| | | | | | | On Wednesday, April 22nd, Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C. & Northern Virginia is hosting a two-panel symposium convening industry experts to explore the intersection of sustainable building practices and affordable housing. The program features two expert-led panels examining how sustainable design and construction practices can strengthen affordable housing developments across our region.
Join us from 10 AM – 1 PM for this compelling and timely event on Earth Day and during DC Climate week! The symposium is part of Habitat for Humanity’s Home is the Key initiative Home is the Key highlights the urgent need for affordable housing and the impact we can make together. Each April, the initiative aligns with Fair Housing Month to put housing center stage through storytelling, media engagement, and hands-on activations across the country.
In 2026, Habitat DC-NOVA is serving as one of five activation host sites nationwide, showcasing how safe, affordable housing builds strength, stability, and opportunity for families and communities. Learn more about Home is the Key.
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Panel #1: The State of Sustainable Building
Our first panel will feature building industry experts to explore the future of sustainable building in housing, share lessons learned, and discuss how to scale sustainable practices for impact in affordable housing. Panelist include:
Nick Burger | Deputy Director, Energy Administration – Moderator DC Department of Energy and Environment
Prudence Ferreira | VP Sustainability + Resilience Thornton Tomasetti
Teresa Hamm Modley | Associate VMDO Architects
Giuls Kunkel | Vice President Sustainable Investing BGO
Oscar Macció | Executive Vice President Hamel Builders
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Panel #2: Sustainability Meets Affordability: Case Studies in the DMV
The second panel will build upon these industry insight into Habitat’s work of building affordable homeownership opportunities in our region. Panelists will share how and why sustainability is embedded in our approach by highlighting both past achievements and current developments. Panelist include:
Nick Burger | Deputy Director, Energy Administration – Moderator DC Department of Energy and Environment
Matt Fine | Principal Peabody Fine Architects
Dan Hines | Director of Construction- D.C. Habitat DC-NOVA
Kelly Renaud | Director of Construction- NOVA Habitat DC-NOVA
Michael Spotts | Director of Real Estate Development Habitat DC-NOVA
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| | | | | | Around the world, 1 in 3 people wake up each day without the stability and security of a safe, affordable home. This global housing crisis affects families in every community — including right here in DC & Northern Virginia. To meet this challenge, Habitat for Humanity is launching Let’s Open the Door, an effort designed to ignite a worldwide movement for housing access and opportunity.
As we celebrate 50 years of partnering with families and communities, we’re inviting people everywhere to take action and help open doors that have long been closed. Through hands-on builds, compelling new research, pop-up experiences in select cities and storytelling that elevates lived experience, Let’s Open the Door shines a light on the realities families face — and the solutions that can help transform them.
As part of this global effort, a Let’s Open the Door pop-up door installation appeared in Washington D.C. over the weeked at the National Mall. This interactive moment invites residents, passersby and visitors to learn more about: the realities families face in our community what stable, affordable housing makes possible how local Habitat programs help open doors every day
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| | | | | 4/22: Home is the Key to building a sustainable future |
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Join us this Earth Day for a two-panel symposium convening industry experts to explore the intersection of sustainable building practices and affordable housing. AGU Conference Center- 2000 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009
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| | 4/25: Volunteer Appreciation |
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This gathering will be a casual come-and-go block party to celebrate all your hard work and recognize the achievements of certain dedicated volunteers. We will share awards, play yard games, and enjoy some yummy food and drinks. Hope to see you there!
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Looking for ways to get more involved and connected? Join the Women’s Giving Circle, a group of women helping local families achieve housing stability by pooling their resources to sponsor Habitat construction projects. Learn more here! |
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As we’re building our 17 home project in the Deanwood neighborhood in DC, we reached out to Habitat homeowners who bought Habitat homes in the same area in the 2000s and early 2010s to see if anyone could use assistance with small spring refresh projects!
With our first group of volunteers from Consigli, we were able to assist three homeowners with front porch cleaning and painting, basic landscaping, mulching flower beds, and power washing. We are looking forward to more partnerships in the area as we assist homeowners with their exterior projects! |
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| | | | State-level affordable housing legislation wins!
Last month, Habitat DC-NOVA, with the Commonwealth Housing Coalition, helped pass legislation through the Virginia General Assembly that would increase affordable and attainable housing, and Governor Spanberger signed three of the bills into Virginia law! The Legalization of Manufactured Homes, HB 655 and SB 346, will ensure that modern, HUD-code manufactured homes can be sited and built in residential zones on equal footing with site-built homes and will provide a more attainable, safe and energy-efficient option for working families who are otherwise priced out of homeownership. The Expediting Affordable Housing bill, HB 594, will create streamlined, time-certain pathways so that affordable housing projects serving low- and moderate-income Virginians stay viable because administrative approval and development processes are often costly and delays. Legalizing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), SB 531, will let homeowners build small, independent living spaces in their backyards or attached to the main home, after obtaining the proper building permits, to provide another affordable housing option for many, especially for aging in place or caring for family members. Two of the other bills, Faith in Housing/YIGBY and Parking Reform, are temporarily approved with amendments needed. Faith in Housing is one of Habitat DC-NOVA’s priorities as it would empower faith institutions, like churches, and tax exempt non-profits, like Habitat for Humanity, to build affordable homes on land they own, which would deliver more affordable homes, faster. Since the fall, Habitat DC-NOVA advocated with the Commonwealth Housing Coalition (65 organizations of affordable housing advocates, market rate and affordable homebuilders, fair housing organizations, tenant groups, and trade associations throughout the state of Virginia) to pass these five affordable housing bills through both chambers of the General Assembly in a bipartisan manner – the most pro-housing progress in six years or so! Fauquier Habitat, Richmond Habitat, and Hanover Habitat are also members of the Commonwealth Housing Coalition. |
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| | | | In April, the US recognizes National Volunteer Month to celebrate volunteers and all that they do. Christian Hayes is currently serving as an AmeriCorps member as a Construction Crew Leader at Habitat DC-NOVA.
Christian has been working with our D.C. team on sites. At the beginning of his term, he helped finish our Constitution Ave project, which is currently accepting applications. Christian is now framing walls for our new 17-duplex project in Ward 7, located in the Deanwood neighborhood. We are grateful for all his hard work and ability to lead volunteers through these projects! |
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In accordance with Federal, State, and Local Fair Lending Laws, Habitat DC-NOVA does not maintain a waiting list of applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, familial status, elderliness, source of funds, sexual orientation, gender identity, military status or marital status. The number of applicant households approved for Habitat DC-NOVA home ownership is driven by the availability of developed properties. |
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| | | | Michael A. Spotts is the Vice President of Real Estate Development for Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Prior to joining Habitat in 2022, he was the founder and President of Neighborhood Fundamentals, LLC and served as the Senior Visiting Research Fellow for the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center for Housing.
He has nearly 20 years of experience providing research and technical assistance to on-the-ground practitioners in both the public and private sectors, at every level of government, and in urban, suburban and rural areas. Prior to founding Neighborhood Fundamentals, he worked for Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. from 2009-2017 as part of the Public Policy team. During this time, he conducted research and analysis of affordable housing and community development policies.
Michael serves on the board of directors for the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance and previously served on the board of directors of the Arlington (VA) Partnership for Affordable Housing. |
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Happy Work Anniversary to Regine, Bernard, Ryan, Rashiek, Behrouz, and Susan! Thank you for your service. |
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