This year was filled with shifts that impacted communities and uncertainty for neighbors, yet our Purpose Built Communities® network remained resolute. We navigated stormy waters with steady hands, finding joy in the work and clarity in our mission. I am deeply proud of our network members and our Purpose Built team who, in the face of real adversity, never stopped showing up.

After a year marked by significant policy changes, we now have a clearer sense of the landscape ahead. That clarity has brought with it not just understanding, but a renewed resolve. We’re moving forward with purpose, informed by experience, and committed to outcomes that center residents and create real opportunity.

That sense of resolve was on full display at our Prosperity Starts With Place™ conference this year in Houston. Despite the challenges, the room was filled with laughter, strategy, and a sense of collective joy. It reminded me of something I’ve seen over and over again this year: people doing incredibly hard work with love. There’s a beauty in being a “happy warrior,” in facing hardship with hope, and showing up with grit and grace. That’s how I’ve seen our network members showing up throughout 2025.

One moment from that conference still stays with me: during a neighborhood tour, an immigrant father invited us into his home. He beamed with pride as he showed us around and introduced us to his family, his neighbors, and his extended community. This space was more than just a place to lay his head. It was a place where he felt seen, rooted, and hopeful. That is the kind of transformation we are working toward. It highlighted how this work is not just about housing, but everything that surrounds it. His children have access to a high-quality early learning center just down the street. His neighborhood has safe public spaces, connected neighbors, and a sense of belonging. It’s a reminder that true transformation happens when housing, education, health, and economic opportunity work together to support thriving families.

I also spent time this year reflecting on how we respond to adversity. At a convening this summer at Harvard, I talked about feeling like I’d been hanging on by my fingertips the previous few months. But what I realized in that moment was this: those fingertips are getting stronger. We’re not just surviving. We’re preparing to build something better—more aligned, more effective, and more just.

Looking back, I’m struck by how much our Purpose Built Communities team has grown in just a few years. With that growth came fresh ideas, and deeper and broader expertise. Through it all, this team has shown up with grace, embraced collaboration across geographies, and stayed focused on the mission we share. I’m proud of the culture we’re building together.

Across our network, I have been encouraged by the bold innovation I have seen this year. East Lake marked 30 years of transformation with continued momentum, from expanding homeownership through their partnership with the Atlanta Land Trust to reimagining spaces with Gehl to better serve moms and children. They’re proving that neighborhood transformation that centers residents is an ongoing, evolving commitment.

Moving forward, I’m encouraged by new ideas taking shape. We’re working toward financing strategies that view neighborhoods as the unit of investment. By aligning public, philanthropic, and market-based goals, we can multiply the impact. This kind of thinking is how we create systems that work for everyone.

We are also seeing a stronger commitment across the network and within our own organization that puts residents first, not just in principle, but in practice. We are developing new tools, accountability measures, and practices around being resident-centered, and that is exciting! That shift is powerful. It’s how we create transformation that lasts, that’s equitable, and that builds a sense of connection and belonging.

Prosperity Starts With Place™ remains more than a tagline. It’s a call to action rooted in evidence and in experience. Because when we focus on neighborhoods as engines of change, we are building deep, durable pathways to economic mobility, health, and joy. When we ensure people have safe housing, good schools, spaces to gather, and access to opportunities, we partner with residents to build choice-filled lives.

2025 reminded us that prosperity isn’t just about economics. It’s also about dignity and self-determination. I believe we are ending this year stronger than we began it, grounded in love and possibility. We remain anchored in the belief that the future is something we can build together.

Let’s keep building.