Housing Sustainability Collaborative 2025: Hope Amid Challenges

In March 2025, 84 leaders from 51 organizations, including 26 HPN members and 25 partners, gathered to reaffirm a shared commitment to preserving affordable housing that is safe, healthy, and resilient. The convening showcased field-leading work to deploy historic investments in climate-resilient housing and fostered collaboration among HSC members, GGRF awardees, and technical experts.

This milestone event capped 30 months of progress since HPN launched the Housing Sustainability Collaborative (HSC) in 2022. Recognizing the Inflation Reduction Act and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) as generational opportunities, HPN and its members have worked to advance energy efficiency, portfolio resilience, and the preservation of affordable housing amid a national housing crisis.

Through the HSC, HPN has engaged CDFIs and developers to surface public funding barriers, build private investment pipelines, and deploy market-building tools. In 2024, with philanthropic support, HPN launched the “Readiness” program, engaging TA providers to help 23 members devise strategies to leverage sustainability funding across their lending and housing portfolios.

Key Takeaways
There is clear demand, need, and capacity: housing providers have investable projects, and lenders are ready to deploy capital. Unlocking critical resources will accelerate sustainable investments and strengthen housing resilience.

Next Steps
HPN will build on this momentum by expanding member capacity, supporting cross-sector collaboration, and advancing capital solutions that benefit communities and residents.

Convening Highlights:

• GGRF Awardee Networking: Attendees engaged with representatives from EPA’s NCIF (Climate United, Power Forward Coalition), CCIA (Opportunity Finance Network, Justice Climate Fund), and SFA (Grid Alternatives), who shared updates and underscored strong market demand.
  

• “Readiness” Program Insights: TA partners supported 23 members, including ACTION Housing and Community Housing Capital, in developing decarbonization and energy efficiency strategies. Key takeaways included portfolio-level assessments and frameworks for energy lending plans.
  

• Cross-Sector Dialogue: Attendees participated in four “Deep Dive” sessions (Multifamily Developers, CDFIs, Homeownership, Renewables/Solar) and shared insights across disciplines and regions.
  

• Pipeline Marketplace: Housing providers and lenders presented green housing projects and financial products in an interactive “deal room,” facilitating new connections and testing real-time ideas.
  

• Looking Ahead: A closing panel with representatives from philanthropy, banking, and community development (Invest in Our Future, Amalgamated Bank, National Housing Trust) reflected on the path forward. While acknowledging GGRF delays, panelists highlighted continued investments and emerging partnerships, including with the healthcare sector.
  

Special thanks to Invest in Our Future, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Wells Fargo Foundation, and TD Charitable Foundation for supporting HPN’s “Readiness” work, and to Banyan Infrastructure and Amalgamated Bank for sponsoring the convening.

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