https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/en-usThu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-policy-director-in-forbes-on-the-countrys-affordable-housing-shortfall/In a recent Forbes article, LISC Senior Director Mark Kudlowitz argues that substantial funding for authorized federal housing programs and new legislation is necessary to address the country’s affordable housing shortfall. The bipartisan Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, intended to increase the supply of affordable homes for low- and moderate-income families, is LISC's top affordable homeownership legislative priority. LISC is also advocating for the Yes In God’s Backyard Act to support affordable housing development on land owned by faith-based organizations.Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-policy-director-in-forbes-on-the-countrys-affordable-housing-shortfall/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-ceo-discusses-housing-affordability-challenges-comcast-newsmakers/LISC CEO Michael T. Pugh joined Comcast Newsmakers to discuss efforts to address housing affordability challenges in the U.S. through public-private partnerships. “When we think about quality affordable housing, we have to remember this isn’t just an issue impacting one group of people, it’s an issue impacting the broader nation as a whole,” Pugh said. Continued rising costs for essentials like child care and health care are exacerbating the lack of affordable housing due to limited inventory and preservation, he explained. LISC's Financial Opportunity Center®(FOC) program can help build a foundation for first-time homeownership, and workforce development initiatives help connect place-based efforts to affordable housing opportunities.Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-ceo-discusses-housing-affordability-challenges-comcast-newsmakers/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/community-motion-expanding-access-wellness-one-neighborhood-time/LISC and Peloton are expanding access to fitness and wellness through Community in Motion, a partnership that brings Peloton equipment and programming into trusted community organizations. Launched with eight organizations across low-to-moderate income Chicago neighborhoods, the pilot is helping residents build healthy routines while generating insights into what it takes to create lasting engagement. Now, LISC and Peloton are exploring opportunities to bring the model to more communities.Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/community-motion-expanding-access-wellness-one-neighborhood-time/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/cleveland-coaching-program-key-career-and-financial-success-cleveland-mom/A LISC Financial Opportunity Center® program helped Cleveland resident Danyell Summers leverage job training, financial coaching, and the Rocket Wealth Accelerator to achieve her career goals and prepare for homeownership.Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/cleveland-coaching-program-key-career-and-financial-success-cleveland-mom/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/state-farm-announcement-impact-2026/With a new $1.8 million grant to LISC announced today, State Farm is connecting communities with catalytic capital, training, and expertise to build and preserve affordable housing, nurture thriving small businesses and commercial districts, and help families improve their financial and employment outlook. Since 2000, LISC and State Farm have deployed $158.6 million to American communities, focusing on places with high rates of unemployment and poverty. Learn how people, partners, and places have been impacted by LISC’s collaboration with State Farm.Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/state-farm-announcement-impact-2026/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-releases-new-roadmap-help-communities-address-child-care-affordable-housing-shortages/As communities across the country face persistent child care shortages and rising housing costs, LISC’s Child Care & Early Learning team released a new report and resource guide to help communities support home-based child care providers in securing stable, affordable housing while strengthening their businesses.Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-releases-new-roadmap-help-communities-address-child-care-affordable-housing-shortages/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/knight-foundation-profiles-liscs-ralphine-caldwell-connecting-capital-and-community/In a recent Q&A with the Knight Foundation, LISC executive director, Ralphine Caldwell reflects on the importance of listening. Since opening to lead the Charlotte Housing Opportunity Investment Fund (CHOIF), LISC Charlotte has invested over $173 million in the city by building trust first, holding community forums to let neighborhood voices shape the work, and partnering closely with local leaders. From pivoting to support small businesses through the pandemic to helping partners weather today’s funding uncertainty, Caldwell’s approach reflects LISC’s core belief that real change happens when hard-to-reach capital meets the people and places who need it most.Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/knight-foundation-profiles-liscs-ralphine-caldwell-connecting-capital-and-community/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/kresge-invests-infrastructure-community-impact-through-lisc/The Kresge Foundation is continuing its ongoing support of LISC with a new two-year grant to help strengthen local innovations, scaled through our national model, as we invest more in housing, businesses, jobs, health, and other pillars of community well-being. By supporting LISC to deliver creative, proven approaches to a wide range of communities, Kresge opens doors to opportunities that might not otherwise be possible and fuels lasting impact.Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/kresge-invests-infrastructure-community-impact-through-lisc/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-americorps-fuels-careers-hope-working-here/For more than 30 years, LISC AmeriCorps has connected people ready to serve with communities working to create opportunity. This fall, 130 AmeriCorps volunteers will support local nonprofits across the country while building the skills, experience, and leadership needed to launch careers. In this story, Stacey Grant, LISC AmeriCorps Senior Program Director, shares how investing in AmeriCorps volunteers strengthens communities today while developing the next generation of community leaders.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-americorps-fuels-careers-hope-working-here/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/wabe-highlights-liscs-role-in-advancing-public-safety-in-rural-georgia/In a recent WABE story, LISC’s Matt Perkins and Julianne Dunn highlight the importance of funding for crime reduction in the wake of federal cuts. Burke County, Georgia, saw violent crime incidents drop by 53.41% after a $150,000 LISC grant through the DOJ's Rural Violent Crime Reduction Initiative funded a full-time crime analyst and other tools for the sheriff's office. “Understanding what the real problems are in your community means that you can respond appropriately, and when you only have a limited amount of staff and a limited amount of time, that really makes a huge difference,” Dunn said.Wed, 12 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/wabe-highlights-liscs-role-in-advancing-public-safety-in-rural-georgia/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-ceo-housingwire-renewing-americas-promise-it-turns-250/In a recent HousingWire op-ed, LISC CEO Michael T. Pugh reflects on the unfulfilled promise of housing in the U.S. Millions of Americans lack the opportunity to find or afford a safe place to call home. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is an encouraging example of what can happen when Congress focuses on practical, bipartisan solutions that help communities expand housing supply, preserve existing homes, and support critical repairs. Read more about how the bill fits into LISC’s long-term strategy to solve our housing crisis.Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-ceo-housingwire-renewing-americas-promise-it-turns-250/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-kevin-harts-gran-coramino-announce-grants-to-fuel-20-small-businesses-in-5-metro-areas/Today, The Coramino Fund, the grant program from Kevin Hart's Gran Coramino® Tequila and LISC, proudly announces its newest class of grant recipients: 20 small business owners, each awarded $10,000, to invest in the next phase of their business. From manufacturing and the arts to education and food service, these entrepreneurs represent the hustle and heart at the center of the Coramino brand. Grants will help recipients invest in new equipment, grow their teams, and expand the reach of their products, services, and community impact.Fri, 07 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-kevin-harts-gran-coramino-announce-grants-to-fuel-20-small-businesses-in-5-metro-areas/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/stratyfy-lisc-announce-strategic-partnership-advance-small-business-lending-low-income-communities/LISC is partnering with Stratyfy to strengthen its ability to deliver capital to entrepreneurs and communities that have long faced barriers to investment. By combining LISC's decades of community development lending experience with Stratyfy's transparent artificial intelligence, the partnership will streamline loan decisions while maintaining a fair, responsible approach grounded in community-based lending. The new technology will help LISC expand access to financing, respond more quickly to borrowers' needs and scale its impact.Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/stratyfy-lisc-announce-strategic-partnership-advance-small-business-lending-low-income-communities/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-exceeds-north-star-housing-target-year-one/In the first year of our 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, LISC increased access to affordable housing by 26% where LISC made concentrated investments in 2025. This surpasses the ambitious North Star milestone we set for ourselves and demonstrates how our approach delivers measurable results and offers scalable solutions that can be adapted nationwide, bringing greater opportunity to communities that need it most.Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-exceeds-north-star-housing-target-year-one/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-hosts-national-pitch-competition-aimed-connecting-emerging-real-estate-developers-mentorship-funding-opportunities/LISC National Housing Strategic Initiatives hosted its inaugural National Pitch Competition at The New School, bringing together 37 of its top emerging developers from the LISC Developers Training Program to present to investors in real estate debt and equity. Participating firms currently advancing investment-ready housing and community development projects hailed from 11 LISC markets.Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-hosts-national-pitch-competition-aimed-connecting-emerging-real-estate-developers-mentorship-funding-opportunities/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/missing-middle-fault-lines-us-housing-market/America's housing affordability crisis is increasingly squeezing middle-income households who earn too much to qualify for traditional housing assistance but too little to afford today's market. In this blog, LISC’s head of National Housing, Valerie White, explores the growing "missing middle" housing challenge, its underlying causes, and the policy and investment strategies that can expand housing opportunities and create stronger, more resilient communities.Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/missing-middle-fault-lines-us-housing-market/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/building-more-than-neighborhoods-dr-roland-anglin-reflects-on-community-development-democracy-and-the-next-generation-of-leadership/Dr. Roland V. Anglin reflects on work that stretches beyond any single city or institution as he steps down from his role as inaugural Chair of LISC Cleveland's Local Advisory Committee. He’s seen the most successful community development efforts pair physical investment with community power, both nationally and locally in Cleveland, through his work with LISC. Dr. Anglin helped guide LISC’s return to the city and served as Chair of the Local Advisory Committee after the office reopened. During his tenure, LISC Cleveland helped launch the Cleveland Housing Investment Fund and expanded efforts focused on wealth preservation and housing stability through initiatives such as its Heirs' Property Program. Read more about Dr. Anglin’s insights on empowering residents and communities to shape and address the challenges they face.Tue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/building-more-than-neighborhoods-dr-roland-anglin-reflects-on-community-development-democracy-and-the-next-generation-of-leadership/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/why-housing-crisis-needs-every-tool-available-lisc-new-jersey-ed/Congress's enactment of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act opens new financing tools for affordable housing in New Jersey. Still, LISC NJ's Jorge Cruz writes in the Newark Star Ledger and NJ.Com that ensuring the capital reaches every community that needs it is crucial. Following the drumbeat of advocates, Cruz advocates for a state-level Act to modernize one of the most successful community development policies in American history for today's financial system. LISC NJ has seen that kind of investment move affordable housing developments from blueprint to groundbreaking, secure financing for small business owners, expand child care centers, and help homeowners make necessary repairs.Fri, 24 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/why-housing-crisis-needs-every-tool-available-lisc-new-jersey-ed/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/crime-rates-fall-historic-lows-new-report-reveals-neighborhood-development-community-safety-strategy/Findings from Chicago, Oakland, and D.C. show how community-centered economic investment builds lasting safety at the local level, according to a new report from LISC and the Brookings Institution.Wed, 22 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/crime-rates-fall-historic-lows-new-report-reveals-neighborhood-development-community-safety-strategy/https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-atlanta-ed-reflects-neighborhood-investment-atlanta-journal-constitution/As Atlanta welcomed the world for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the tournament offered a powerful reminder that major sporting events can create lasting impact. In a recent op-ed for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, LISC Atlanta Executive Director, Dale Royal, reflects on the city’s soccer mini-pitches, illustrating how neighborhood spaces generate opportunities for local youth and communities. In partnership with Atlanta United Community Fund, funded by the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, LISC can fuel initiatives like GA 100, which is bringing 100 mini-pitches to communities across Georgia, demonstrating how targeted investments in public spaces can strengthen neighborhoods and expand access to recreation.Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:00:00 -0400https://www.lisc.org/our-stories/story/lisc-atlanta-ed-reflects-neighborhood-investment-atlanta-journal-constitution/