions and ignite national collaboration to win homes for all.
“It is clear from the state of our housing sector in the US that the status quo is not working for millions of Americans. Our elected leaders and their industry allies haven’t offered workable solutions that house everyone who needs housing and addresses systemic injustice. Bridge to Power exists not just to speak truth to power, but to present a hopeful vision of our housing future, one led by people and communities most impacted by our housing crisis,” said B2P Steering Committee member Allyson Putt, Public Policy and Advocacy Strategy Manager of Detroit People’s Platform.
The unifying lens that B2P’s partners share is that in order to make lasting systems change we need to build significant new people power and strategically wield it over time. The B2P coalition of partners is united by a single, clear goal—housing justice—and we are ready to challenge the status quo with bold, coordinated action that can reshape the future of housing in America.
“Housing justice has long been the overlooked linchpin of an America that would actually be a just and civil society for all. This imbalance has led people to think that the housing system in our communities can not function. With Bridge to Power, we have a chance to address that power imbalance because those of us closest to this work are also closest to the community. There are mayors, city council members, code enforcement and zoning officials, utility regulators and other policy makers who have power because the people they serve allow it. They can and must make the housing systems in our communities provide safe, decent and resilient housing no matter the crisis,” said B2P Steering Committee member Andreanecia M. Morris, President of HousingLouisiana/ROHLA
B2P is unique in that we are a multi-geographical, multi organization and multi organizing model initiative that will result in: 1) A pathway of trained organizers and leaders; 2) Joint organizing strategy (decisions, narrative, organizing); and 3) Adequate and sustained resources to partners, including staff expertise and funding. B2P will achieve these goals through the following activities:
Convening (train, learn, strategize) to develop shared and strategic political education, narratives and analysis
Coaching and mentoring with organizations on strategy development & staff development
Individual organizations develop robust leadership development programs
Acting together locally, regionally, nationally
Fundraising together
B2P partner organizations include Action NC from North Carolina, Charleston Area Justice Ministry (CAJM) and Midlands Organized Response for Equity and Justice (MORE Justice) from South Carolina, Detroit People’s Platform from Michigan, Freedom ROC from Ohio, Granite State Tenants Union from New Hampshire, Housing California/Residents United Network (RUN), HousingLOUSIANA/Residents Organizing for HousingLOUIAIANA (ROHLA), Resident Organizing for Change (ROC) from Oregon, and Washington Low Income Housing Alliance/Resident Action Project (RAP).
The purpose of the Convening was to bring together all B2P participating organizations to shape and affirm the purpose of B2P and a three-year plan to develop the new
collective entity. Forty-three organizers and leaders with lived experience participated in the Convening. Participants amended and approved Vision, Values and Purpose statements, a Theory of Change, and a 3 year workplan to build B2P. B2P partners also agreed to expand the 5-member Steering Committee, and to seat three new working committees: Fundraising, Leadership Development, and Structure.
Elizabeth Hill, a leader from ActionNC, said the Convening was inspirational: “I felt so much UNITY in this group. It put a newfound fire under me to fight for what's right. My eyes and heart were opened even more to know we have work to do, and I'm so ready to do my part. We have power!”
In addition, B2P convening participants practiced the B2P principles of learning, strategizing and taking action through a peer-led education section, an organizing skill training, and a joint action. A key highlight was the high-energy Teach-In on January 30 organized by the Washington Housing Alliance and RAP. More than 80 people attended the Teach-In, which focused on crafting effective stories, the importance of a narrative strategy, and tackling critical issues like rent stabilization and eviction protections that aim to ensure people are stably housed.
