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Melissa Foss, a recovery counselor and LexHAB tenant, received LexHAB’s 2nd annual Community Builder Award on Friday, October 18 at LexHAB’s ‘Raise the Roof!’ event at Depot Square.

Bob Burbidge, LexHAB Chair and Lester Savage, LexHAB Vice Chair presented the award to Melissa for her outstanding advocacy for local affordable housing. Sarah Morrison, LexHAB Executive Director noted, “Melissa’s testimony at Town Meeting helped tip the scales for the proposed Lowell Street development and demonstrated the power and importance of lived experience in policy making. When she shared the life changing impact that affordable housing had on her family, it moved Town Meeting members who had opposed the article, and paved the way for approval in a way statistics could not.” 

Melissa shared her story of recovery and the essential role of affordable housing in her success, “I am grateful for people like you all who work hard to make affordable housing more accessible. I truly am grateful to be in my unit and that feeling of gratitude will never go away!” For more information about LexHAB visit lexhab.org.

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