Convening Around Housing Solutions: A Recap of the Housing Policy Forum

Each April, we recognize National Fair Housing Month which celebrates the passage of the  Fair Housing Act of 1968, the landmark civil rights law prohibiting discrimination in the sale or rental of homes and other housing-related activities.  In honor of Fair Housing Month, Equal Justice Works Senior Manager Laura Roach and Program Specialist Mikayla Slaydon highlighted their key takeaways from the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) 2025 Housing Policy Forum from March 24-27 in Washington, D.C.  

The Housing Policy Forum brought together thought leaders, policy experts, researchers, tenant advocates, affordable housing practitioners, and members of Congress to address the pressing issues of housing and homelessness affecting low-income renters in America. The event also served as the first opportunity for the 2024-2026 Housing Justice Program Fellow class to meet in-person. Cultivating meaningful opportunities for the Fellows, who work across multiple states, to connect is key to helping them build a network with one another and empowers them to share strategies and best practices for eviction prevention.  

The forum featured a lineup of distinguished speakers, including Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, who discussed racial inequality and injustice in housing. Her insights, drawn from her work on the Fair Housing Act, “Living Apart: How the Government Betrayed a Landmark Civil Rights Law”, discussed how housing policy, such as zoning restrictions, has been the primary vehicle for implementing segregation in the US since the Civil Rights Movement.

The Housing Justice Program Fellows see the direct impact on marginalized communities through their eviction prevention work. Evictions disproportionately affect women and communities of color. Since the start of the 2024-2026 Fellowship program, 71% of clients receiving direct legal services are women, and 68% of these clients are Black. Housing Justice Program Fellows are instrumental in bridging the gap between inequality and representation. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, spoke about the critical need to expand affordable housing for the lowest-income and most marginalized communities. Senator Warren emphasized that “housing lies at the intersection of every opportunity in America.” Ensuring that equitable and affordable housing remains a priority will help preserve opportunities for our most vulnerable communities. 

The forum also included interactive sessions and panel discussions, allowing attendees to engage directly with experts and advocates. These sessions allowed participants to share ideas, strategies, and solutions to combat the housing crisis. One such session focused on organizing and advocating for housing rights, specifically in the wake of disasters. A panel of organizers, advocates, and lawyers educated attendees on best practices of how organizations can effectively respond to disaster recovery advocacy needs for their communities. 

Overall, the 2025 NLIHC Housing Policy Forum reinforced the collective commitment to ending the housing and homelessness crisis and addressed attacks on Fair Housing. It provided a platform for meaningful dialogue and actionable insights, empowering attendees to continue their advocacy for housing justice. 

To learn more about the Housing Justice Program, click here.