HAND is a member of the Housing Leaders Group of Greater Washington (HLG) – a collective of more than a dozen public and private sector leaders concerned about housing affordability. Launched in 2014, the group was set in motion to examine:

• the nature of the affordable housing shortage in the Greater Washington region;
• the relationship of housing affordability to economic growth;
• and strategies to increase affordable housing for low- and moderate-income households in the region.

The co-conveners are the Washington Regional Association of Grantmakers, Enterprise Community Partners, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, the Greater Washington Community Foundation and Citi Community Development.

A NEW NARRATIVE FOR HOUSING
PLAYBOOK FOR THE GREATER
WASHINGTON REGION

In November 2020, HLG released A New Narrative for Housing: Playbook for the Greater Washington Region –  a powerful communications tool developed by TheCaseMade for HLG and other partners.

Greater Washington is where history is made. Where government, corporate, nonprofit, philanthropic, faith and community leaders step up to confront difficult challenges because they are hard. Where our residents come together to solve problems by drawing on the ingenuity that is baked into the diversity of their individual backgrounds and experiences.

There has never been a more important moment for Greater Washington to focus that powerful problem- solving energy on solutions to housing. With population growth, displacement, homelessness, and the economic impacts of COVID-19 looming large, prosperity for our region depends on decisive action now to make sure our housing stock meets the needs of the future. If we fail to act – or settle for half-measures – we’ll lose the very engine that makes this region strong: our people.

To succeed, Greater Washington must remain a diverse place where all people have decent, affordable, accessible places to live in thriving communities. We must work collaboratively, over the long haul, to replace outdated, inequitable housing systems that are undermining the success of our neighborhoods, industries, small businesses, and community organizations.

This playbook is a powerful tool to build the long- lasting public support we need to help Greater Washington remain a vibrant, livable place for everyone. We invite you to help us in this effort.

To learn more about HLG, visit its website.