Habitat SKKC staff joined more than 450 advocates from 44 states in powerful conversations with lawmakers focused on key issues in affordable housing at this year’s Habitat on the Hill (Feb. 11-13, 2025). This year’s conference theme, “Voices in Action, Building Toward Our Vision,” reminded us of our collective work for abundant affordable housing—and the important steps that we can all take next to continue building momentum.
Alongside our colleagues from Habitat affiliates from across the country, we stepped into congressional meetings and urged lawmakers to support the Homeownership Supply Accelerator: an innovative federal policy concept to make homeownership a reality for hardworking families nationwide. As envisioned, the accelerator would be a new source of financial assistance to spur the construction of starter homes across the U.S. According to the World Economic Forum, 2.8 billion people around the world lack access to decent affordable housing, making this initiative more important than ever. The Homeownership Supply Accelerator marks a critical step toward increasing housing affordability nationwide.
We also encouraged funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for two critical programs. The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) is a federal initiative that aims to increase homeownership opportunities for low-income families while encouraging community involvement and personal investment in the homebuilding process. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is a federal assistance program that provides grants to fund a wide range of activities aimed at creating affordable housing for low-income households.
While in D.C., we had the honor of meeting with Senator Maria Cantwell (WA) to discuss the immediate need for affordable homeownership solutions. Now that we’re back in Washington state, we feel a renewed sense of urgency for the work ahead. This is where our community of supporters can join us: Take action by asking your policymakers to invest in affordable homeownership now.