Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
MHP was created in 1985 to promote greater inclusion in our Commonwealth. From the creation of over 200 local housing partnerships, to our ONE Mortgage loan program, to our community reinvestment funding model, MHP’s work has long focused on removing barriers and increasing access to opportunity and our financial system.
Given MHP’s mission and history, it was long overdue for us to look inward within our own organization. We needed to gain a deeper understanding of our own culture to create a more inclusive environment and enhance our ability to collaborate with communities to dismantle systemic racism and advance racial equity.
For the last four years, a staff-initiated and staff-led Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Working Group has been doing just that. This group collaborated with the MHP staff to identify more than 25 action steps to increase awareness across race, sexual identity, age, tenure and disability and to focus on the importance of a diverse staff, an equitable workplace, an inclusive culture, and a shared sense of belonging at MHP.
One outcome is that MHP is implementing four priorities identified and developed by its staff:
“stay interviews” to create an environment of listening and appreciation, promote staff retention and support a greater sense of belonging
stronger professional development pathways to create equitable access to skill development and help staff build careers at MHP
consistent collection of self-identity data to better understand the diversity of the staff and the equity of MHP policies and practices
an active program of learning opportunities to help broaden our understanding of other cultures and experiences and build a more inclusive organization.
These initiatives are part of an ongoing process that will make MHP a more effective organization that is even better aligned with its mission. We recognize our responsibility to take action to remedy decades of policies that have perpetuated racial inequities in Massachusetts and have established racial equity goals for our work in technical assistance, rental financing, and homeownership. We are united in our understanding that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is a critical part of how we do our job.
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One step toward a greater sense of belonging