Written by Genevieve Bowen on October 29, 2025
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Growing up in Coconut Grove, Annie Lord noticed the contrasts that defined Miami. Driving a few blocks from her neighborhood, she saw differences in housing, tree cover and access to resources, inequalities stark even to a child. At the same time, she watched family members in Havana struggle to make ends meet, noticing the gap between what some families had and others did not. Those early observations shaped a perspective that would guide her career.
After studying Latin American Studies and earning a master’s in public policy at Harvard, Ms. Lord gained experience in Washington and Dallas, working in community development and finance. She saw firsthand how housing stability – or the lack of it – affected education, health and long-term opportunity. When the chance arose to return to Miami in 2018 to lead Miami Homes For All (MHFA), she seized it, bringing together her expertise, local roots and passion for practical housing solutions.
Under Ms. Lord’s leadership, MHFA has strengthened its role as a voice on affordable housing and homelessness prevention in Miami-Dade County. She has overseen initiatives including the Housing 305 coalition, the Greater Miami Affordable Housing Funders Collaborative, and the 3C program supporting small-scale development led by Black and Latinx developers.Â
The organization also runs innovative housing navigation programs and the Youth Voice Action Collective, giving residents with lived experience, particularly young people who have experienced homelessness, a central role in shaping solutions.
Founded in 1985, MHFA helped create the Homeless Trust and establish the food and beverage tax that reduced homelessness by 87%. In recent years, the focus has shifted to the broader affordable housing crisis, with programs to accelerate development, increase access for lower-income households, and support small-scale developers in marginalized neighborhoods. Ms. Lord emphasizes practical, high-impact strategies – including public investment, zoning reform, streamlined permitting, and targeted incentives – to meet urgent housing needs.
Looking ahead, Ms. Lord and MHFA are focused on scaling programs that produce measurable results while strengthening systemic solutions. As the organization marks its 40th anniversary, its vision remains clear: a Miami where every resident has a safe, affordable place to call home, and where stability in housing opens the door to opportunity, security and community for all.
Ms. Lord spoke with Miami Today reporter Genevieve Bowen.
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