WASHINGTON, DC // February 22, 2022 – To better combat the regional housing crisis and serve more families in need of affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C. and Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia are joining together to become Habitat for Humanity Washington, D.C. & Northern Virginia (Habitat DC-NOVA).
In response to increasing rents and growing housing inequalities and insecurities, the two local Habitat affiliates are coming together as a regional force to bolster affordable housing for families with low and moderate incomes. With over 60 years of combined expertise creating and preserving affordable housing in the District and Northern Virginia, Habitat DC-NOVA will expand capacity to build more homes, generate greater impact, and serve more families in need of housing than either organization could alone achieve.
“Together, we can build more homes than either of us could on our own,” says Susanne Slater, interim co-leader of Habitat DC-NOVA and President & CEO of DC Habitat. “Habitat DC-NOVA is created in recognition that we need a collaborative, regional approach to the housing crisis. Residents of the national capital region, no matter which side of the Potomac River in which they live or work, deserve the chance to build intergenerational wealth and stability through affordable homeownership. Forming Habitat DC-NOVA enhances our capacities and resources to ensure more families have that chance.”
The newly unified Habitat DC-NOVA will publicly launch this spring of 2022 with a goal to serve 1,000 families by 2030. At its outset, Habitat DC-NOVA already has nearly 50 homes in its construction pipeline. By leveraging its combined expertise and resources, Habitat DC-NOVA aims to increase new home construction across the region and expand critical home repair services for low-income seniors and adults with disabilities throughout Northern Virginia. The new organization’s service area will expand significantly to include the District of Columbia, Arlington County, Fairfax County, the City of Fairfax, the City of Falls Church, and the City of Alexandria.
“It’s an exciting new chapter for us and the region,” says Jon Smoot, interim co-leader of Habitat DC-NOVA and Executive Director of Habitat NOVA. “With our many generous community partners we’ve built over 300 new homes and repaired or renovated hundreds more as separate organizations, and we’re looking forward to bringing our community of supporters together towards building even more.”
As part of the launch, Habitat DC-NOVA announced its Building Bridges, Building Communities campaign, which raised $500,000 to serve the first 130 families towards their 2030 goal. The campaign culminated in the Habitat DC-NOVA Launch Celebration on May 12, 2022 to formally announce the new organization and kick off this exciting new chapter.
The campaign was headed by Host Committee Co-Chairs Madi Ford, Partner, Audeo Partners and Lindsey Johnson, President, U.S. Mortgage Insurers. With their leadership, the Habitat DC-NOVA Launch Celebration brought together Habitat partners, public officials, community and industry leaders, and champions of affordable housing in support of the mission.
“We are so thrilled to support the launch of Habitat DC-NOVA and the creation of much needed affordable homeownership opportunities in our region, “ says Madi Ford, Co-Chair of the Launch Celebration Host Committee and member of the Habitat DC-NOVA Board of Directors. We look forward to engaging the philanthropic community and many of our partners in the real estate industry to raise funds for this critical cause in the coming months.”
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About Habitat for Humanity Washington, D.C. & Northern Virginia
Habitat for Humanity Washington, D.C. & Northern Virginia (Habitat DC-NOVA) believes everyone deserves a safe, decent, and affordable place to call home. Our mission is to reduce poverty housing and homelessness by building decent, affordable, energy-efficient homes for those in need. In addition to building and selling affordable homes, Habitat DC-NOVA provides home repairs, offers financial education, and advocates for policies that create more housing for struggling families in the national capital region.
For more information about Habitat DC-NOVA, the Building Bridges, Building Communities campaign,or the Launch Celebration Event, please contact Kat Shaub, Vice President of Development, at Kat.Shaub@dchabitat.org.