2023 – 2027 Strategic Plan

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

Goal 4

Goal 5

Goal 1

Contribute to the region’s affordable housing supply by increasing True Ground’s portfolio to 7500 households.

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Strategies

Create an expansion strategy with metrics in Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland that seeks to achieve faster growth, capitalize on economies of scale, further our racial equity commitments and have a more significant impact on residents within the region.
Pursue creative financing options (e.g., new capital sources) for acquisitions and new construction of affordable housing, as well as redevelopment of True Ground’s existing portfolio.
Develop an acquisition strategy to add and maintain the affordable housing stock.
Strengthen the asset management role at True Ground and incorporate it directly into the acquisition and development process.
Evaluate environmental sustainability, investment, and impact in our portfolio.

Goal 2

Ensure Resident Services support True Ground households across all properties.

Strategies

Create a scalable strategy for resident services that outlines key milestones to generate consistent support across properties.
Identify resident needs beyond affordable housing and identify and partner with relevant organizations and services to fill those needs.
Ensure quality programming through data collection and program evaluation.
Increase engagement with residents to ensure their voice is heard through the development and execution of resident service

Goal 3

Partner with residents in meeting their financial wellness goals.

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Strategies

Encourage and engage residents in post-secondary and college education readiness pathways.
Leverage and invest in partnerships with local non-profits and financial institutions to provide financial education and resources for residents.
Ensure residents have access to employment services.
Assist residents who are positioned for that next step with homeownership pathways.
Continue to prioritize that residents are stably housed and staff are prepared to activate the necessary tools to keep residents housed.

Goal 4

Communicate the positive effects of affordable housing and promote the necessary funding and policies.

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Strategies

Create and maintain a clear policy plan for True Ground that sets a direction for the organization, staff, and residents.
Incorporate residents’ voices and perspectives when developing communications related to True Ground’s advocacy efforts.
Build and leverage partnerships at the local, state, and federal level to support initiatives surrounding advocacy.
Deepen relationships and communicate more with decision makers in all jurisdictions.

Goal 5

Be an employer of choice

Three men dressed in coats, shirts and ties, smiling

Strategies

Create an inclusive environment where employees feel valued, respected, appreciated, and supported.
Retain staff and attract candidates by implementing competitive compensation and benefits.
Implement professional development and career advancement opportunities at every level within the organization.
Update and create organizational and board policies, systems, and governance to align with organizational growth.

Our Planning Process

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Our comprehensive strategic planning process with a REDI lens began with multiple stages of conversations and data collection with our stakeholders. In the first stage, we held six focus groups, 15 interviews, and a strategic priorities survey dedicated to gathering the perspectives of different groups within True Ground. This population included residents, True Ground staff, and board members. Given our current realities, we questioned our strengths and weaknesses, how we could grow, and how to better serve the industry.

Man giving a speech at a True Ground Housing Partners event

In parallel, we partnered with the REDI committee to unpack the outcomes of the data-gathering process. We engaged the True Ground workforce and other identified stakeholders in deeper conversations about REDI strengths, pain points, and potential recommendations. With the expertise of our consultants at Brighter Strategies and the True Ground Strategic Planning Committee (made up of the board vice chair, past board chair, and True Ground executive leadership), we analyzed this data. We identified key opportunities for the future that build on our strengths and aim to solve our vulnerabilities.

The final plan results from seven facilitated meetings held with True Ground staff and board in the form of a retreat and multiple committee meetings where each participant’s input was gathered. The plan includes a revised Mission and new Vision Statement that reflect our purpose and five bold goals with strategies that articulate where we will focus our future energy to achieve our Vision. During this process we recognized that racial equity, diversity, and inclusion is a core value of True Ground through which we make decisions across the organization. As a next step, along with our branding and implementation efforts, we plan to clearly articulate this and other core values.