Rural Recap – Welcome Anjanette
David’s Take
We do a lot of important, transformative work here at HAC, and the care and attention that goes into every step of this work is something that I hope is evident when you read Rural Recap. We have a great set of community partners, and our team is truly special.
Take for example Anjanette Brown, HAC’s new Chief Financial Officer. Anjanette first got to know our organization while Vice President of Accounting at longtime HAC partner Community Housing Partners (CHP) in Christiansburg, Virginia. She went from CHP to leadership roles at YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, and The Resurrection Project. We are excited Anjanette returned to our world of rural housing, and we are thrilled she is doing so at HAC. Her financial management experience is extraordinary, and her commitment to helping rural people all over the country could not be clearer.
Once again, Rural Recap provides an update on the work HAC does to carry out its mission helping rural people achieve safe and affordable housing. Here are some highlights of the impact our partners and staff have made working together.
HACtivities
National Congress of American Indians Executive Council Winter Session
On February 10th, HAC CEO David Lipsetz attended the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) Executive Council Winter Session in Washington, DC. Sitting on a panel focused on Indian Housing, David talked about HAC’s 54-year history of lending in rural communities, touting stories of success in Native lands despite the challenges posed by limited resources and capacity. He provided the specific example of the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority (WMAHA), and how together with the Home Depot Foundation, HAC was able to award a $30,000 grant to WMAHA to help rehabilitate veteran houses on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in eastern central Arizona. HAC would like to thank the National Congress of American Indians for allowing us to share what works and is looking forward to making more lasting partnerships in Tribal communities.
2025 National Rural Housing Conference
Last November, HAC hosted its biennial National Rural Housing Conference in Washington, DC. The conference brought together experts in housing, finance, nonprofit advocacy, and government, to engage in robust learning opportunities, meaningful networking, and discussions focused on strengthening rural housing nationwide. The conference plenaries addressed the issues faced by rural housing organizations, including a panel on the challenges of building affordable housing in rural America moderated by HAC Director of Research and Information Lance George, with panelists from the National Community Reinvestment Corporation and the National Association of Home Builders, as well as a, “Voices from The Hill” session that featured a speech from Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and videos from Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Rep. Zach Nunn (R-IA) highlighting housing’s role as a bipartisan unifier in America. We invite you to watch these plenary recordings on our YouTube channel, and to keep an eye out for information about the National Rural Housing Conference when it returns in 2027.
Recaps
–In February, HAC launched Heirs’ Property Central, a new online hub connecting researchers, advocates, and practitioners to trusted resources on heirs’ property issues. Made possible with support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and JP Morgan Chase, Heirs’ Property Central brings together resources, research, and partner expertise to help communities, service providers, and professionals protect landowners’ agency and advance their housing goals. Read our reports, utilize our partners directory, check out our resources, and more at the Heirs’ Property Central website.
–In January, HAC published our 2026 Policy Priorities. Based around the five key pillars of improving housing supply, building capacity, expanding access to credit, preserving rural multifamily housing, and bolstering federal housing programs, the policy priorities expound on topics that span from heirs’ property, to rural homelessness, to high-needs rural regions in America, to disaster resiliency, and much more. Go in-depth with HAC’s 2026 Policy Priorities at the link above, or at our website at www.ruralhome.org.
–Rural America is home to a rapidly aging and increasingly disabled population—but many rural residents are navigating these challenges alone. In this piece entitled, “Expanding Service Coordination in Rural 515 Housing” HAC explores why service coordination is so critical in USDA Section 515 housing, and why it remains underused. Drawing on research, and HAC’s partnership with the AARP Foundation, the article demonstrates how service coordinators can help rural people stay housed while also strengthening operations. Read the full article to learn how this work is unfolding.
–HAC is hiring! Do you know someone who is passionate about serving the needs of rural communities in America? Perhaps that person is you? HAC is currently hiring in a number of different positions that advance the goals of affordable housing in rural America. Visit our Careers page, see what positions are available, and apply today!
Polly Nichol, Director of Housing Programs at the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board and President of the Board of Directors of the Housing Assistance Council, was a featured panelist at a 
