Shelterforce is a U.S. based publication that began in 1975 as a way for tenant organizers to work together and learn from each other. The mandate has broadened, but the organization maintains its aim of “empowering people to make real change in their communities.”
The Housing After Dark podcast recently interviewed two members of the Shelterforce team, Miriam Axel-Lute and Shelby R. King. Housing has become a more prominent issue in mainstream media and Shelterforce’s perspective is very timely.
In combination, Axel-Lute and King shine a light on the challenges that journalists face when writing about housing issues.
Axel-Lute is Shelterforce’s Editor In Chief. She has put an emphasis on building relationships with mainstream journalists, even when housing issues have barely scratched the surface of public attention. Now that housing is a more prominent issue, her effort has paid off. Shelterforce is considered a reliable and accessible source of information.
King came to Shelterforce as a journalist who’d worked a housing beat on the U.S. west coast. She discusses the challenges of writing about a complex issue that comes with a lot of jargon. King observes that while media attention may be welcome, it may also be an unfamiliar experience for people with a long history in tenant organizing, affordable housing, or community development. King contends that the tenant organizers, affordable ‘housers’ and community developers can benefit from time spent cultivating relationships with reporters.
The interview linked below could be useful to people in front line organizations and advocates who have known about the housing crisis for years and are willing to speak to media about the issues. The interview could also be useful to journalists and reporters who are covering these issues. As well, the insights may be helpful to decision makers and residents.
You can access the podcast at Shelterforce: Podcast: The Future of Housing Journalism
