Our Voices Open Doors: Advancing Housing Through Advocacy with Habitat ChesCo

Habitat for Humanity
3 hours ago
6 min read

February, which marks Black History Month, is a time to reflect on the progress made in expanding housing access while recommitting to the work still ahead. As Habitat for Humanity marks key milestones, including participation in Habitat on the Hill 2026, Presidents’ Day, and a legacy of decades-long service, Habitat for Humanity of Chester County (Habitat ChesCo) reaffirms that building homes and advocating for smart housing policy are inseparable parts of our mission.

Safe, stable housing is shaped not only by construction efforts, but also by the policies, systems, and decisions that determine who has access to opportunity.

The Scope of the Housing Crisis

The housing crisis in the United States is significant, persistent, and measurable:

The U.S. is short more than 800,000 affordable homes for families earning low to moderate incomes.¹
1 in 7 U.S. households pays more than 50% of their income on housing, leaving little for essentials like food, healthcare, and education.²
The Black homeownership rate is 44%, compared to 73.7% for white households, a gap wider today than in 1968 when the Fair Housing Act was passed.³
Systemic barriers continue to block access: Black and Latino applicants are denied mortgages at nearly double the rate of white applicants, often due to credit access and income disparities.⁴
Housing policy works: Every $100 increase in monthly housing costs pushes over 150,000 people into poverty.⁵
Advocacy leads to impact: Affiliates participating in advocacy have reported increased access to local funding, zoning reforms, and policy wins that directly affect housing availability.⁶

These data points demonstrate a critical truth: housing policy has direct and lasting consequences for economic stability and community well-being.

Habitat on the Hill 2026: Advocacy in Action

From February 10th-12th, nearly 500 Habitat advocates from across the country will convene in Washington, D.C. for Habitat on the Hill: Our Voices Open Doors, Habitat for Humanity International’s premier legislative conference.

The 2026 conference coincides with Habitat for Humanity’s 50th anniversary and the 20th year of Habitat on the Hill, offering a timely opportunity to reflect on past progress and build momentum for future impact. Participants will engage in policy briefings, training sessions, and discussions with housing experts and lawmakers to advance solutions that address housing barriers at scale.

Affiliates that actively participate in advocacy efforts consistently report increased access to local funding, zoning reforms, and policy outcomes that expand housing availability. Advocacy produces tangible results.

How Housing Policy Impacts Local Communities

Housing access and stability are deeply influenced by public policy decisions at the local, state, and federal levels. Habitat’s Policy in My Community initiative highlights how these decisions shape real outcomes for families.

Zoning Reform and the Creation of Starter Homes: Many communities continue to rely on zoning codes that limit housing development to large, single-family homes. Zoning reform modernizes these policies to allow for a broader range of housing options, often referred to as “missing middle” housing, that are more attainable for first-time buyers.

Effective zoning reforms include:

Reducing minimum lot sizes to allow smaller, more attainable homes
Permitting duplexes, triplexes, four-plexes, and townhomes to increase housing diversity
Allowing accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on existing residential lots
Eliminating or reducing parking minimums that significantly increase development costs
Streamlining approval processes and easing density limits to reduce per-unit expenses
Revising minimum floor area requirements to enable smaller, starter-style homes

Collectively, these reforms increase housing supply, lower development costs, and create viable pathways to homeownership.

Property Tax Relief and Housing Stability: Rising property taxes can threaten homeowners' housing stability, particularly seniors and families on fixed incomes. Property tax relief policies help prevent displacement, preserve long-term housing stability, and enable families to remain in their homes and communities.

Down Payment Assistance and Access to Homeownership: For many prospective homeowners, the upfront down payment cost remains a significant barrier to homeownership. Down payment assistance programs help bridge this gap, allowing families who can afford monthly payments to transition from renting to owning.

Through Habitat ChesCo’s homeownership program, families in Chester County partner with volunteers and the broader community to build simple, attainable homes. Partnering families complete “sweat equity” on the construction site and take on an affordable mortgage, with guidance and support to help them successfully move into their new homes and achieve long-term stability.

Black Homeownership and Black History Month

February is Black History Month, a time to honor the contributions, leadership, and resilience of Black communities while acknowledging the systemic barriers that have historically limited access to housing and homeownership.

Policies such as redlining, exclusionary zoning, and inequitable access to mortgage credit have historically restricted Black families from building intergenerational wealth. While many of these practices are no longer legal, their impacts continue to influence housing outcomes today.

Habitat for Humanity recognizes that advancing housing opportunity requires confronting this history and taking intentional action. Through equitable lending practices, financial coaching, community-centered development, and policy advocacy, Habitat works to expand pathways to homeownership and housing stability for Black families.

African American Trailblazers in Housing

Black leaders, advocates, and policymakers have played a critical role in advancing fair housing, community development, and equitable access to homeownership:

Frederick Douglass: After escaping slavery, he became a powerful advocate for Black land ownership, believing that access to property was essential to freedom and equality. He used his voice and influence to push for fair housing as a fundamental part of civil rights.

Robert C. Weaver: The first African American U.S. cabinet member as Secretary of Housing & Urban Development in 1966. His career, including serving as New York City rent commissioner, was dedicated to advancing housing equity and racial justice.

Maggie Walker: The first African American woman to charter and lead a bank, empowering families through financial services. Her work helped thousands of African American families achieve homeownership and economic independence.

Fannie Lou Hamer: Civil rights activist who championed voting rights and racial justice while emphasizing economic empowerment through land and housing. Through initiatives such as the Freedom Farm Cooperative, she helped Black families gain access to property and housing.

Marcia Fudge: HUD Secretary and former mayor of Warrensville Heights, who works to make homeownership accessible to families who have been historically denied these opportunities. She champions policies that ensure fair access to housing and wealth-building through homeownership.

Black History Month reminds us that progress in housing is built through sustained commitment, ensuring that policies, systems, and community voices move us closer to a future where access to housing is fair, inclusive, and attainable for all.

Presidents’ Day and the Legacy of Civic Leadership

As we observe Presidents’ Day on February 16th, we recognize the leadership and service of President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, whose decades-long commitment to Habitat for Humanity demonstrated the power of civic engagement in advancing housing opportunity.

Their legacy underscores a central principle of Habitat’s work: lasting change occurs when individuals, organizations, and policymakers work together to address systemic challenges.

Why Advocacy Matters

“Every meaningful housing policy begins with a local story. When Habitat homeowners, volunteers, and advocates share what they see in their communities, those voices ripple outward and help shape national change. Lasting progress in affordable housing is built from the community up.”

Chris Wiseman

Chief Executive Officer, Habitat ChesCo

Habitat for Humanity defines advocacy as the effort to change policies and systems that create barriers to adequate housing. Grounded in decades of on-the-ground experience, this work is nonpartisan, solutions-oriented, and essential to addressing the scale of the housing crisis.

By advocating for innovative housing policies, we help create communities where stability, opportunity, and dignity are within reach for all.

Ways to Support Our Mission

Advancing housing access and stability requires the collective effort of individuals, organizations, and communities. There are many meaningful ways to support Habitat ChesCo’s mission:

Advocate for smart housing policy: Stay informed about local, state, and federal housing issues, and lend your voice in support of policies that remove barriers to housing and homeownership.
Volunteer: From construction sites to the ReStores and advocacy efforts, volunteers play a vital role in advancing Habitat’s work.
Donate: Financial contributions help fund home construction, repairs, preservation efforts, and advocacy initiatives that strengthen communities.
Shop or donate to our ReStores: Every purchase or donation supports Habitat’s mission while promoting reuse and sustainability.
Share our story: Help amplify Habitat ChesCo’s impact by sharing our work, events, and advocacy efforts within your networks.

As we celebrate Black History Month, these actions help ensure that more families in Chester County, particularly those historically underserved, have access to safe, stable housing and the opportunity to build brighter futures.

Our voices open doors, and together, they build the future of housing.

Sources:

Habitat for Humanity / Cost of Home Campaign
Joint Center for Housing Studies
U.S. Census Bureau
Urban Institute
National Low Income Housing Coalition
Habitat Affiliate Advocacy Data