How We Advocate for Our Rights

This is a guide to legislative advocacy. You can write, send email, or phone. Use your own words and your own story and borrow from the suggestions here.

Find my legislator

Go to Find My Legislator by entering your street address, city/town, and ZIP code. To

You will see your representative and your senator. Click on their name links and you will see their email address and phone number.

Suggested ask

Call and talk with the aide that answers or to the legislative aide.

My name is XXX and I live at ADDRESS in the district in public/subsidized housing.

I’m calling to ask the Senator/Representative to cosponsor HD 1704 and join Representative Sally Kerans and Senator Joan Lovely in their petition HD1704 to create the office of the tenant advocate in the Office of the Attorney General. HD1704 will protect the right of peaceful enjoyment for all tenants of public and subsidized housing.

That office is important to me because it will protect me from bullying, mobbing, and harassment and allow me to enjoy my home in peace and safety by protecting my basic rights. Today, there is no accessible and effective protection for me, despite the rule on hostile environment harassment in the Fair Housing law, and despite the opinion of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office that harassment is unlawful. There is no effective oversight and accountability for the housing provider, neither the housing authority in public housing nor the landlord in subsidized housing.

I also ask the Senator/Representative to cosponsor HD3720 / SD1572 and join Representative Kevin Honan and Senator Joan Lovely in their petitions HD3720 / SD1572, to prevent and respond to bullying of elderly and disabled residents. The bill will create programs of education, training, and guidance including establishing best practices, and support the efforts of housing providers to provide a safe environment in public and subsidized housing for elderly and disabled persons.