The U.S. is currently short an estimated 800,000 homes attainable for low-and-moderate-income homebuyers. This shortage is just one of many factors contributing to the housing crisis facing our country. In many states, Habitat for Humanity is the only affordable homebuilder at work, making our role more crucial than ever.
That’s why last week, nearly 500 Habitat for Humanity employees, supporters, and homeowners traveled from across the country to Washington, D.C., to participate in the annual Habitat on the Hill conference. This gathering provides a platform for Habitat homeowners to influence housing policy and share directly with their representatives how affordable housing and homeownership have transformed their lives.
This year, two Habitat Wake homeowners, Mary Starke and Raygan Hansley, made the trip to Capitol Hill to advocate for change with our team. Mary shared her story of growing up in Raleigh with a single mom who moved from apartment to apartment during her childhood. Today, Mary has become the anchor of her family, achieving homeownership in Wake County for herself and her mom.
“Habitat was really a godsend,” Mary said. “This was an avenue to owning a home that I couldn’t have managed in this market.”
Raygan, another Habitat Wake homeowner, also spoke about her journey.
“My parents and grandparents own their homes, and it was instilled in me from a young age how important homeownership is. But when I got out of college, I found myself unable to compete in the current market. That’s when I looked into Habitat,” she said.
These stories highlight the importance of stable housing—not just for individuals, but for entire communities. Our team spent the day meeting with senators and congressional representatives to share updates about Habitat’s work and discuss how federal action can amplify our efforts.
During these meetings, we made specific legislative asks that reflect the collective voice of Habitat affiliates across the country. Together, we aim to leverage our expertise and the power of numbers to create meaningful changes in housing policy. Our asks included:
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Support existing successful appropriations
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Champion innovative new policy ideas
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Support incentives through the tax code to increase starter home supply
Our representatives took the time to meet with us and listen, both to our stories and our legislative asks. Across the conference, the resounding takeaway was how closely Congress is listening to matters of affordable housing right now. For years, local policymakers have ranked housing as a top issue. Now, we have reached a moment where the federal government is also paying attention.
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to convene with Habitat supporters from across the country, hear our homeowners’ inspiring stories, and advocate for affordable housing. The excitement from our time in D.C. has come home with us, fueling our commitment to continue advocacy efforts at the state and local levels.
If you’d like to add your voice to this important work, please visit this link to let your representatives know you support Habitat’s advocacy efforts. Additionally, you can join us in our ongoing local advocacy work. Together, we can create a future where everyone has a safe, affordable place to call home.
Watch more about our Habitat on the Hill experience here: