National Fair Housing Alliance President and CEO Lisa Rice to Be Honored with Housing Visionary Award
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 20, 2023
Contact: Izzy Woodruff | iwoodruff@nationalfairhousing.org
National Fair Housing Alliance President and CEO Lisa Rice to Be Honored with Housing Visionary Award
Rice among three leaders being honored for their contributions to housing and community development
Washington, D.C. — National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) President and CEO, Lisa Rice, is being honored with a Housing Visionary Award by the National Housing Conference (NHC) for her decades-long commitment to ending housing discrimination and ensuring equitable opportunities for all people and communities.
Throughout her career, Rice has led teams conducting precedent-setting fair housing investigations to help root out discriminatory practices in the areas of technology, lending, appraisals, insurance, renting, and real estate sales. Among Rice’s many accomplishments is the major role she played in crafting sections of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, establishing the Office of Fair Lending within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and launching NFHA’s Tech Equity and Keys Unlock Dreams programs.
“I don’t wake up every day thinking of myself as a visionary. I think of myself more as a beneficiary and a dream catcher. That is because I stand on the shoulders of some amazing people who have gifted me with freedom, justice, democracy, wisdom, and determination,” Rice said. “I live in their dreams — their dreams that we all can live in a society where everyone can thrive and live up to their fullest potential.”
“But our work is not done. As we mark the 55th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act this year, we are painfully aware that issues like predatory lending, redlining, housing discrimination, and appraisal and algorithmic bias persist. We must continue to fight, and I look forward to doing so with allies like NHC who also seek to advance housing justice and ensure that our country is a place of opportunity for everyone,” Rice said.
Rice’s selection for the honor was lauded by other leaders throughout the political and advocacy sector.
“Lisa combines a sharp as a razor intellect about housing policy with an indefatigable passion that has made her the go-to-leader on issues of housing equity in the nation,” said Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “She is an indispensable colleague and warrior in our collective work to close the nation’s persistent and stubborn racial wealth gap.”
“Lisa’s dedication to fair housing and social justice is unmatched,” said Robert Broeksmit, President and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). “Her expertise has been invaluable to MBA’s Consumer Affairs Advisory Council and in helping us craft solutions to our nation’s affordable housing crisis. Lisa’s leadership was instrumental in developing the MBA and NHFA toolkit for Special Purpose Credit Programs to help close the racial homeownership gap. Lisa is a true powerhouse and thought leader for affordable housing.”
“Lisa Rice is an exceptional leader and visionary spearheading the charge towards a more just and equitable society. With unwavering dedication, she champions fair housing principles, safeguards existing protections, and tirelessly strives to expand equal opportunities for countless Americans,” said Pamela Patenaude, Former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). “During my tenure at HUD, Lisa was a valuable stakeholder providing guidance on these issues. Her remarkable contributions have forever transformed the landscape of financial fairness by shattering the barriers of systemic discrimination in lending, insurance, rental, and zoning domains. Lisa’s indomitable spirit and profound impact serve as an inspiration to us all, as she paves the way for a more inclusive and just future.”
Other honorees at NHC’s gala include Susan Dewey, CEO of Virginia Housing, who is also receiving NHC’s Housing Visionary Award, and Douglas Bibby, former president of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), who is receiving the Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service.
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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.