This announcement was originally published by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors held a special virtual meeting on April 22 on COVID-19 coordination and approved principles for reopening the National Capital Region once it is safe to do so. To that end, the board approved a resolution and statement directing local city and county managers to work together to develop a coordinated, safe, and scientifically-informed strategy. The board also urged area residents to continue the social distancing actions that are slowing the spread of COVID-19.
Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chair Ann Wheeler noted the value of regional cooperation on COVID-19, saying it has contributed to procurement [of equipment], cooperation of residents staying home, and ”it will matter as we begin a slow and measured response to reopening.”
“I appreciate that while [the statement] tells our constituents that we are working together to plan the reopening of the region, it begins by stressing the time is not now and we continue to need the public to stay at home and practice social distancing, said Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner.
D.C. Council member Robert C. White, Jr. said the commitment to coordinate is essential given the region’s interconnectedness. “Our borders are porous… so in both addressing the public health aspect [of COVID-19] and tour recovery, we know that we operate, we function, we rise and fall as a region.”
The coalition will produce thousands of individual standardized Supplemental Care Units (SCUs) a week to create much needed field hospital capacity across the country. After the crisis ends, these units will be modified as a long-term solution to help address homeless, veteran and affordable housing issues. MaGrann is providing MEP engineering and resilience consulting support on delivering safe and durable homes in responding to the medical crises of today and permanent housing needs of the future.
Interested in learning more about this work? Contact MMC today.
MORE ABOUT THE SUMMIT
Save the date for the Race, Equity & the Future of Greater Washington Regional Summit, September 18, 2020, at Town Hall Education Arts Recreation Campus (THEARC), where over 800 regional leaders from Greater Washington—D.C., Northern Virginia, and Suburban Maryland—will convene to examine existing disparities and co-create a new path toward a racially just and equitable region. While Greater Washington is one of the most socially, culturally, and economically vibrant regions in the country, it is also impacted by disparities in every aspect of life— housing, employment, education, justice, wealth and health; and through aligned and measurable action, cross-sector leaders can close the gaps.
The Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, in partnership with HAND, Bridges Across the River, Center for Nonprofit Advancement, Greater Washington Community Foundation, Leadership Greater Washington, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, and United Way of the National Capital Region, will host this one-of-a-kind summit.
HAND members are working day in and day out to address the growing housing affordability challenge across the Capital Region. Five Minutes With is a series highlighting these individuals and organizations within our membership. This informal conversation asks HAND members about their recent projects, the affordable housing industry and more. In the latest edition, we chat with Moha Thakur, Public Engagement and Policy Associate for National Housing Trust (NHT).
Moha first joined NHT in 2018. In her role, she focuses on state and federal public policy initiatives to preserve affordable housing and create sustainable, vibrant communities for low-income families with the goal of providing tailored policy recommendations based on best practices from around the country.
Most recently, she helped develop a housing policy framework designed to preserve existing subsidized and naturally occurring affordable housing in San Diego and contributed to a feasibility study on the creation of a naturally occurring affordable housing preservation fund in Houston. Her next project is with the City of Falls Church and will focus on updating their Affordable Housing Preservation Study. She also coordinates NHT’s policy work in D.C, focusing on the impact of policies and programs on the preservation of affordable housing in the District.
Moha was also a part of the Where Will We Live? campaign team, where she traveled around the country interviewing residents, property staff and community leaders on their lives, perspectives and what affordable housing means to them and the important role it’s played in both their lives and that of their community. As the National Housing Trust wraps up its two-year campaign, we spoke to Moha about Where Will We Live? and the storytelling toolkit, and what she hopes those in the affordable housing and community development industry can learn from it.
Check out our conversation here:
HAND: Tell us a little about your journey. How did you land in the affordable housing and community development industry?
MT: I’m originally from Canberra, Australia. I moved to Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2016 to start my Master of Public Policy at the McCourt School at Georgetown University. I didn’t know how long I’d be in D.C. and so I took the time to learn more about the city while I had the opportunity. In my time at McCourt I was a part of the Policy Innovation Lab and along with classes in Urban Policy and Law, Community Development Policy and Land Use and Zoning, I realized and pursued my interest in urban policy focused around housing and the often-overlooked importance of this vital piece of infrastructure.
The racial and social dynamics in Australia are very different to the US, and in learning and understanding what these were and how they have materialized in the housing and community development space, I wanted to continue my professional career in Washington, D.C. and work towards making an impact in local communities around the country. In my second year at McCourt, I was offered an opportunity to intern at the National Housing Trust, a non-profit organization that is committed to the preservation of affordable housing through policy, real estate development, lending and energy efficiency solutions. That internship turned into a full-time job after I graduated, and I’ve never looked back!
HAND: What does this work mean to you?
MT: The work I’ve done with NHT has been incredibly meaningful. It’s been really exciting to learn about the field of affordable housing and to seek out opportunities within the organization to support and advocate for affordable housing from a number of angles. Throughout the 2020 Democratic Presidential nomination process, housing has been highlighted as an important issue and knowing that NHT is making such an impact on people’s lives around the country has been rewarding. Whether it’s walking the halls of Congress and meeting with congressional committee staff on appropriations, to being invited into someone’s home to learn about their often heartbreaking experience of homelessness and how they have created a home for themselves now in affordable housing, or speaking to fellow advocates and city officials who are trying to make their communities a better place, there are so many ways to make an impact in this field and to learn from others. I feel like in my two and half years I’ve only seen the tip of the iceberg.
HAND: Earlier this year NHT launched the Where Will We Live? Storytelling Toolkit. Can you provide a little background on the campaign and why this toolkit is important for our industry?
MT: As part of supporting the federal advocacy work of NHT, I worked on our Where Will We Live campaign. Where Will We Live? is a storytelling campaign launched by the National Housing Trust and Enterprise Community Partners in 2017 in response to the threat that federal funding for affordable housing would be halted. There were two goals in mind when we started this campaign: break down barriers and misconceptions by shifting the narrative around affordable housing, and uplift resident voices to the forefront of the conversation. My role was to build and maintain a network of regional alliances across the US, with the goal of increasing civic engagement among residents of affordable housing. Through this work, we interviewed more than 160 low-income residents across the country and shared their stories with congressional members, housing advocates and cross-sector allies to highlight the necessity of federal funding for affordable housing programs through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Through this campaign, we were trying to personalize these stories, and show that these were not just facts, numbers and figures we were presenting; these were the constituents of members of Congress and members of our communities who need access to affordable housing in order to live.
The storytelling toolkit includes lessons learned from the campaign that other organizations can use to integrate their resident stories into their own communications efforts. Storytelling is a powerful tool, and when done well can enact social change. We hope that other housing advocates can join us in this effort.
HAND: What do you think are some of the most important takeaways from the toolkit?
MT: There is a lot of helpful information there, but the key takeaways would be to clearly identify your audience and define your key message. I would also say a really simple, and practical tip, is the guidance on how to contact a property manager to conduct an interview with residents.
HAND: What is your greatest hope for the toolkit over the coming months?
MT: We hope that our colleagues who work in housing communications or policy and advocacy can use this guide to keep our residents’ voices to the forefront of the conversation when we advocate for affordable housing. It’s important for us to always remember that these are the people we are serving in our work each day, and it’s their basic needs that we should strive to meet in ensuring that there is adequate funding and affordable housing stock around the country. Through sharing their stories and raising their voices, they can be the loudest advocates in increasing funding and support for affordable housing around the country.
I’d be remiss to not mention that this toolkit, while created and used by NHT in the affordable housing field, is a vital resource that can be used in any advocacy work in any field – be it education, health care, disability rights, or immigration. Reframing the narrative to highlight the voices of individuals who typically lack access to the decision-making process on housing is one long term goal that we hope the toolkit can achieve.
HAND: Do you believe there is a “secret sauce” to addressing housing affordability? If so, what do you think that is?
MT: If my travels and interviews with residents through the Where Will We Live? campaign taught me anything, it’s that housing instability is extremely common in this country and it could happen to anyone. I hope the idea that any of us might one day need these resources generates compassion and empathy and empowers advocates and policymakers to push for big ideas to address the affordability issues faced by so many in our communities.
HAND: If you weren’t working in this industry, what might you be doing?
MT: I’m not sure what I’d be doing if I wasn’t in the affordable housing or community development industry – my life has changed a lot in the last five years so there are a lot of what-ifs or turning points that I could look to. Maybe I’d still be in Australia!
I feel incredibly privileged to have found this path, to have been able to move to Washington, D.C. and learn so much about the culture of this country and this city that I’m now truly starting to call home. In addition to that, I’m grateful to have the chance to contribute to the work of our fellow housing and community development organizations in supporting people struggling with affordable housing access.
Recently AreaProbe hosted its “Investing in Baltimore City” program at Ministry of Brewing featuring Ernst Valery, Alex Aaron (Founder, Blank Slate Development) and Venroy July. Hosted in conjunction with HAND member Baltimore Community Lending, this dynamic program featured a panel discussion on the speakers’ experience in retail, residential and multi-family (affordable/market rate) projects in Baltimore City.
In an effort to support emerging developers who are learning about the industry, AreaProbe has provided the below links to free webinars on financing programs that are available for developers and investors:
Webinars
What You Need to Know Before Accepting a Term Sheet
Historic Tax Credit Equity Program
How to Leverage the New Market Tax Credits Program
Underwriting a NMTC Deal
Developing Affordable Housing Using LIHTC
USDA Financing for Rural Communities
Along with its beer offerings, atmosphere and a fully-restored historic space, Ministry of Brewing features an educational component aiming to teach under-represented young adults the art & science of microbiology and brewing. You can learn more here.
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Payments: Orders placed on the event registration page are not confirmed until payment is received. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address listed in your registration. If you paid by credit card, a receipt will be sent to the email address listed in your registration. If you mail a check, all payments must be received within seven days of completing your registration form. Checks should be remitted to: HAND, PO Box 48386, Washington, DC 20002
Guest List & Dietary Preference: If your registration includes a luncheon table or multiple guests, please submit guest names and menu choices by May 1, 2020. Submit guest names here.
Housing Expo: Plan to exhibit? Download the Housing Expo FAQs here.
Omni Shoreham Hotel Room Block: For attendees looking to secure overnight accommodations on May 25th, HAND has secured a rate starting at $189 for conference attendees. There are a limited amount of rooms available, so visit this link today to reserve your room. May 10th is the last day to secure a room at the discounted rate.
Ad Submission: The artwork for advertisements should be submitted to annualmeeting@handhousing.org. You can download the ad spec sheet here. Deadline for ad submission is April 13, 2020.
Cancellations & Changes: If you wish to cancel or change your registration for the Annual Meeting & Housing Expo, please send a request in writing to annualmeeting@handhousing.org. All cancellation requests made prior to April 27th will receive a 50% refund. For cancellation requests made after April 27th, no refund will be provided.
Door Prizes: Are you interested in donating a door prize to this year’s Annual Meeting? Email annualmeeting@handhousing.org to coordinate with our team.
Mailing Address:
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info@handhousing.org
202.384.3764
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