The Edward W. Brooke Housing Leadership Award is named for the late Senator Brooke (R-MA), who championed low-income housing as a U.S. senator and as chair of the NLIHC board of directors after he left the Senate. The Brooke award goes to an exemplary housing leader with a record of fighting for affordable housing on the national level.

Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) will receive the Edward W. Brooke Housing Leadership Award for her incredible leadership in advocating for housing justice. As Chair of the Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Senator Smith has worked across the aisle to help improve access to safe, decent, and affordable housing in communities across the nation, including in rural and Tribal areas.

The Cushing Niles Dolbeare Lifetime Service Award is named after NLIHC’s late founder, who has been referred to as the “godmother” of the affordable housing movement. The award goes to an individual who has demonstrated an unyielding commitment to achieving safe, decent, and affordable homes for low-income people over a long period of time.

Mac McCreight will receive the 2025 Dolbeare Lifetime Service Award for his work in legal services for more than 40 years, primarily at Greater Boston Legal Services. Throughout his career, Mac has provided training and written materials for the National Housing Law Project and educated countless legal services attorneys.

The Sheila Crowley Housing Justice Award is named for former NLIHC President and CEO Sheila Crowley, who led NLIHC for more than 17 years. The Crowley award goes to an outstanding leader who has elevated the conversation around affordable housing for the lowest-income people in America.

Susan Thomas will receive the 2025 Sheila Crowley Housing Justice Award for her tireless efforts to raise awareness about the affordable housing crisis and solutions to homelessness. Susan was instrumental in the creation of the Fund for Housing and Opportunity, a national non-partisan, cross-sector funder collaborative focused on tackling the housing affordability crisis by supporting advocacy, narrative change work, and efforts to scale effective practices at the intersection of housing, health, economic mobility, and education. 

The Loraine Brown Resident Leader Award, named after NLIHC Board Member Loraine Brown, honors a person living in subsidized housing who has shown dedication to helping tenants, people experiencing homelessness, and their community.

Rob Robinson, Community Organizer and Activist (NYC), will receive the inaugural Loraine Brown Resident Leader Award. Rob will receive the award for his strong commitment to advocating for the rights and well-being of tenants within the public and assisted housing community. His work focuses on changing people’s fundamental relationship to land and housing.