Last Thursday, I joined nearly 600 AIA colleagues in Washington, D.C., to discuss the most critical issues affecting our profession and advocate for policies that will positively influence the future of architecture, the environment, and the people we serve. We met with Congressional staff, and our team even had the opportunity to speak directly with Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin. From new student loan limits and families seeking safe, affordable homes, to communities that depend on inclusive and sustainable design, and protections for historic structures, these policies have far-reaching implications that affect us all. As a Senior Project Architect at LBBA, Vice President of Advocacy for AIA Chicago, and a coordinator of the Housing Regulatory Reform Task Force, I was honored to represent our state and AIA chapter, bringing the perspective of architects working directly with cities and nonprofits to create equitable housing and community spaces.

While on Capitol Hill, we focused on four critical issues that will shape the future of architecture:

Addressing the Housing Crisis: The United States faces a severe shortage of homes, creating a housing crisis that affects communities across the country. In D.C., we advocated for many reforms, including exemptions from Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements for affordable housing projects due to the significant added costs and delays these requirements create, streamlining federal permitting processes, and ensuring greater flexibility when it comes to how the program is implemented moving forward.

Section 179D High Performance Building Innovation Tax Credit: Since 2005, this tax incentive has been a cornerstone of energy-efficient building design. Section 179D provides deductions for building owners who invest in high-performance systems that significantly reduce energy consumption. For affordable housing developments, this isn't a luxury; it's essential. The “Big Beautiful Bill” requires a June 30, 2026, construction start date for all projects pursuing these credits.

Design Freedom and Accountability for Federal Buildings: Recent executive orders mandating classical and traditional architecture as the preferred style for federal buildings are concerning because they sideline innovation, limit local input, and ignore the diverse voices of the communities these buildings serve. Federal architecture, in particular, should reflect the values and character of the people it represents.

Advocating for Architecture Students: Current federal loan policies now classify accredited Master of Architecture and Doctor of Architecture degrees as "graduate" rather than "professional" programs. This reclassification greatly reduces borrowing limits for architecture students. Architecture programs are licensed, regulated, and held to the same rigorous standards for preservation of health, safety, and welfare as other professions that have maintained the “professional” classification. This misclassification particularly impacts students from middle- and lower-income backgrounds who may require larger loans, threatening access to our profession.

These policy issues seriously impact how effectively we can continue to deliver equitable, sustainable, and community-driven design as well as the future diversity of the profession. I'm grateful to AIA for the opportunity to advocate alongside colleagues committed to architecture that serves people first.