Skip to main content The Kelsey
All Stories

Coalition-Building for Disability-Forward Housing in D.C. | The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Board Meeting and Policy Forum

Allie, a white queer person in a wheelchair, shakes hands with Senator Padilla from California. Senator Schmidt stands next to Allie’s wheelchair. Allie has short brown hair, round glasses, earrings, and is wearing a light-colored outfit The American flag and the flag of the State of California can be seen in the background.

Our Managing Director of Advocacy, Allie, had a packed and meaningful week in Washington, D.C. at the 2026 National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Board Meeting and Policy Forum. 

Allie caught up with partners old and new, including our Board member, Jennifer, and former Raise the Roof participant and Community Organizer of Housing at Access Living, Iliana! They also met with key congressional members, including Senator Padilla and Senator Schmidt, to discuss the importance of expanding disability-forward housing across all communities. Allie’s time spent with partners in D.C. shows that a disability-forward housing future is possible when lawmakers and advocates, both with and without disabilities, lead the way together.

Whether it’s wheeling across Capitol Hill, urging members of Congress to deepen their commitments to disability-forward housing, strategizing with national and state partners on how to defend and expand affordable, accessible, inclusive housing, or being in community with resident leaders and advocates, our policy team’s work in D.C. continues to lay the foundation for disability-forward housing policies.

Allie, our Managing Director, poses with three partners in front of a backdrop reading “Make Housing Justice Happen” and featuring the National Low Income Housing Coalition logo. Allie is pictured in a power wheelchair, with the three partners standing behind her. They all wear casual clothing and lanyards and are smiling at the camera.
Allie with The Kelsey Board member Jennifer Angarita (far right), Amy Kleine of The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation (middle), and Jeanne (Reitz) Fekade-Sellassie, Executive Director of the Fund for Housing and Opportunity at The New Venture Fund (far left).
Allie is pictured with Iliana, the Housing Organizer at Access Living and a former Raise the Roof participant. Both of them are in power wheelchairs. The words “Housing Policy Forum” and the logo of The National Low Income Housing Coalition are pictured on a backdrop behind them. They are both wearing lanyards and casual clothing.
Allie and Iliana Rivera Haven, Housing Organizer at Access Living and former Raise the Roof participant.
A conference room of seated participants watching a session at the NLIHC Policy Forum. Two screens and two speakers stand on stage at the front of the room.
Advocacy