Housing Can’t Wait® : Funder & Investor Webinar Recap

Housing Can't Wait | August 22, 2025

In August, Fahe hosted a special webinar for funders and investors, bringing together voices from across Appalachia to spotlight the urgency of the housing crisis—and the solutions already taking root in our communities. The event, moderated by Fahe Board Member Dana Bezerra, featured Fahe staff, Members, and partners who are scaling housing solutions and building resilience at a time when housing can’t wait.

Why Housing Can’t Wait

Fahe CEO Jim King set the stage with a stark reminder: America is experiencing a chronic shortage of affordable homes. Nationally, starter home production has plummeted from nearly 500,000 annually in the late 1970s to only about 50,000 in recent years. Appalachia alone faces an estimated shortage of 500,000 housing units. As King emphasized, “Housing Can’t Wait is both a statement of fact and a call to action. Everyone deserves a safe, affordable place to live—and now is the time to act.”

Innovation on the Ground

The panel highlighted how Fahe’s 50+ Member organizations are responding with creativity and capacity:

  • Jake Powell, Community Housing Partners (VA), spoke about the urgent need for quality rental housing and how Community Land Trusts can stretch subsidy dollars to provide lasting affordability.
  • Mary Ellen Judah, Neighborhood Concepts Inc. (AL), described how communities are overcoming barriers like cost and infrastructure through collaboration and support from the Fahe Network.
  • Janel Lawson, Fahe Senior VP of Single-Family Lending, shared how Fahe’s Inspire 100 mortgage product is filling market gaps and making homeownership attainable for working families.
  • Zoila Jennings, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, emphasized the link between housing and health, noting that stable homes are fundamental to achieving equitable health outcomes.
  • Bleik Pickett, James Graham Brown Foundation, discussed why funders are investing in scalable, replicable housing solutions that strengthen disaster resilience and accelerate recovery across Appalachia.

A Shared Vision for the Future

As the discussion closed, Maggie Riden, Fahe’s Executive Vice President of External Affairs, outlined opportunities for funders and investors to partner with Fahe and the Member Network—through targeted investment, collaboration, and participation in upcoming events like the Fahe Annual Meeting.

Watch the Full Webinar

The conversation underscored both the urgency of the housing crisis and the capacity of Appalachian communities to lead the way forward.

We invite you to watch the full webinar recording and hear directly from our panelists about why Housing Can’t Wait.

Watch the webinar

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