Too often we find ourselves dwelling on the negatives: the things we fear, disagree with or don’t like. In the housing world it is all too easy to get stuck here. Adversary is large and progress often slow. In our newsletter, A Leader article clip from 1951 suggests this is nothing new even for our community. Some of you are probably aware that this habit can be explained by a psychological tendency called negativity bias. And like all biases you must actively combat them to escape their trap. Which is one reason why at next week at HSN’s monthly Housing Happy Hour we will find community in sharing stories of gratitude and hope around housing. I hope you can join us in pushing back against the negativity by celebrating the wins, no matter how small.
And I have more positive news for you. As I alluded to in last month’s newsletter, new things are happening for HSN — well in a way. In truth they have always been there ,underlying, but we are finding better ways to articulate and streamline the role HSN plays in creating affordable housing. For while it is true we do not directly build or manage housing, HSN’s work accelerates the growth of affordable housing. Much like a green house in a garden, we increase yields and diversity of crops, resulting in more housing solutions for all.
Looking to 2026 expect HSN to expanded community conversations, be a place to incubate ideas, be a hub to network and connect with others, be a support system for changemakers and be a leader on government and community advocacy and education. But to be successful we need the support and participation of our community. Tis the season when end-of-year giving asks parade through your inbox and we’ll too be sending ours out soon enough. But no need to wait for an official ask, slip those Black Friday savings into an envelope and send them our way — it’s like giving away free money right?
In Community,
Eric Jones
HSN Communication Strategist