Habitat DC-NOVA staff and a Habitat DC-NOVA Young Professional Member attended Habitat on the Hill in February. Habitat International holds an annual legislative conference connecting Habitat leaders across the county to advocate for affordable homeownership in our communities.
This event started with a zoning reform discussion that the Urban Institute hosted. On Tuesday, attendees listened to various speakers discuss affordable housing policies and reforms.
On Wednesday, Habitat DC-NOVA staff – Rachel, Mahnoor, and Kamilla, and Ally Hardebeck, HYP member, met with our elected representatives staff from Rep. Don Beyer, Rep. Eleanor Norton, Sen. Mark Warner, and Sen. Tim Kaine.
Rachel Jones shared, “Habitat on the Hill was an incredibly empowering experience. I had never advocated on the Hill before, so to get this experience amongst hundreds of other Habitat affiliate representatives was unforgettable. The energy was high as everyone flooded the Hill to discuss the importance of affordable housing legislation.”
The conference ended the following day with reflections on Hill visits and discussions on ways to incorporate advocacy into Habitat’s daily operations.