Recap of NLIHC's Fall 2025 State and Tribal Partner Convening in Washington, D.C.

By Zenayah Roache, NLIHC Housing Advocacy Organizer     

NLIHC held its biannual convening of its state and Tribal partners from November 19 to 20. More than 30 people representing 27 of NLIHC’s partner organizations, along with many NLIHC staff and board members, gathered for a two-day event of networking, information sharing, and highlighting state and local efforts toward  achieving racially and socially equitable public policy that ensures people with the lowest incomes have quality homes that are accessible and affordable in communities of their choice.. The convening also featured interactive conversations about NLIHC’s 2026 federal policy priorities and concrete ways to advance them.   

NLIHC state and Tribal partners (STP) are distinguished member organizations that  work closely with NLIHC in their 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, NLIHC welcomed its first official Tennessee state partner: Housing for All Tennessee, a coalition of on-the-ground organizations and partners focused on affordable housing, tenants' rights, and ending homelessness in Tennessee, and who are committed to a vision of Tennessee where all people have access to safe and dignified housing. NLIHC now has 68 state partners operating in 47 states and the District of Columbia, as well as one Tribal partner operating in the Northern Plains region. 

NLIHC continues to seek new state and Tribal partners, especially in areas where official state partnership have not been established. These areas include: Montana, South Dakota, South Carolina, Wyoming, and the U.S. territories. NLIHC is also looking to expand its Tribal housing partnerships to regions beyond the Northern Plains. 

Partners receive specialized support from NLIHC to enhance their participation in federal housing advocacy. In turn, they commit to  advocate for housing for the lowest-income renters in their region. State and Tribal partners must be  NLIHC members and must complete a board approval process. For more information about becoming an NLIHC state or Tribal partner, please contact [email protected].