Since 2008, the Housing America What Home Means to Me contest has recognized the amazing, poignant art of children who live in affordable housing across the country. Each piece of art visually shares the child’s thoughts on what their home means to them.

This year, Mountain Plains NAHRO received two state chapter submissions to the regional competition, where the winner will receive a $100 gift card. We are asking our membership to VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE by Friday, July 22. Please note, there was only one submission in the high school category, so you do not need to vote for that category.

The winners move onto the national contest where three judges choose 13 winners from hundreds of entries to be featured in NAHRO’s “What Home Means to Me” calendar.

All winners receive cash prizes. The grand prize winner, whose art is featured on the calendar cover, will also receive a trip to NAHRO’s Washington Conference to meet our membership and his/her Congressional representatives.

When you register for one of NAHRO's Virtual Classrooms, Mountain Plains NAHRO will receive 10% of the revenue to support our regional advocacy efforts and professional development opportunities, and more.

Upcoming classes include:

• Housing Quality Standards (Beginning 8/8)
• Capital Fund Program (Beginning 8/9)
• Managing Public Housing Maintenance (Beginning 8/16)
• FSS: A Holistic Approach to Client Engagement (Beginning 8/17)
• Fair Housing (Beginning 8/23)
• Public Housing Manager (PHM) (Beginning 9/6)
• HCV Portability (Beginning 9/8)
• Family Self-Sufficiency Updated with Final Rule (Beginning 9/12)
• HCV Homeownership (Beginning 9/26)

Click here to view all Virtual Learning Classes (Noted as "Virtual Classroom" Classes on the NAHRO Training Calendar).

This great partnership that not only supports your continued professional development, but also the work of our regional council.

Free for NAHRO members and non-members!

NAHRO’s biennial elections are coming up – the current leadership term ends in October 2023. Do you want to help lead NAHRO during the next biennium? Do you have a clear and compelling vision for NAHRO’s future? Are you willing to commit to harness the experience, skills, and energy of the NAHRO community to lead our association forward in the face of uncertainty? 

NAHRO invites Associates and Allied Individual members who wish to seek the office of President or Senior Vice President to communicate their intent to Diane Cohen, Chair of the Nominating and Election Committee (N&E). 

Individuals who express their intent by August 10 may submit a campaign ad for the conference program and announce their candidacy at the NAHRO National Conference and Exhibition, which is scheduled for Sept. 22-24 in San Diego. Subsequently, individuals will have other opportunities to announce their candidacy.

NAHRO will provide many opportunities for voters to get to know the candidates, both in conference settings and via features in the NAHRO Monitor and on the NAHRO website.  

The election will be held next fall. Associates and Allied Individual members will be provided either an electronic or paper ballot. The results will be announced at the 2023 National Conference and Exhibition, which is scheduled for October 6-8.

The N&E, which has oversight responsibility for campaigns for President and Senior Vice President, is comprised of a chair and two representatives from each Regional Council. Click here for a roster of N&E members and for the Guidelines for National Office Campaigns. Direct questions to Chair Cohen or staff liaison Sylvia Bowen.

Year after year NAHRO advocates raise their voices asking for vital funding to create and maintain affordable housing and community development programs. Just last August, NAHRO advocates sent more than 60,000 letters to their members of Congress. Keep the momentum going! In just five minutes NAHRO members can commit to advocacy by becoming a  Congressional Contact.

The ask is simple: Pledge to send action alerts to your members of Congress. In return, the NAHRO team will directly notify you of new letters in the Action Alert Center. Your commitment will help us target legislators to address critical affordable housing and community development legislation.

NAHRO’s Congressional Contacts will receive the following:

• An entry for a chance to win a complimentary admission to NAHRO’s 2022 Online Summer Symposium Aug. 2-3
• Access to exclusive advocacy training from NAHRO staff
• Connection to a grassroots community of advocates across the country

As times change, the need for advocacy does not. As NAHRO member and Congressional Contact Ronald Clewer said, “When it comes to legislative advocacy, we are the lived experience, and we must show up to advocate for our residents and those we aim to serve.”

Join this network of Housers to help preserve and maintain America’s strong sustainable communities.

To become a Congressional Contact, fill out the form at NAHRO.org/contacts. Reach out to Legislative Affairs Analyst Jenna Hampton (jhampton@nahro.org) with any questions.