U.S. Representative Robert Matsui (awarded posthumously)
Nominated by Sacramento, Calif., Neighborhood Housing Services, Inc.

A third-generation Japanese-American, Matsui was six months old when he and his family were taken from Sacramento and interned by the U. S. Government after Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. He went on to become a strong leader for the community of Sacramento, through his eight years on the city council and 26 years of exemplary service in the House of Representatives.

Congressman Matsui assisted in the community support to bring a NeighborWorks organization to Sacramento in 1985-86. When Sacramento Neighborhood Housing Services opened its doors in 1987, he was one of the first community leaders and elected officials to join its board of trustees. He served on the board and was active in his support and advocacy on behalf of Sacramento NHS from the organization's inception until his sudden death in January.

Through his leadership and position of respect in our nation’s capital, Matsui was able to bring significant federal dollars into the Sacramento community to fund much-needed community development projects.

Robert Morgan Single-Family Program Director,
Montana Board of Housing
Nominated by Great Falls NHS

As single-family program manager for the Montana Board of Housing—the state housing finance agency—Bob Morgan has been a national leader in creative programs to increase the use of bond funds for homeownership.

Morgan has deftly championed the use of the special set-aside program whereby nonprofit organizations can come to the Board of Housing and get a specific allocation of first mortgage monies at a set rate so homebuyers can be guaranteed an interest rate. He was instrumental in several other areas, including the teacher program in the Bitterroot, the tribal guarantee program with the Salish & Kootenai Tribal Housing Authority, and the disabled accessible program. Morgan was a key player in getting the Section 184 program to a workable level nationally.

U.S. Representative David Price (N.C.)
Nominated by Durham Community Land Trustees, Inc. and DHIC, Inc., Raleigh, North Carolina

Representative Price has been a long-time supporter of community development and affordable housing, both at the local level and as a leader in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Over the past decade, he has secured more that $14 million in federal funding for local housing community development organizations and activities, including community land trusts, community centers, the Raleigh Area Food Bank, revolving loan funds, homeless shelters, and anti-predatory lending campaigns. He also initiated the Home Equity Consumer Protection Act that requires lenders to disclose the full terms of home equity loans to consumers.

As a member of the VA-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee for eight years, Representative Price was a strong defender of federal housing and community development programs. He has been one of the strongest supporters of NeighborWorks America in the House.

Price has also co-sponsored numerous housing bills, including the Renewing the Dream Tax Credit, which would authorize tax credits for the construction of new housing for purchase by low and moderate income families in underserved areas and the Affordable Housing Tax Credit, which would expand the current Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program.