Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA)
The Faces and Places of Affordable Housing

Affordable housing is an issue that sets off many emotions, and is a problem of epic proportions in Massachusetts. In the face of alarming statistics revealing an escalating crisis for residents, The Citizens' Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) saw an urgent need to raise awareness.

CHAPA is the non-profit umbrella organization for affordable housing and community development activities throughout the state. It represents all interests in the housing field, including non-profit and for-profit developers, homeowners, tenants, bankers, real estate brokers, property managers, government officials and others.

The organization wanted to build a public campaign that would not only convey the problem but compel people to take action. CHAPA enlisted SM& to develop the campaign, which became known as "home@last." We created concepts for collateral materials, videos, advertisements, and organized meetings with community groups to launch the campaign and generate media interest.

To ensure our messages had real-world impact, SM& planned a strategic messaging session (SMST) with town officials, housing advocates, and business leaders, in addition to running focus groups with residents. SM& and advertising partner, 360 Communications, developed successful brochures, postcards and ads that played off the familiar welcome to town signs in Massachusetts and added slogans like, "If you don't live in this town, you probably can't afford to" and "Housing costs make this town off limits to most of the people who grew up here." SM& wrote the script for a housing video and found real people to tell their stories.

The first launch in 2004 was geared toward the 495/MetroWest area. Through community outreach and advertising, CHAPA's goal in this effort was to support the creation of 13,000 units in the area by 2010. Our work with media resulted in 15 million total impressions, and coverage in the Boston Sunday Globe, WCVB-TV's "Chronicle" and local publications.

The following year, CHAPA expanding its outreach to Essex County using the strategies established in the previous campaign. Budgetary and time constraints forced us to produce the video called "The Faces and Places of Affordable Housing in Essex County " in one month, making every day and hour count. Our work resulted in more than six million media impressions, and we were able to use the video as an effective tool for community presentations.

This campaign has been so successful in raising awareness and garnering support for action that CHAPA is moving forward in other regions. SM& is currently working with them on a similar initiative to support workforce housing in Cape Cod.

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