Reflecting on a legacy of advocacy: Wichita Habitat’s 5th annual Legislative Build

Each August, a vital opportunity unfolds, providing Wichita Habitat for Humanity a crucial chance to connect with elected officials. This time brings together housing advocates, local officials, state representatives, school board members, and even members of Congress, all of whom play a critical role in shaping policies that impact our community. For us, this is the perfect time to host our annual Legislative Build, an event now celebrating its fifth year of connecting policymakers with people and purpose behind affordable housing.

The Legislative Build is more than just a volunteer day; it is a chance for elected officials and housing advocates to engage with the realities of the housing crisis. The event, scheduled for August 27^th and 28^th, begins with coffee and breakfast, a time for learning and community, followed by a hands-on construction day. Participants get to hear from family partners and work alongside them during the day at Rock the Block Piatt, a revitalization effort that started the rehabilitation process of 16 homes earlier this year in northeast Wichita.

This experience allows officials to see firsthand the impact of Wichita Habitat’s work and to deepen their understanding of how their policy decisions affect families. By working on a build site and hearing from our families, they can witness the transformation that safe and affordable homes provide. This firsthand knowledge is invaluable, allowing them to return to the legislative floor or to their organizations better equipped to advocate for policies that address the affordable housing needs of individuals and families.

The importance of this engagement is a central theme for the organization. As Quang Nguyen, Wichita Habitat for Humanity’s marketing and communications manager, notes, “It is important for our elected officials to stay engaged with our mission because they can witness firsthand the construction of safe and affordable homes that transform families’ lives through Wichita Habitat for Humanity. By connecting with family partners, they can bring this back to the legislative floor and to the organizations they represent to advocate for policies that affect affordable housing.”

This type of advocacy is a core part of Habitat’s mission. Through initiatives like Habitat’s Voices in Action, advocates can cultivate relationships with lawmakers, showcasing how they are addressing community needs, and share challenges that require a legislative solution. These efforts are guided by Habitat’s U.S. National Policy Platform, which is built on three pillars: increasing affordable homeownership supply, ensuring equitable homeownership access, and improving homeownership resilience.

These policy goals are particularly urgent in Kansas, where, as of 2025, 1 in 8 households spend more than half of their income on housing. This disproportionately affects lower-income households who are more likely to spend over 30% of their income on housing costs, a clear indicator of the state’s affordable housing crisis. Wichita Habitat’s Legislative Build is a powerful tool to address these challenges, ensuring that local policymakers and housing advocates work together to build a stronger, more equitable community for everyone.