Newsmakers: Golden Valley Affordable Housing Coalition Says ‘Advocacy Does Work’
For the last four years, Golden Valley’s Affordable Housing Coalition has advocated for not just affordable housing, but landlord training, and tenant protections too.
“Advocacy does work,” said Ruth Paradise, chair of the Golden Valley Affordable Housing Coalition. “We have worked with the city and other groups to have four ordinances passed.”
Paradise says the group also has worked on changes to city code and landlord training.
She explains the purpose of the Golden Valley Affordable Housing Coalition simply as “a group of volunteers who have gotten together because they are very interested in the issue of affordable housing and tenant protections and that is our goal.”
The volunteer group also visits people who get evictions summons in-person to explain how to get help.
“We’ve done door knocking and gone out, handing out what resources are available for tenants,” said Paradise. “Right now we working on people who get eviction summons. We are going in-person to visit them on where they can get help, where they can get free legal aid and rental assistance.”
Paradise says the group also researches to find out what ordinances might exist in other cities. She says she serves because she enjoys working with city staff and knowing she’s helping others too.
“We enjoy it just because we are helping people and working with the community to try to educate the community,” said Paradise.
To learn more about the Golden Valley Affordable Housing Coalition, click here.
