By Tia Turner, NLIHC Project Manager, Our Homes, Our Votes
In 2025, NLIHC’s Our Homes, Our Votes (OHOV) campaign continued to demonstrate that there are no “off years” when it comes to democracy. While some may view 2025 as a quieter election cycle, our work was grounded in the belief that every election matters and that sustained, year-round civic engagement is essential to ensuring housing remains on the ballot.
A major milestone this year was the release of Turning Renters into Voters: Lessons in Engaging Low-Income Communities, OHOV’s first-ever best practices report. The report lifts the work of our Pilot Community partners and translates on-the-ground voter engagement into actionable strategies for housing and homelessness organizations nationwide. Drawing from real-world experience, the report offers practical guidance on engaging low-income renters and people experiencing homelessness through nonpartisan voter registration, education, and mobilization efforts. It serves as a critical tool for advocates seeking to strengthen civic participation while centering housing justice.
The Best Practices Report builds on the success of the OHOV Pilot Communities initiative, which launched in 2024 to strengthen engagement with low-income renters throughout the electoral process and deepen partnerships with housing providers. In 2025, OHOV continued working alongside the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, the Housing Network of Rhode Island, the Southern California Association of Nonprofit Housing, Georgia Advancing Communities Together, the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, and newly added partner Prosperity Indiana. These partners received funding, technical assistance, and resources to carry out nonpartisan voter engagement activities tailored to their communities, while helping NLIHC better understand what it takes to build sustainable civic infrastructure within housing and homelessness systems.
Another major highlight of 2025 was the launch of NLIHC’s first-ever Our Homes, Our Votes Tenant Fellowship. The fellowship convened 20 tenant and resident leaders from across the country who are deeply committed to increasing voter participation and elevating housing as an election issue. From May through December, fellows participated in bi-monthly cohort meetings and nonpartisanship trainings while developing substantial civic engagement projects in their communities. These projects ranged from voter registration and education efforts to community events, digital outreach, and creative strategies to encourage tenant participation in elections. By investing directly in tenant leadership, the fellowship reinforced the central role of lived experience in advancing housing justice and democratic participation.
In 2025, OHOV also launched its first-ever Mini-Grant Program, marking a significant expansion of our investment in the field. The program received overwhelming interest from organizations across the country working to engage low-income renters and people experiencing homelessness in the democratic process. After a competitive review, 50 organizations were selected to receive $1,500 awards. Grantees include tenant-led groups, housing and homelessness advocacy organizations, community-based service providers, grassroots collectives, and civic engagement partners. These funds will support a wide range of nonpartisan activities, including voter registration events, canvassing, staff training, voter ID assistance, and resident-focused civic education. In addition to funding, grantees receive technical assistance and outreach resources to strengthen their capacity beyond the grant period.
Across all of this work, OHOV remained deeply committed to providing hands-on technical support to our network. From one-on-one check-ins to training sessions, tools, and resource development, we worked to ensure partners had the capacity and confidence to engage voters effectively. This year reaffirmed that meaningful civic engagement does not happen overnight; it is built through sustained relationships, shared learning, and long-term investment.
As we look ahead to the 2026 midterm elections, we are energized by the foundation laid in 2025. OHOV will continue to expand partnerships, support local leaders, and equip housing advocates with the tools they need to register, educate, and mobilize voters. Together with our partners, we will keep pushing to advance housing justice, strengthen democracy, and ensure that housing remains a central issue in every election.
There are no off years for democracy, and with our partners, Our Homes, Our Votes is ready to meet the moment in 2026.
To learn more about the campaign, visit https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/
Become an Our Homes, Our Votes Affiliate!
Our Homes, Our Votes convenes a network of affiliates, which are nonpartisan organizations that are committed to boosting voter turnout among low-income renters and elevating housing as an election issue. Advocacy organizations, direct service providers, resident councils and tenant associations, local governments, and other related organizations are welcome to become Our Homes, Our Votes affiliates.
To learn more about the affiliates network and apply to join, visit: https://www.ourhomes-ourvotes.org/affiliates
Order Bilingual Our Homes, Our Votes Swag on Shopify!
Celebrate 2026 voter participation with new Our Homes, Our Votes swag! Visit Shopify for an expanded collection of Our Homes, Our Votes apparel, accessories, stickers, buttons, and more. The collection includes brand-new TurboVote magnets, which direct voters to NLIHC’s online voter registration and information platform. All swag is available in both English and Spanish.
Check it out at: https://nlihc.myshopify.com/
For bulk orders, please reach out to [email protected]