By Natividad Seefeld
We hosted a Legislator tour last Saturday as a way to win back a rent credit that was lost in 2011. We were very excited that the one Senator we needed to show up the most did. It looks like the past two years of letters, postcards and calls from of all the residents is going to pay off.
We had Sens. Carolyn Laine (D) and Roger Chamberlain (R) sitting together in our tiny office seeing eye to eye on many reasons why cooperative living should happen all over. It was amazing. With help from our TA providers (NCF), a lobbyist and many residents, the meeting ended with, “You will get them back and it sounds like this year.”
These credits represent about $600 a year and is money that residents look forward to in the fall to do minor repairs, pay bills, buy school clothes and supplies and more.
I still feel like this is a dream! It makes my heart burst with joy that we the people of Park Plaza Cooperative had a hand in this. It goes to show you that our voice, our letters and us going out and telling our story can and will make a difference.
Now just imagine what we can do nationwide with our stories and our voices.
I am very blessed to be a part of a “Better Together” cause and life. We got this!
— Natividad Seefeld is the ROC Association Director for the East, Midwest and South Region. Contact her at midwest@rocassociation.org.