Sharing Our Stories, Shaping Our World

The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions.

Michael Margolis

Happy February, NAHRO family.

Just last week, the House Financial Services Committee held a hearing called “Building a Solid Foundation: Restoring Trust and Transparency in Public Housing Agencies.” While much of the testimony and questioning talked about what can go wrong at housing authorities, NAHRO’s Eric Oberdorfer pushed back, and emphasized what we do right. We are responsible stewards of taxpayer funds, and we provide homes to millions of Americans despite decades of underinvestment. And we could do even more with full funding and appropriate oversight.

Thank you to Eric, his Policy and Legislative Affairs team, and to the rest of the NAHRO staff who helped him prepare for this important hearing. I am proud to have you tell our story so well in front of Congress, and I hope that this leads to a better understanding of housing agencies’ accomplishments and needs.

Next month, it’s our turn. I hope to see you all at Hill Day on March 11, during our Washington Conference in D.C. NAHRO gave Congress a compelling national-level narrative about the work we do, and we need to follow up with our own local stories of hard work and success. The entire conference is focused on helping you be the best advocate and master storyteller you can be for your agency, your residents, and your community. You’ll have access to scheduling help for your Congressional appointments, policy and regulatory news from the Washington Update, informational materials like NAHRO’s 2026 Policy Priorities, and sessions such as Advocacy 101 and PHAs and the Media: Telling Your Story, Showing Your Impact to help you hone your storytelling skills. 

Brene Brown has said that stories are data with a soul, and that’s what we need to bring to Capitol Hill. Our funding requests and policy document must be matched with the stories of high school valedictorians, parents moving up and out with the help of our Family Self Sufficiency programs, veterans who now live in safe homes with wraparound services, and other Americans whose lives have been made better by your work. Tell your representatives how the dollars and policies empower real, tangible improvements in your community. We’ve also sent a copy of the 2026 What Home Means to Me calendar, which features the beautiful art and heartwarming stories of 12 youth who live in NAHRO member properties, to each member of Congress. During your visits, be sure to let your elected officials know if one of the winners is from your agency!

Hill Day is next month, August Advocacy comes in the Fall, and my commitment to helping us all tell better stories about our agencies and residents continues throughout the year. At the NAHRO leadership retreat last month, we practiced telling stories to support our agencies and our advocacy. Throughout the year, watch out for conference sessions, webinars and other storytelling- and advocacy-themed resources. The stories we tell have the power to shape public opinion and policy; they are also a way to share our triumphs, missteps, and lessons learned with future generations.