NLIHC held the annual convening of its state and tribal partners at the National Union Building in Washington, D.C. on November 13 and 14. More than 60 people representing 26 of NLIHC’s partner organizations, along with many NLIHC staff and board members, gathered for a multi-day event involving networking, strategy development, presentations on recent wins at the state and local levels, and discussions about charting a course forward for housing justice following the 2024 elections. The convening also featured a conversation about NLIHC’s 2025-2026 federal policy agenda, a fireside chat regarding the upcoming session of Congress, and a teach-in on navigating power dynamics within coalitions.
“The NLIHC State and Tribal Fall Convening was truly inspiring,” said Emily Hileman, West Virginia Balance of State CoC Project Specialist. “It was invaluable to connect with others and share solutions from across the country as we work toward our common goal.”
NLIHC state and tribal partners are those member organizations with which NLIHC works most closely in each state or region of the country. They include housing and homelessness advocacy organizations that serve tribal communities or states, as well as regions within states, and that are engaged in state or federal housing advocacy while also having their own networks to mobilize in pursuit of NLIHC’s policy priorities.
At the beginning of the convening, the NLIHC Board of Directors approved the addition of two new state partners: Idaho Asset Building Network and the Wisconsin Community Action Program (WISCAP). Idaho Asset Building Network is a project of Idaho Voices for Children and NLIHC’s first state partner in Idaho. WISCAP is Wisconsin’s statewide network of anti-poverty agencies. Both have been NLIHC Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH) partners in their respective states. NLIHC now has 68 state partners operating in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as one tribal partner operating in the Northern Plains region.
NLIHC is always seeking to welcome new state and tribal partners, particularly in geographic regions where the Coalition has no existing partners. Partners must be existing NLIHC members and must complete a board approval process. For more information about becoming an NLIHC state or tribal partner, please contact [email protected].