WE NEED EACH OTHER LIKE NEVER BEFORE

The following information was released by the National Housing Conference (NHC):

David M. Dworkin

Housing affordability has more vocal and bipartisan support than ever. Yet, those who have been committed to addressing this crisis for decades are confronting roadblocks on many fronts. This makes it a particularly fraught time, with opportunity and obstacles everywhere.

This year, Congress passed a substantial expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) worked together to unanimously pass the ROAD to Housing Act (ROAD) as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Negotiations with the House for inclusion of the housing provisions in the final bill are making progress.

In the House, Financial Services Committee's Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood (R-Neb.) and Ranking Member Cleaver (D-Mo.) have demonstrated consistent bipartisan partnership on hearings and legislation, including an effort that culminated in the introduction of the HOME Reform Act. The bill would streamline some of the key barriers to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program.

And yet, the Trump administration has also sought to gut the very infrastructure necessary to address the housing crisis, eviscerating staff at HUD and the CDFI Fund, cutting programs that contribute to ending homelessness as well Section 8 housing choice vouchers that support those most at risk of becoming homeless. Just this week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau released a proposed rule that would gut the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, reversing policies embraced by every president since Gerald R. Ford.

NHC is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America and our members need each other as never before. Only by working together, leveraging our relationships, and sharing best practices, can we take advantage of the unique opportunities while avoiding threats. There's no better place to do this than at our premier policy conference, Solutions for Affordable Housing convening, which will be held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on December 3. The event will bring together housing leaders from across the countryincluding policymakers, advocates, lenders, developers, and researchersto address the nation's most pressing housing challenges.

With the government shutdown now over, our focus turns to recovery and next stepsrevitalizing critical federal housing programs, stabilizing and strengthening markets and housing finance, and advancing tangible, impactful, and achievable solutions to promote affordable housing supply and accessibility nationwide. NHC's convening will build on this momentum, focusing on actions to strengthen housing stability and expand opportunity, while providing an important forum for our partners, allies, and stakeholders from across the country.

This year's sessions will focus on key housing challenges, including affordability, supply, access, and policy reforms that shape the future of rental, homeownership, and development programs and funding. Experts will also explore innovative solutions such as new housing models, rural and middle-income strategies, homelessness prevention, and resilience in the property insurance market. Some of the panels and experts include:

Moving Forward: A New Era for the GSEs I'll be moderating a panel on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac with Laurie Goodman, Institute Fellow and Founder of the Housing Finance Policy Center at the Urban Institute; Chris Killian, Managing Director, Corporate Credit and Securitization at SIFMA; Shekar Narasimhan, Managing Partner at Beekman Advisors; and Isaac Boltansky, Managing Director, Head of Public Policy, at Pennymac.

Priced Out: Boosting Middle-Income Housing Supply with Laura Arce, Senior Vice President for Economic Initiatives at UnidosUS; Robert Dietz, Chief Economist at the National Association of Home Builders; Paul Singh, Vice President of Community Initiatives at NeighborWorks America; Olivia Barrow Strauss, Vice President, Neighborhood Development, Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase; and Erik Forman, Director of Housing Policy at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust.

Regulatory Reform: Modernizing Rental Subsidy Programs with Amy Ginger, President of the National Leased Housing Association; Robert Pinnegar, President and CEO of the National Apartment Association; Ben Metcalf, Managing Director of the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley; Michael Webb, Senior Policy Analyst at the Public Housing Authorities Directors Association; and Jason M. Ward, Codirector of the RAND Center on Housing and Homelessness.

Rural Housing: Solutions for All Americans with William J. Bynum, founding CEO of HOPE; Jim King, CEO of Fahe; Robin Davey Wolff, Senior Director of Enterprise Community Partners; Matthew Reilein president and CEO of the National Equity Fund; and David Lipsetz, President and CEO of the Housing Assistance Council.

Ending Homelessness: Successful Strategies for Sustainable Results with Kathryn Monet, Chief Executive Officer of the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans; Tramecia Garner, Executive Director of Swords to Plowshares; Julia Lightfoot, Executive Director of Clean and Sober Streets; and Neal Rackleff, Executive Vice President and COO, Houston Housing Authority.

Homebuilding Innovations: Manufactured Housing, ADUs, and Urban Infill with Ed Brady, President and CEO of the Home Builders Institute; Andrew P. McCoy, PhD., Myers Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech; Marisa Calderon, President and CEO of Prosperity Now; and Alex Athenson, Executive Director and Co-Founder of The Foothill Catalog Foundation.

Price Out: Boosting Middle-Income Housing Supply with Laura Arce, Senior Vice President for Economic Initiatives at UnidosUS; Robert Dietz, Chief Economist at the National Association of Home Builders; Paul Singh, Vice President of Community Initiatives at NeighborWorks America; Olivia Barrow Strauss, Vice President, Neighborhood Development, Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase; and Erik Forman, Director of Housing Policy at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust.

Seating is limited, so register today! NHC members can take advantage of discounted ticket rates.

NHC's Solutions for Affordable Housing convening offers a vital platform to share ideas, drive innovation, and identify actionable strategies that will guide housing policy and investment well beyond 2025. You won't want to miss this opportunity to help shape the future of housing policy and solutions nationwide.