February 23, 2026 Advocacy, Community, Family, Leadership
Habitat for Humanity leaders advocate for affordable housing solutions on Capitol Hill
Aisling Macaraeg, Habitat Philadelphia Young Professionals board member; Carrie Rathmann, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships; Corinne O’Connell, CEO | Photo by Habitat Philadelphia
Habitat Philadelphia joined hundreds of Habitat affiliates on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. for the annual Habitat on the Hill legislative conference from February 10-12. Nearly 500 affordable housing advocates came together to urge Congress to expand the supply of affordable starter homes and to address the American housing crisis.
Representatives from our Habitat Philadelphia team, including Corinne O’Connell, CEO; Carrie Rathmann, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships; and Aisling Macaraeg, Young Professionals board member, met with legislators to encourage them to take action on funding home repair programs in Philadelphia and across the nation.
Carrie Rathmann, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia; Dan Dorsch, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Laramie County; Jamie G. Gomez, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity Metro Denver; Rachel Seward, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications & Corporate Social Responsibility, MiTek | Photo by Habitat Philadelphia
Carrie Rathmann was featured in a panel discussion on emerging federal housing policy solutions and the current progress being made. In this discussion, Carrie presented on how the successful development of the Built to Last program caught the attention of Pennsylvania’s elected officials and gained traction as a policy platform, ultimately providing the blueprint for the Whole-Home Repairs Act of 2022. The Built to Last program, an initiative from the Philadelphia Energy Authority, coordinates multiple service providers to perform deep, comprehensive home repairs.
We are proud to have shared Philadelphia’s progress with our national Habitat network — but our work is far from done. Federal investment in home repair and affordable housing is not optional — it is essential. We know that families in our city cannot afford delays, and communities cannot thrive without sustained, bipartisan commitment to housing stability.
“After attending this conference, I have a much better understanding of how policy decisions directly affect whether families can stay in their homes and communities,” Macaraeg said. “I’m so proud to be part of an organization that shows up for affordable housing at every level.”
Habitat Philadelphia will continue to advocate for policies that open up access to safe, affordable homes. Because housing is more than shelter — it is stability, health, and opportunity. And we will raise our voice until every family in our city has a safe, warm and dry place to live.
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More photos:
2026 Habitat on the Hill | Flickr Album
Relive Aisling’s Habitat on the Hill experience through our Instagram feed and HOTH26 story highlights!
Today kicked off Habitat on the Hill, and it’s been awesome to be in a room with Habitat leaders from across the country—all advocating for housing solutions that work.
One big takeaway so far: the affordable housing crisis isn’t just about building homes. It’s about the policies that make homeownership and stability possible for families and communities.
As a Habitat Philly volunteer, this conference reminds me that advocacy is another way we serve our communities—by using our voices to push for change beyond the build site.
#HabitatOnTheHill #AdvocacyInAction #AffordableHousing
@habitatforhumanity @hyp_philadelphia
