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For Immediate Release

Housing leaders and civil rights advocates to be honored at the National Housing Conference’s Annual Gala

Contact:

Kara Beigay

202-466-2121 ext 284

WASHINGTON, DC, February 3, 2025 — The National Housing Conference (NHC) is pleased to announce the honorees to be recognized at our Annual Housing Visionary Awards Gala on June 11 at The Anthem in Washington, DC. This year’s recipients are distinguished leaders in housing, community development, and civil rights whose work has helped move our nation toward NHC’s vision of an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community.

The 2025 Housing Visionary Award honorees are Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League, and Renee Lewis Glover, Founder and Managing Member, The Catalyst Group, LLC and former CEO of Atlanta Housing Authority. The Honorable Mel Martinez, former U.S. Senator and former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will receive the Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service.

“The Housing Visionary Award and Carl A.S. Coan, Sr., Lifetime Achievement Award for Public Service represents the highest honors in the field of affordable housing and community development, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, dedication, and transformative impact. Renee Lewis Glover is a dynamic and purpose-driven thought and business leader globally recognized for reshaping the conversation about public and subsidized housing and economic development, setting a new standard for affordable housing and community development. Marc H. Morial has led the fight for equity, jobs, housing, and voting rights while spearheading initiatives like the Urban Empowerment Center in Harlem, combining affordable housing with economic opportunity. Mel Martinez exemplifies public service through his work on housing issues while a U.S. Senator, as well as his tenure as HUD Secretary and Mayor of Orange County, shaping policies that uplift communities. Their leadership has left an enduring legacy of stronger, more inclusive communities,” said David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference.

Renee Lewis Glover is the Founder and Managing Member of The Catalyst Group, LLC, a national consulting firm focused on urban revitalization, real estate development and community building, urban policy, and business transformation. Prior to founding The Catalyst Group, LLC, she served 19 years as the CEO of the Atlanta Housing Authority (AHA) where she led the development of over 16 mixed-use, mixed-income communities, leveraging public funds with a ten-to-one ratio, creating a $3 billion economic impact. Under her leadership, AHA evolved from a struggling agency to a nationally recognized, high-performing real estate company. Glover also played a pivotal role in creating the national model for mixed-income communities with publicly-assisted housing.

“I’m truly honored to receive the National Housing Conference 2025 Housing Visionary Award. It recognizes the importance of building inclusive communities where families of all races, ethnicities, cultures, and incomes can thrive together. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wisely reminded us, ‘We must learn to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools,’” said Renee Lewis Glover, Founder and Managing Member, The Catalyst Group, LLC and former CEO, Atlanta Housing Authority.

Marc H. Morial is President and CEO of the National Urban League, the nation’s largest historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization spearheading the efforts of its local affiliates through the development of programs, public policy research, and advocacy. With a rich background in public service, Morial was the highly successful and popular Mayor of New Orleans and previously served as a Louisiana State Senator. He is a leading voice on the national stage in the battle for jobs, education, housing, health, voting rights, equity, and entrepreneurship.

“I am deeply honored to receive the Housing Visionary Award, which recognizes the transformative power of affordable housing and community empowerment,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League. “Relocating our headquarters and anchoring the Urban Empowerment Center to Harlem, a historic community rich in culture and resilience, demonstrates our organization’s commitment to investing in affordable housing, economic empowerment, and the revitalization of urban spaces. This action aligns with my lifelong commitment to creating pathways for jobs, education, and entrepreneurship in communities that matter most.”

Having arrived in the United States at the height of the Cold War from Cuba at age 15, The Honorable Mel Martinez rose to be elected as the first Cuban American to serve in the United States Senate. During his term, he served on several committees including Armed Services; Foreign Relations; Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and the Special Committee on Aging. He also served as General Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2008. Prior to his time in the Senate, President George W. Bush appointed him as the 12th Secretary of HUD. In 1998, he was elected as Mayor of Orange County (Orlando, FL) and before beginning his public service, he practiced law for 25 years.

“I am truly honored to receive this distinguished award named after someone so deeply committed to public service and expanding housing opportunities. Let me express my thanks to the National Housing Conference for the recognition and for NHC’s consistent efforts over the years to elevate housing to the top of the national policy agenda,” said former U.S. Senator and former HUD Secretary Mel Martinez.

The Housing Visionary Awards Gala will begin at 5:30 p.m. on June 11 at The Anthem (901 Wharf Street SW, Washington, DC 20024). Contact NHC’s Chief Operating Officer, Amanda Mitchell, at amitchell@nhc.org for tickets or visit www.nhc.org/event/gala/ for additional information.

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About the National Housing Conference (NHC): Founded in 1931, the National Housing Conference is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America. NHC is a diverse continuum of affordable housing stakeholders who convene and collaborate through dialogue, advocacy, research, and education, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest—an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about NHC, visit www.nhc.org.

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