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Dear Friends,

“Summer’s lease hath all too short a date,” as Shakespeare famously wrote. But before we all say farewell to record-setting heat and restful vacations, it’s worth noting that this summer was also a productive work season.

I escaped the ever-increasing political tension of Washington, DC, and kicked Q3 off in July with three days in Burlington, VT, for our Executive Leadership Team retreat, hosted by our dear friends and colleagues at the Champlain Housing Trust. Learning details about the expanding scope and scale of their many housing accomplishments and future plans fuels my own team’s clear ambitions for our entire network. August took me to Denver, CO, for a Trust Neighborhoods board retreat, and a series of bold and exciting conversations with potential funders and partners to advance our planned four-state regional hub evolution. September began with a trip to Oakland, CA, for both our staff retreat and Q3 board meeting. We all left those meetings with a continuing sense of purpose and significant energy to pursue our strategic plan goals for the expansion of lasting affordability.

Looking ahead to fall, the start of “conference season” is on the horizon. I’m especially looking forward to two key Ownership Economy-focused national events. As you may recall, the explicit connection of our housing work to the Ownership Economy movement was explored during our national conference keynote back in May. The Ownership Economy is intended to make it easier for more ordinary Americans — especially those at lower income levels — to grow their household balance sheets through control of assets and equity, a.k.a. homeownership. Lasting affordability goes hand in hand with this, because we’re working to make affordable homeownership—a key wealth-building tool—more accessible to families through various nonprofit community ownership-based shared equity models.

Further elevating our network’s connection to the Ownership Economy, our Chief Program Officer, Dave Smith, will be a presenter at the Ownership Economy Summit 2025 [[link removed]] on October 7 in New York City. He will speak alongside other national affordable housing experts on the subject of “Bridging the Divide in Housing.” In addition, I’m excited to join and represent our network at the first-ever Aspen Ideas: Economy [[link removed]] event, taking place October 20–21 in Newark, NJ. As further outlined below, our staff team, network members, and partners are all engaged in Q4, both spreading the gospel of lasting affordability and making it a reality on the ground.

I want to close by recognizing someone whose tireless efforts played an integral role in shaping the progress of affordable housing, not just in her home state of Florida but nationally. As some of you might know, Jaimie Ross, former president and CEO of the Florida Housing Coalition passed away recently at her home in St. Pete Beach, FL. I was deeply saddened—on both a professional and personal level—to learn of her passing. I worked for several years beside Jaimie when we both served as founding board members of Grounded Solutions Network, and during the first years of my tenure as CEO. Jaimie was a dear colleague, mentor, friend, and an inspiration to many. She will be profoundly missed.

As we embark on the final quarter of 2025, dealing with a range of complex challenges, uncovering new opportunities, and working to deliver the housing solutions many families so desperately need, let’s keep the legacy of Jaimie Ross alive in our minds, hearts, and through our actions. I’m confident that the various inspirational leadership stories of success within our Member Highlights section below each reflect the same fierce spirit and determination that she embodied.

Housing Alexandria Unveils New Affordable Housing Development

Housing Alexandra held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its soon-to-be completed affordable housing development called Cardinal Path [[link removed]]. This new community is comprised of 31 townhomes that are almost move-in ready, five condominium flats that are currently under construction and slated for completion in early 2027, and three flats owned and occupied by Sheltered Homes of Alexandria, an organization that provides housing for mentally disabled or impaired adults. Learn more here [[link removed]] and here [[link removed]].

LEAF Honored with 2025 Impact Assets Award

Local Enterprise Assistance Fund (LEAF), a Boston-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), recently received the 2025 Impact Assets Award. The organization was recognized for its work to finance and develop services to increase wealth, health, and housing equity in low-income communities. LEAF said the award “strengthens our resolve to continue building an economy worthy of our highest aspirations—one loan, one business, one neighborhood at a time.” Read about the recognition here [[link removed]].

ACHD to Host Journey Home Luncheon

On October 10, African Community Housing & Development will host its Journey Home Luncheon, a convening of more than 400 business, nonprofit, real estate, and government leaders committed to strengthening communities. This year’s event will focus on multigenerational impact and identifying opportunities to effect lasting change for generations to come. Our CEO, Tony Pickett, will deliver the keynote address. Learn more here [[link removed]].

Habitat DC-NOVA Celebrates 35 Years

2025 marks Habitat DC-NOVA’s 35th year “building, preserving, and sustaining affordable homeownership across the DC metro region.” The organization, which led a community tour during Grounded Solutions’ May national conference, has been commemorating its 35th anniversary by hosting a series of Spotlight Builds to engage and highlight women and gender non-confirming people, LGBT+ individuals, faith partners, and other groups. Learn more and join the celebration here [[link removed]].

South Baltimore Community Land Trust Receives Critical Funding

South Baltimore Community Land Trust (SBCLT) recently received a Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative award. This unique funding partnership between the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the Maryland Community Investment Corporation has helped SBCLT advance its stabilization efforts in the Curtis Bay neighborhood. Learn more here [[link removed]] about SBCLT’s work and commitment to “development without displacement.”

Housing Policy and Research

ROAD to Housing Act

The Senate Banking Committee recently advanced the ROAD to Housing Act with a 24-0 vote. This comprehensive bipartisan legislation tackles housing supply, finance, and appraisals, and, crucially, elevates shared equity programs in key sections. Grounded Solutions provided input to the committee's staff as they developed and refined the legislation. Read our statement here [[link removed]]. A quote from our Vice President of Housing Policy, Doug Ryan, is also included along with those from other peer national housing advocacy leaders on the Committee’s website [[link removed]]. The bill now awaits a vote in the full Senate.

Highlights from MBA’s Joint Webinar with Grounded Solutions

On July 22, we partnered with the Mortgage Bankers Association to host a webinar about single-family lending for shared equity ownership. Brian Stromberg, our National Policy Director, provided a detailed introduction to shared equity homeownership. Meleny Thomas, SBCLT’s Executive Director, provided insights into how her organization has been able to establish relationships with lenders. To access the recording, log in or create an account on our   Online Learning Platform [[link removed]], click on the “Storefront” icon on the left side of your screen, and then click on the webinar titled “Shared Equity Mortgages: How Companies Can Expand Their Community Impact.” After the webinar, our policy team developed a shared equity lending one-pager, which you can view here [[link removed]].

Local Policy Highlight

Our Local Policy Principal, Colby Sledge, and Colleen Flynn, Co-Executive Director of Build Healthy Places Network, presented to a group gathered by Grounded Solutions member Big Bold Bordeaux Vision in Nashville, TN, as they imagined how to use vacant city land for a new community land trust.

Innovative Finance

Homes for the Future Selected for Terner Labs Cohort

Terner Labs recently announced its sixth Housing Venture Lab cohort, a diverse group of organizations committed to providing innovative solutions to the country’s housing crisis. The focus of this year’s cohort is “expanding access to homeownership and bridging persistent financing and permitting gaps that block equitable housing opportunities.” As one of the seven programs/initiatives selected for this cohort, Homes for the Future will receive $75,000 in seed funding, expert coaching, and access to the Terner Labs network. Learn more here [[link removed]].

Grounded Solutions Featured on YIMBY Action's Podcast

Alex Cabral, our Senior Principal of Innovative Finance, was recently interviewed for YIMBY Action’s Infill podcast. The August 19 episode focused on Ivory Prize winners and their work to scale housing solutions. Listen here [[link removed]].

Technical Assistance

New Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series Underway

In Q3, we launched the “Ask Me Anything (AMA)” series, providing a free-to-the-public forum in which participants can speak with industry experts and peers about hot topics in the field of lasting affordable housing. The most recent AMAs focused on demystifying legal documents for lasting affordability and mortgage lending for lasting affordability. In addition to the AMAs, we will continue to provide various educational webinars and scholarship opportunities for six-hour Training Institute Online (TIO) courses that offer deep dives on specific topics in shared equity homeownership. Learn more here [[link removed]].

Shared Equity Housing Webinar

James Yelen, our Technical Assistance Director, participated in a July 24 webinar exploring how shared equity models can serve as a tool for preserving and creating housing that is permanent, affordable, and invested by and in the community. During his presentation, he provided an overview of community land trusts and their historical origins. Watch the recording here [[link removed]].

HomeKeeper

HomeKeeper Launches New Knowledge Center

We soft launched a new Knowledge Center [[link removed]], a go-to resource for troubleshooting and learning needs. Although this new site is still under active development, the featured resources—new articles, videos, and tutorials—are immediately available, no login needed. Click here [[link removed]] to learn more.

Spotlight on Long Island Housing Partnership: Network Member and HomeKeeper User

Our September member spotlight features Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP), an organization that has been working to provide affordable housing opportunities—and many other services—since 1988. The blog post explores how COVID-19 catalyzed the digitization of LIHP’s intake processes and data management systems, empowering the organization to serve more people than ever before. LIHP has been a member of our network since 2009 (before it was known as Grounded Solutions) and has been a HomeKeeper user since 2012. Read the blog post here [[link removed]].

Membership and Training

Upcoming Events

Registration is now open [[link removed]] for two upcoming TIO series! The first, Post-Purchase Stewardship for Shared Equity Homeownership, will take place on October 27 and 29. The second, Affordable Pricing and Resale Formulas for Shared Equity Homeownership, will take place on November 3 and 5.

TIO course participants receive:

Instruction from experts in the field of housing with lasting affordability;

The opportunity to network with peers doing similar work across the country;

Access to the course recording for 60 days;

A certificate of completion (upon passing a final quiz); and

Instructor-curated supplemental materials to keep.

Space is limited, so secure your spot today [[link removed]]. As always, members receive the lowest rate. Limited need-based scholarships and multiple-employee discounts are also available.

Member Voting Update

All current network members can now vote in our 2026 Board Elections and should have received an e-mail with instructions. If you have any questions or are not a member and would like to become one, e-mail [[email protected]]. Becoming a member provides you with access to expert support, training, tools, peer connections, and helps advance lasting affordability nationwide.

A No-Subsidy Model for Getting Homes into Community Ownership [[link removed]]

Mixed Income, Net Zero, and Fish Friendly: Innovation at The Southard [[link removed]]

Financing the Future of Community Ownership [[link removed]]

A 99-Year Impact: How Catalytic Investments Can Impact Generations of Homeowners [[link removed]]

Member Spotlight: A Neighborhood That Works—How Mueller Blends Community with Affordability [[link removed]]

Community Land Trusts: Investing in Lasting Housing Affordability and Local Voice [[link removed]]

Lahaina Community Land Trust fights second disaster of gentrification [[link removed]]

In West Baltimore, Fighting Displacement Before Gentrification Takes a Hold [[link removed]]

A new take on homeownership: Community Land Trust [[link removed]]

Yes in God’s Backyard: More Than 800,000 Homes Could Be Built on Land Owned by Churches—Here’s How Some Are Breaking Ground on Affordable Housing [[link removed]]

Opinion | Don’t cut housing’s lifeline: Community land trusts build equity and impact [[link removed]]

Sign up [[link removed]] for the Homes for the Future Newsletter to learn more about our Innovative Finance team’s exciting efforts to scale housing with lasting affordability.

Follow us on social media! We’re on Facebook [[link removed]], LinkedIn [[link removed]], Bluesky [[link removed]] and Instagram [[link removed]].

[[link removed]] Where we live matters.

We bring together an extensive network of partners and member practitioners from local communities who have a deep understanding of best practices in community land trusts, shared equity housing, local housing policies such as inclusionary zoning, and more.

At Grounded Solutions Network, we know what policies and strategies work to build and preserve housing opportunities, and we help communities use them.

Grounded Solutions Network

PO Box 70724

Oakland, CA

94612

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