Ben Miksch, State and Federal Policy Associate

I am writing this post from my best friend's kitchen table in Washington, D.C., getting ready for the National Low Income Housing Coalition's (NLIHC) Housing Policy Conference, which starts tomorrow.

A lot of our friends from the Association of Washington Housing Authorities are in town for the NAHRO (National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials) conference, and it's kind of nice to know that right now, the "other Washington" is filled to the brim with dedicated housing advocates from the "real Washington."

Most of the Housing Policy Conference will be focused on the National Housing Trust Fund and NLIHC's Housing Tax Reform proposal to modify the once untouchable Mortgage Interest Deduction. I'll be presenting at a workshop on how to get your state ready for if the National Housing Trust Fund actually gets funding, mostly bragging about the amazingness of the Washington State Housing Trust Fund. A lot of states look up to our fund as a model of what a good housing trust fund should look like. But I'm there to tell them that the only reason it's so great is because of all the advocates like you who fight every single year to get funding and to make sure that HTF is being used to help Washington's neediest families.

Part of this conference also includes some time to talk with our elected representatives. Right now I'm working on some talking points for Washington advocates to use when they meet with their legislators next week. It's an interesting time to be in D.C., and I can't wait to hear what our politicians will say in our meetings. The programs we rely on to end homelessness and build affordable housing continue to be a casualty of competing visions on budgets, deficits, and the role of government in America. We know how to end homelessness, but we can't keep doing more with less funding forever.

I'll be doing my best to tweet and blog throughout the conference, so keep checking here for more updates. Look for the hashtag #NLIHConf.