hud & USICH guidance on nonpartisan election work
President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting Access to Voting (March 2021) affirms that the right to vote is fundamental to American democracy and that it is the obligation of the federal government to ensure that American citizens can exercise that right. The executive order directs federal agencies to evaluate ways to expand voter registration opportunities, provide information about voting, and facilitate participation in the electoral process.
In response to the executive order, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) circulated announcements to its email lists on February 9, 2022, clarifying that PHAs and recipients of HUD funding are permitted – and actively encouraged! – to facilitate nonpartisan voter engagement activities. These announcements are linked below and summarized in the factsheet, "The Do's and Don'ts of Voter Engagement in HUD-Assisted Properties."
To help people experiencing homelessness exercise their right to vote, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) released two voting guides: one for homeless service providers and one for people experiencing homelessness. The guides are available in five languages (English, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and Tagalog).
This resource provides guidance for public
housing agency (PHA) directors, owners and operators of federally assisted housing, service coordinators, tenant leaders, and other advocates who are seeking to encourage voter participation and strengthen civic engagement in their communities.
This announcement clarifies permissible voter engagement activities for HUD Multifamily-assisted properties.
This announcement clarifies permissible voter engagement activities for Public Housing Agencies (PHAs).
USICH provides a multilingual checklist for homeless service providers to register, educate, and mobilize their clients to vote.
USICH provides a multilingual, step-by-step checklist that people experiencing homelessness can use to register, make a plan to vote, and cast their ballots with confidence.
This announcement from HUD's Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs (SNAPS) shares information that providers can use to help people experiencing homelessness exercise their fundamental right to vote.
