To: Prospective Tenant Chapters

From:  Sharon Belleville, Board President, HCF

HCF is the only state-wide housing coalition in Missouri. We have saved over 600 low income units from being demolished or sold. Our mission is to prevent homelessness by preserving low income housing. We have been called "the best housing coalition in the U.S. by national experts.

We would like your group to join us as a chapter.  The following principles lay out what you can get from Housing Comes First, and what Housing Comes First will expect of you.

HCF's First Principle - Tenants Lead Their Own Fight

That's why tenant associations who are chapters of HCF:

	Serve as spokespeople to the media and others when asked by HCF.
	Elect a representative to the Housing Comes First Board of Directors (can be any tenant association officer).  That way, you are involved in running HCF.
	Distribute HCF flyers, answer action alerts by signing individual and organizational responses and distribute materials to all tenants about HCF meetings (materials supplied by HCF).  We get the word to you and you get the word to your tenants.  Many hands make the work light.
	Members and officers of the tenant association participate in Housing Comes First meetings and events.  That way, you can speak for yourself.

HCF's Second Principle - Tenant Associations and HCF Win Through Unity

That's why tenant associations who are members of HCF:

	Hold regular elections for their officers and for their HCF Board Member.
	Run themselves democratically, holding at least one building-wide meeting a month, inviting all tenants to their meetings and voting on important decisions.
	Stay independent from management/owners.
	Certify to HCF that their tenant association is democratic and independent every year.
	Recruit individual tenant members for HCF who pay $12 per year.  HCF will send quarterly newsletters to its tenant members.
	Invite HCF to meetings with targets such as management, HUD and others.  HCF will invite you if it is asked to meet with targets.

HCF's Third Principle - Tenant Associations Pay Their Own Way

That's why tenant associations of HCF:

Pay $25 or more as an annual membership fee.  This covers joining both HCF and your national coalition (either National Alliance of HUD Tenants (NAHT) if Section 8, or Public Housing Organizing Campaign if public housing).

Pay a reasonable fee when traveling with HCF.  A $5 fee will be charged for the Governor's Conference, and a $100 fee will be charged for the NAHT conference.   Fundraisers such as a raffle will be available for any fee over $20.  HCF supplies transportation, meals and lodging for tenants on trips.  HCF informs tenant association president and others about slots available for tenant trips such as the Governor's Conference in March in Columbia, MO and the NAHT Conference in June in Washington, DC.  Volunteer time in the office can be used for trip fees.

Other benefits HCF supplies to Tenant Associations:

	Makes computer, phone, fax and copying facilities at Housing Comes First available to tenants for tenant association business.  (If more than ten copies are made, the tenant association supplies its own paper.  No long distance calls.)  Please call ahead to reserve.
	Assigns staff members to the complex if requested.
	Meets with the tenant association every year in January or February to formulate a working agreement and a campaign plan that is reviewed yearly.

If you are interested in joining us after reviewing all of the above information, please fill out and submit the response form below. (After filling out form, print this page, cut out form, and mail to: Housing Comes First, 5300 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63112.)