CBN Advocates for Local Housing At the People & Places Conference in DC
This week, four CBN members are at the People & Places Conferencein Washington, DC, lifting up community-driven solutions to our nation’s affordable housing crisis!
They are driving home the message that with a regional shortage of more than 30,000 affordable homes, innovative approaches that braid together diverse funding streams and cross-sector partnerships are urgently needed. They're highlighting local projects that show what’s possible when federal tools meet community leadership like:
Virginia Plaza, led by DeSales Community Development, that is transforming long-vacant properties into 78 affordable and market-rate homes across three neighborhoods. Using a diversified capital stack of public and private funding, this vibrant, mixed-income development will catalyze neighborhood revitalization and secure affordability for at least 30 years.
Clinton-Peabody Redevelopment, guided by Preservation for Affordable Housing and more than 100 residents through meetings, assessments, and focus groups, is advancing a community-driven regeneration plan with accountability and collaboration at its core, positioning the neighborhood as a model for equitable redevelopment.
The Rise and Lutheran Development Group partnership on Marquette Homes, which combines LIHTC, Historic Tax Credits, and Affordable Housing Tax Credits to bring 52 mixed-income units to South St. Louis.
Tower Grove CDC's Crossroads Senior Living, which helps older residents remain in their neighborhoods while making homes available for young families. St. Louis is demonstrating what intergenerational equitable redevelopment looks like in action.
And, how Delmar Main Street is helping small businesses recover and rebuild after the May tornado, providing resources, guidance, and collaborative networks that strengthen economic resilience and support a vibrant commercial corridor.
As our cohort meets with federal partners, they’re also advocating for:
Passing the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act (NHIA) to build and rehab affordable homes.
Strengthening HOME, CDBG, and Section 8 to sustain affordability.
Unblocked stalled federal funds to move green retrofits and home repairs forward.
Redevelopment without displacement, keeping existing residents at the center.
Removing insurance barriers that delay or derail community-based development.
CBN is proud to bring local voices, proven models, and clear policy priorities to DC, ensuring our communities are not just represented, but leading the conversation on housing justice and inclusive growth. We are excited to share highlights from their trip and the conversations that are helping shape housing justice at the national level when they return.
