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Maureen Sedonaen (center) with Habitat GSF partners at Framing the Future in November 2022
Maureen Sedonaen Appointed to Habitat for Humanity International’s New Federal Subcommittee to Advance Affordable Housing Policies in The U.S.
We are pleased to share that our CEO Maureen Sedonaen has been appointed to the new Federal Subcommittee of Habitat for Humanity International’s U.S. Council Advocacy Committee. This newly-formed subcommittee will focus exclusively on federal issues and will provide the deep and diverse housing policy expertise needed to advise, formulate and drive Habitat’s policy agenda at the national level, including identifying the bipartisan solutions needed to solve the crisis of affordable homeownership.
Contributors to the historic lack of housing supply in the U.S.:
- Construction of entry level homes has declined steadily since the 1970s
- Rising construction costs, labor shortages and supply chain disruptions exacerbate the U.S. housing shortage
- Skyrocketing inflation is putting homeownership further out of reach for low-income households
The creation of a Federal Subcommittee comes at a time when the U.S. is facing a historic lack of housing supply. Construction of entry-level homes has steadily declined since the 1970s, putting the dream of homeownership largely out of reach for many Americans. The rise in construction costs, ongoing labor shortages and prolonged supply chain disruptions continue to exacerbate the U.S. housing shortage, while skyrocketing inflation has made the situation even more dire for low-income households that already struggle to meet basic needs like food, safety and healthcare. (You can read more about Habitat for Humanity’s 2023-2024 federal policy priorities here.)
This appointment builds on Maureen’s current roles serving on Habitat’s Advocacy Committee, where she is Vice Chair. At the state level, Maureen serves as the Board Chair of Habitat California, a network of 22 Habitat affiliates in California.
Recently, Maureen joined with hundreds of affordable housing advocates in D.C. for Habitat for Humanity’s annual legislative gathering, Habitat on the Hill. Over three days, Maureen met with White House policymakers and Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle to draw attention to and discuss actionable solutions to housing affordability challenges faced by rural, suburban, and urban communities across the nation. This year’s emphasis was outlining policies that advance Black homeownership and address the historic low supply of affordable homes calling on leaders for much needed resources to increase home production in our region. (ICYMI: Read Maureen’s recap of her week in Washington here.)