John Mcllwain has been on the ground floor of the country's affordable housing movement, becoming a trusted voice on Capitol Hill for his deep expertise.

Mcllwain closed the first Section 8 deal in the U.S., worked for HUD, performed industry-respected policy research, and invested in affordable projects. From this vantage point he explains the state of housing challenges and how they are interconnected with other challenges: the ballooning federal budget, climate change, and transportation. Many people with middle incomes are squeezed, not qualifying for affordable programs, not earning enough for market-rate housing.

Getting the public's attention and fighting for government funding are enormous challenges, yet his voice is one that must be heard.