More than 300 affordable housing and homelessness advocates gathered for NLIHC’s annual Capitol Hill Day on March 27, marking the conclusion of NLIHC’s 2025 Policy Forum. A record number of more than 220 meetings were held with House and Senate offices. Participants presented NLIHC data on every state and congressional district in the country and delivered a clear message: Congress must defend vital housing programs and advance the long-term solutions needed to address our nation’s housing and homelessness crisis.
In these meetings, advocates shared firsthand accounts of the positive impacts of federal investments on their communities and stressed the urgent need for more affordable rental homes. People with lived experience spoke passionately about the challenges they face, emphasizing the importance of rental assistance and tenant protections to ensure everyone has access to decent, safe, accessible, and affordable housing. NLIHC’s top priorities for Capitol Hill Day and beyond include:
- Protecting HUD from threats to gut the department,
- Securing the highest possible funding for fiscal year 2026,
- Opposing harmful policies that restrict access to housing assistance, and
- Opposing policies that undermine state and local efforts to address homelessness.
Advocacy does not end with Capitol Hill Day – keep engaging with your members of Congress!
- Showcase the positive impacts of federal investments in your community during the April congressional recess (April 13 to 26). Use NLIHC’s meeting request template and planning guide to schedule a tour of a federally funded program with your members of Congress and their staff. Be sure to share your meetings with us!
- Call and email directly your senators and representatives using NLIHC’s Advocacy Hub.