2026 State of Homelessness Event

The State of Homelessness
& Affordable Housing

*Friday, November 20, 2026*

Save the date! Washtenaw Housing Alliance is hosting our fifth annual State of Homelessness and Affordable Housing on Friday, November 20, 2026. This event is WHA’s annual advocacy and education convening in recognition of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (HHAW). We have an incredible program planned and are honored to have Jesse Rabinowitz, Campaign and Communications Director at the National Homelessness Law Center in Washington, DC, as this year's keynote speaker. More information on event registration coming soon!

Last year, we welcomed homeless service providers and affordable housing developers, business partners, government officials, funders, and community members for breakfast and a morning of community conversations and networking critical to our collective movement to end homelessness in Washtenaw County.

Our event included panel speakers from Food Gatherers, Packard Health, Trinity Health Michigan, and Washtenaw Health Project who are integral in providing food and health care access to those in the county. They shared how they are responding to the current challenges caused by federal cuts to their programs and the impact their services have on housing security for many in the county. We also took time to celebrate WHA’s 25th anniversary as well as the 5th anniversary of the City of Ann Arbor’s Affordable Housing Millage featuring speakers from Ann Arbor Housing Commission and Breyko. Known in 2020 as Proposal C, the passage of the millage marked the most significant expansion of affordable housing in the region in over 40 years.

WHA’s State of Homelessness and Affordable Housing annual events include a full program from sharing data and information about the state of homelessness and affordable housing in Washtenaw County, panel presentations by subject-matter experts, to sharing storytelling and videos. In 2024, we were joined by keynote speaker Christine Haley, Chief of the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness, who talked about her work with 16 state agencies to implement a strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness for Illinois residents. In prior years we hosted speakers presenting about what the State of Michigan’s plans are on housing and homelessness to what’s happening with winter sheltering in Washtenaw County.

Image is of five panel speakers sitting on stage presenting to an audience out of view. — Panel speakers at our 2025 event are asked questions from panel moderator County Commissioner Katie Scott.

Image is of two panel speakers sitting on stage smiling at one another. — Panel speakers Markell Miller from Food Gatherers and Dr. Chiquita Berg from Trinity Health Michigan.

Image is of four postcards asking participants to write down one thing they learned from attending the annual event and what they will commit to in helping to end homelessness. — At the 2025 event, attendees were asked to fill out postcards answering two questions. First, what was one thing they learned from the event that day. Second, what will they commit to in helping to end homelessness in Washtenaw County.

Take another look at our speaker presentations shared at last year’s event:

Washtenaw Health Project presentation slides (pdf)
Food Gatherers presentation slides (pdf)
Ann Arbor Housing Commission presentation slides (pdf)
Breyko video: The Road Home (trailer)

You can also check out our recap, photos, and videos from past State of Homelessness and Affordable Housing events by clicking the button below.

Check out past SoHAH EVENTS

Each year WHA is able to host this free event for the community thanks to the generous contributions made by our sponsors. Below are our 2025 event sponsors. Sponsorship details for our 2026 event will be shared here soon!