MHP’s mission is to expand housing and community development opportunity for those most impacted by economic and racial disparities by leading collaborative work to promote systems change and grow equitable development capacity.

Woven throughout our mission, our values and principles, our strategic planning, and our work is the concept of addressing race equity–for it is clear that one cannot have a conversation about housing without having a conversation about race.

A Race Equity Lens is Critical to Housing Justice Work – an article from the National Low Income Housing Coalition from a national perspective. “When all people have accessible and affordable homes in diverse and inclusive communities, we all benefit. Our economy benefits. Research shows that housing influences outcomes across many sectors. Students do better in school when they live in stable, affordable homes. People are healthier and can more readily escape poverty and homelessness. Yet, people of color are significantly more likely than white people to face systemic barriers to quality, accessible, and affordable homes. Housing is the pathway to economic mobility and opportunity. Yet for far too many people in this country, the pathway is full of roadblocks.” Read more.

Research

MHP conducts data-based research to inform solutions to housing issues. In addition to significant and growing affordable housing need, MHP’s research identifies stark racial housing disparities across the state. If you are a person of color, you are: 1/2 as likely to be a homeowner compared to a white counterpart; 2 1/2 times more likely to be severely cost burdened – paying more than you can afford for housing; and 6 times more likely to experience homelessness.

Whenever the data is available, MHP’s research addresses and illuminates housing disparities based upon race. For example, our annual State of the State of Housing report is referenced and cited widely for its disaggregated race data.

Policy

This data produced by in-house research impacts how MHP targets policies, investments, and areas for advocacy. MHP’s policy work is informed by the framework that current housing policy is the result of past and present policies designed to undervalue and discriminate against people of color, especially Black, Latino, and Indigenous people. MHP’s work shines a light on such discrimination. As part of our policy development process, MHP engages diverse partners and conducts ongoing assessments to ensure that our policy framework and agenda are relevant to communities subjected to oppression and benefits those communities equitably.

Community Development

MHP’s proven track record of financial and technical expertise provides organizations the ability to build and preserve housing and community assets – and we are a nationwide leader in working with rural and Native communities around the U.S. We prioritize our community development work to engagements servicing low-income and communities of color, and specialize in engagements with Native nations.