SAHF SPOTLIGHT

Resources and insights for creating the places people call home

Welcome to the year-end issue of SAHF Spotlight.


As we close out 2025, we are reflecting on a year that has marked a pivotal moment for affordable housing policy—and for the organizations and leaders working every day to deliver stable, affordable homes. New legislative opportunities have created meaningful openings to strengthen our collective work, even as persistent federal challenges have made progress more complex and, at times, uncertain.


Rising development and operating costs continue to strain housing providers. Residents face growing anxiety about the stability of rental assistance and supportive resources. The government shutdown and Reduction in Force (RIF) we saw this year added further stress, delays, and administrative burden across the sector. These pressures are real, and SAHF recognizes the toll they take on organizations, staff, and the communities you serve.


Yet even amid these headwinds, sustained advocacy and partnership produced important progress in 2025, including expansion of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act; Senate passage of the ROAD to Housing Act, advancing reforms to streamline federal programs and expand affordable housing supply; and successful advocacy to pushback on budget proposals to block grant rental assistance.


These outcomes underscore the power of collaboration and collective leadership. SAHF is deeply grateful for the engagement, expertise, and persistence of our members and partners, whose advocacy continues to expand opportunity for residents and strengthen communities nationwide.


Looking ahead to 2026, we know the work remains demanding. Navigating regulatory uncertainty, defending critical programs, and advancing solutions that reduce costs and improve outcomes for residents will require continued resilience and coordination. SAHF remains committed to standing alongside you—providing timely policy analysis, practical tools, and peer-driven insights to help you navigate what lies ahead.


Thank you for your partnership, your leadership, and your unwavering commitment to affordable housing. We look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead.

Extreme weather is already impacting affordable housing, causing property damage, rising insurance costs and health risks for residents.

SAHF’s new Portfolio Climate Risk Assessment uses free, public tools from FEMA, NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and Environmental Defense Fund to identify top hazards and provides practical resources to help housing providers of all sizes better prepare.

Explore our findings, tools that you can use to protect your own portfolio and recommendations for building climate resilience across the affordable housing sector.

As immigration policies evolve and enforcement activity increases in multifamily rental communities, housing providers must be prepared to support both residents and staff in navigating these changes. Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future has developed this guide to help providers strengthen their readiness and response. Drawing on lessons from mission-driven owners and operators, the resource outlines practical strategies for training staff, developing effective internal policies, and communicating clearly with residents.

Tell us a little about yourself.  I live in rural Eastern Kentucky; a place I've called home most of my life. I’ve experienced housing instability twice before —once as a child and later as an adult. I know firsthand how the lack of stable housing and access to resources can affect a family’s health and wellbeing. Those experiences shaped my passion for advocating for solutions that ensure service-enriched, affordable housing is accessible for everyone. 

What brought you into the health and housing space? That lived experience drew me to work where health and housing intersect. I want to make sure that families don’t have to choose between stability and health, but instead can access both through systems designed to support them.

What are your priorities at SAHF over the next 3–6 months? As SAHF’s Health and Housing Partnerships Director, I’m focused on strengthening collaborations that align healthcare resources with affordable housing. In the coming months, I’ll be diving into current partnerships, helping to remove barriers, and identifying opportunities—both local and national—for healthcare dollars to support resident stability in ways that can be scaled across communities.

What does “home” mean to you in the context of health? Home is more than a roof over your head. It’s safety, stability, and the foundation for health. Without it, maintaining health, pursuing opportunity, or finding belonging is nearly impossible.

What inspires you in this work? I’m inspired by the resilience of people who thrive despite barriers—and by communities that come together to support one another. That energy motivates me to help build systems where stability becomes the rule, not the exception.

Where do you see the greatest opportunities ahead? Healthcare is increasingly ready to invest in housing. For housing providers, that means preparing for new models—like becoming Medicaid billable or working through hubs—that can unlock funding. While it may feel like a shift, it’s really an opportunity to sustain and even expand resident services while keeping housing at the center of improving health.

Can you share a recent example of housing–health collaboration in action? In my previous role at Aetna Better Health, when the New Jersey 1115 waiver launched in July 2025, my team built partnerships with more than 80 nonprofit housing organizations and our Medicaid Managed Care Plan. Those housing organizations became nontraditional providers, allowing Medicaid reimbursement for move-in supports and case management tied to housing. One family, who had been unhoused despite working, was able to move into a new unit with their moving costs and furnishings covered—making rent, utilities, and deposit manageable. It was a powerful example of health and housing systems aligning to create lasting stability.

What gives you hope about the future of this work? I’m hopeful because housing is increasingly being recognized as healthcare. That growing awareness, combined with the innovative partnerships I see emerging across SAHF’s member organizations, makes me confident that real systems-level change is within reach.

POAH Introduces Trauma-Informed Housing Toolkit 2.0

POAH recently released their Trauma-Informed Housing Toolkit 2.0, an update to the original resource designed to help housing providers, architects, designers, and community leaders create environments where residents and staff can truly thrive. This expanded toolkit is packed with practical, easy-to-use tools that support trauma-informed practices across multiple aspects of affordable housing – from design and development to property operations, resident services, and organizational culture.

BRIDGE Housing Launches Private Equity Fund

BRIDGE Housing launched its first private equity fund to accelerate its mission-driven work to address the affordability crisis for low- and moderate-income families.

BRIDGE Housing Impact Fund I is on course to raise $350 million of equity, enabling about $1 billion in investment potential to acquire, preserve, and create affordable and workforce housing in major metropolitan areas in California, Oregon, and Washington. Learn more.

Homes for America and The NHP Foundation Win Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition Awards

Congratulations to Homes for America, Inc., winner of the Best Renovation Project Award for Foxwell Memorial Apartments and The NHP Foundation and partner Henson Development Co., winners of the Best Urban/Suburan Project Award for The Terraces at Park Heights. These awards were presented by the Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition at its 2025 Annual Membership Meeting on November 17.

We’re proud of our partners who are reshaping and revitalizing communities through high‑impact affordable housing development and preservation. Their work embodies the power of partnership, innovation, and dedication to healthier, more affordable homes for all.

New ACEEE Report Highlights CHP as a National Leader in Weatherization

Community Housing Partners (CHP) is featured in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy’s June 2025 report, Estimating the Impacts of Weatherization Readiness Programs. The report showcases CHP’s Energy Solutions team as a national model for blending federal Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) funds with utility programs to reach more households in need and deliver comprehensive energy efficiency upgrades.

Basis of Design: A POAH Building Design Resource

Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) developed the Basis of Design (BOD), a resource that sets performance criteria for building materials and systems based on durability, maintenance needs, availability, and energy and water efficiency. The BOD also includes sample products to guide consistent, high-quality construction across POAH’s portfolio, and identifies products that are BABA compliant ensuring safe and efficient homes for residents.

Explore POAH’s Basis of Design website to learn more about Build America, Buy America (BABA) compliance and Red List Free products.

SAHF and National Housing Trust are offering a free five-part webinar series for affordable housing developers in Georgia

Running December through February, the series will help developers assess portfolios for energy-efficiency and resilience upgrades, create actionable sustainability strategies, and identify state and federal incentives to support these investments. Sessions feature practical tools, proven resources, and expert guidance tailored to Georgia’s affordable housing sector. Learn more and register.

SAHF Attends Strength Matters Conference

SAHF Interim CEO Eileen Fitzgerald moderated a panel at the Strength Matters conference on the future of resident services. Panelists Michael Barnes (Viva Benefits), Rachel Munsie (Ounce of Care), and Julianna Stuart-Lomax (POAH) shared how organizations are adapting to rising resident needs and constrained resources—exploring hybrid service models, balancing virtual and in-person delivery, and building sustainable approaches that promote health, wellness, and economic opportunity.