True Ground Recognized as One of America's Top 50 Affordable Housing Developers for 2025
True Ground Housing Partners has proudly announced its inclusion in the prestigious AHF 50 list for 2025, recognized as one of America's top affordable housing developers. This accolade is particularly important as it highlights True Ground's resilience and leadership in a landscape marked by increasing financial pressures and challenges associated with housing development. The annual list, published by Affordable Housing Finance, acknowledges the foremost affordable housing developers and owners nationwide. True Ground secured the 46th position among the honorees, standing out as one of seven nonprofit organizations making the cut.
This recognition is not a first for True Ground; in fact, this marks the third time the organization has received such an honor, with the last recognition occurring just within the past four years. The ranking is based on the number of affordable housing units started and completed, demonstrating how organizations are navigating through one of the most difficult development environments in recent history. With a nearly four-decade-long commitment to providing stable housing, True Ground emphasizes its mission to ensure every individual has access to a home and the opportunity to build their future.
Carmen Romero, the President and CEO of True Ground, expressed pride in the achievement, emphasizing how this recognition underscores the organization's capacity to deliver affordable housing even amidst growing challenges. Romero pointed out that many families within the region are facing increasing housing instability, yet True Ground is making strides to push projects forward and expand access to affordable living spaces.
In 2025, True Ground achieved a significant milestone by commencing construction on 'The Sweeney,' a 432-unit affordable housing community located in Arlington's National Landing neighborhood. This initiative is one of the most considerable affordable housing projects undertaken in the region in recent decades. The Sweeney showcases a successful public-private partnership that includes Arlington County and Amazon, which contributed the land dedicated for the development through its Housing Fund.
KellyAnn Kirkpatrick, who leads Grants and Partnerships at the Amazon Housing Fund, highlighted the importance of The Sweeney project. She stated that it signifies what can be accomplished when mission-driven developers collaborate closely with local governments and private sectors, ultimately delivering housing at the scale that the region desperately needs.
As of today, True Ground manages 25 affordable housing communities in the Washington, D.C. metro area, amounting to over 3,200 homes. The organization has a growing development strategy that extends across Arlington, Loudoun, and Tysons, VA, in addition to Washington, D.C. True Ground's recently completed projects include the Wholey Legacy Homes in Arlington—which contains 234 units designed for families—and the Riggs Crossing Senior Residences in Washington, D.C., which caters to seniors with 93 dedicated units. Further projects currently underway include The Linden and The Exchange at Spring Hill Station in Tysons, predicted to deliver over 1,000 additional affordable housing units in areas with significant transit access and opportunities.
Recognizing that adequate housing must be supported by additional services, True Ground is also focusing on enhancing resident services. This imperative becomes even more critical as local funding sources are dwindling, and the demand for comprehensive assistance related to food access, rental support, transportation, and healthcare is steadily increasing. Nearly one-third of True Ground's staff is dedicated to supporting resident services, reaching more than 6,000 residents within their housing portfolio. In 2025 alone, a noteworthy 93% of True Ground's residents participated in programs centered on financial wellness, health, education, and economic mobility.
Romero highlighted that the current moment in housing calls for more than just constructing homes—it requires the development of pathways to lasting stability and opportunity. True Ground is dedicated to fortifying each household they support amidst escalating affordability issues in the region.
True Ground is committed to an ambitious development pipeline, aiming to more than double its housing portfolio to 7,500 homes by 2028. The organization not only continues to broaden its impact but also advocates for the necessary partnerships and resources to ensure the sustainability of affordable housing production in the years to come.
In essence, True Ground Housing Partners is not merely a housing developer; it is a transformative force in the realm of affordable living, making significant strides towards fostering hopeful futures for families even in one of the most costly markets in the nation—the D.C. metro area. To learn more about True Ground and its mission, visit their website at www.truegroundhousing.org.