The Future of Housing

Welcome to June and welcome to summer, NAHRO family! Over the past couple of weeks, as the weather has attempted to warm up, I’ve had the privilege of spending time with many of you at regional and state conferences across the country.

The joyous welcomes, smiles, excitement and camaraderie in each and every room has been inspiring! Having the opportunity to participate in so many “first time coming together” celebrations has been a gift as I, along with our CEO and Sr. VP, have been welcomed into long time friendship circles and “colleague reunions” with great stories of challenges and triumphs. Thank you all for the unique NAHRO gift of community!

I am always inspired by your dedication, perseverance, and sheer creativity. In the face of ever-changing regulations and often-decreasing federal funding, NAHRO, we always find innovative ways to acquire, build and maintain affordable housing for families, seniors, veterans and children that create community. Communities that include welcoming, diverse service rich programs like Family Self-Sufficiency, academic and skills education for the young and older, and thoughtful services for folks on journeys of healing from homeliness through collaborations with healthcare providers, educators, social services professionals and thought leaders to ensure that those in your care don’t just survive, but also thrive. It’s a lot of work, its vital, and we are making a difference.

We do this all amid the shadow of uncertainty. I hope that by the time you see this, the Senate will have confirmed aversion of the threat of a debt ceiling-caused financial crisis with minimal harm to our programs. No matter what happens, I am grateful to all the NAHRO members and allies who’ve taken the time to send letters to the White House and our Congressional leaders urging a speedy resolution to this debate. The affordable housing programs that millions of families rely upon remain at risk, and we can’t stay silent. As I write this, the House has passed a deal, but the Senate hasn’t voted on it yet. We have the most current details on page 1 (continued on page 4), and will send you email updates as needed. Thank you to everyone who’s already used the NAHRO Advocacy Center to demand that our elected officials protect affordable housing funds; your voices matter during these critical conversations!

Securing resources is one only one way to ensure that we can continue the necessary work of housing and serving our communities. We must also keep our agencies strong, healthy and future-proofed. That’s why this year’s in-person Summer Symposium focuses on both the “ big-F “ and “ small-f” – The Future/future of affordable housing.

We’re combining big-picture plenary panels and speakers with practical concurrent sessions that cover federal partnerships, international housing models, and practical steps towards recruiting, hiring and training the people that will lead your agency into the future. The NAHRO team will also debut a new research report that will focus specifically on the state of federally assisted affordable housing – a topic that too often gets relegated to afterthoughts and footnotes in housing studies. So don’t miss out – register at www.nahro.org/summer23 before the early-bird rate ends on June 6!

As we move from May into June, we also enter LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Now, more than ever, in the face of increasing bigotry and prejudice, we must work to ensure fair treatment for all – both within our work as housers who uphold the law of fair housing, and as neighbors in the larger sphere of our communities. NAHRO, as a component of our core values of equity and welcoming for all, is highlighting safety and equitable treatment of LGBTQ+ members and allies alike. In addition to working on National Conference offerings, the LGBTQ+ Subcommittee of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Committee is also presenting a webinar on June 6 on Agency Pride Highlight: PHA Excellence in LGBTQ Community Allyship in Fresno and planning other Pride month-related offerings, so please stay tuned.

I hope you have a wonderful start to your summers, and I can’t wait to see you in Washington, D.C. on July 14-15 for NAHRO at 90: COLLABORATE!

Patricia