Habitat SKC leaders and staff join hundreds of local Habitat organizations and home affordability advocates this week for Habitat for Humanity’s annual legislative conference, held virtually for the first time: Habitat on the Hill 2021: For home, from home.
The three-day event, normally held in Washington, D.C., gives advocates an opportunity to convene with congressional leaders, and address and discuss actionable solutions to the underlying policies and systems that hinder access to housing affordability and rally with one another.
As Habitat, through our national Cost of Home advocacy campaign, deepens our role in addressing the home affordability challenges that have been further exacerbated by COVID-19, Habitat on the Hill will focus heavily on historic and systemic racism in housing policy, and how the pandemic’s economic disparities have created a critical need for immediate and long-term housing relief.
“In some way, 2020 has impacted us all,” said Brett D’Antonio, Habitat SKC. “However, the past year was particularly hard for many Americans who were already struggling with a growing housing crisis amidst a global pandemic. Through this conference, we hope to affect change that will be felt throughout our community and the nation.”
Habitat staff will urge members of congress to invest in housing affordability as part of any future economic recovery and infrastructure measure by prioritizing foreclosure prevention, neighborhood revitalization and housing production for low-income homeowners.
These investments are critical for preventing major losses in homeownership and in wealth for communities of color, as well as expanding access to new affordable homes for all.
“Although it has only been a few weeks since newly elected leaders took office, Americans cannot continue to wait for housing solutions,” Brett added. “Our leaders have a job to do. Housing must be a priority for not only our federal policymakers but also at the local and state levels as well.”
Learn more here about how to support federal legislation, and well as various local initiatives you can support here.