Rachael Myers, Executive Director

A lot of thoughtful words have been said about Housing Alliance friend and colleague Harry Hoffman recently, demonstrating the impact he had on so many people in our community.

We were lucky to know Harry and to benefit from his deep personal commitment to creating communities where everyone can live and thrive. Harry was a founding board member for the Housing Alliance’s sister organization, the Housing Alliance Action Fund. Harry joined this board because he knew that while our collective efforts to ensure a home for everyone in Washington were making a difference, the families and individuals who were struggling to keep a roof over their heads needed us to do more. Harry understood that having a home is the foundation for everything else that matters – education, a job, good health. And he believed we could make elected officials pay as much attention to housing as to the rest of the issues that impact people’s lives.

Harry brought his passion and his political savvy to this effort. And he took on the hard work of fundraising and spreading the word among leaders in the housing field that we can, and must, expand our efforts to build legislative champions for affordable homes.

Like many others have said, Harry worked tirelessly even as he struggled. Two weeks before he died, Harry attended a board meeting and helped create the vision and goals for our work in the coming years. He wasn’t well. His words were softer than usual, and he looked small. But his ideas were anything but small. And his soft voice still conveyed the passion that he had for justice. He reminded us all that we need to dream and act boldly because that’s what this movement requires.

Harry’s death impacted all of us at the Housing Alliance in a way that was much more tangible than I expected. Some of us first met Harry when we shared an office, back when the Housing Development Consortium and the Housing Alliance were each small enough to fit in one room of a mostly open suite. Other staff members came on after we had moved into a new space. Most of us didn’t see Harry on a daily basis. So when we all learned of Harry’s death just before a staff meeting, I expected sadness. But I didn't expect tears from so many people on our team, who I assumed had only known Harry in a limited way. At the end of the day, most of us stayed late for an impromptu toast to Harry, and we each shared a memory. Everyone had a story about something Harry did or said that made an impact. Even without seeing him on a regular basis, Harry found a way to connect personally with almost everyone on our team.

Our organization, our movement, and each of us personally are better for having known Harry. We are grateful he shared with us his time, passion, and friendship.

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Editor's Note: This blog had listed incorrect information for Harry's memorial service. An event for the housing community is currently being planned. We will post details to our Facebook page once the details are finalized.

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