Memo to Members

Opportunity Starts at Home Hosts Congressional Briefing to Unveil “Within Reach” Policy Agenda

Jan 28, 2019

The Opportunity Starts at Home multi-sector affordable homes campaign hosted a congressional briefing on January 24 with over 110 Capitol Hill staffers and advocates to unveil the release of its national policy agenda, "Within Reach."  "Within Reach" identifies short- and long-term policy strategies essential for Congress to act on to address the affordable housing crisis in America.

Panelists (from left to right): Angelo McClain, CEO of the National Association of Social Workers; Allison Bovell-Ammon, deputy director of policy strategy at Children's HealthWatch; Mary Kusler, senior director of the Center for Advocacy at the National Education Association; Jim Weill, president of the Food Research & Action Center; Mike Wallace, director of community and economic development at the National League of Cities; and Diane Yentel, NLIHC president and CEO
Panelists (from left to right): Angelo McClain, CEO of the National Association of Social Workers; Allison Bovell-Ammon, deputy director of policy strategy at Children's HealthWatch; Mary Kusler, senior director of the Center for Advocacy at the National Education Association; Jim Weill, president of the Food Research & Action Center; Mike Wallace, director of community and economic development at the National League of Cities; and Diane Yentel, NLIHC president and CEO

NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel opened the event with an overview of the U.S. housing affordability crisis and a description of the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, as well as an explanation of the various policy strategies recommended. 

“We all have a stake in solving the housing affordability crisis,” said Ms. Yentel.  “Other sectors are increasingly recognizing that they cannot be fully successful unless more people are affordably housed.”  

Mike Koprowski, national campaign director of Opportunity Starts at Home, then moderated a panel discussion featuring senior leaders from the campaign’s Steering Committee:

  • Jim Weill, president of the Food Research & Action Center;
  • Angelo McClain, CEO of the National Association of Social Workers;
  • Mike Wallace, director of community and economic development at the National League of Cities;
  • Mary Kusler, senior director of the center for advocacy at the National Education Association; and
  • Allison Bovell-Ammon, deputy director of policy strategy at Children's HealthWatch.

These leaders from different sectors explained why their organizations joined the campaign and discussed how housing is deeply connected to their respective fields of work.

More than 110 Capitol Hill staffers and advocates attended the briefing
More than 110 Capitol Hill staffers and advocates attended the briefing

“As housing costs have gone up, it’s harder for people to pay for the food they need.  Families are constantly struggling with these tradeoffs,” said Mr. Weill. “We cannot accomplish our goal to end hunger without affordable, stable housing.”

View a recording of the congressional briefing at: https://bit.ly/2sJt1oi

Read the “Within Reach” policy agenda at: https://bit.ly/2WaBYVi

Read the January 25 press release: https://bit.ly/2S4MdeC

Also, please follow the Opportunity Starts at Home multi-sector affordable housing campaign on all social media platforms to get updates on the policy agenda: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn

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