The team at the Canadian Centre for Housing Rights extends its sincere gratitude to Annie Hodgins as she concludes her thirteen-year tenure with the organization, most recently serving as Executive Director from 2022 to 2025.
Over more than a decade of service, Annie played a central role in advancing CCHR’s mission at a time when housing insecurity has emerged as one of the most pressing social and public policy challenges of our time. Joining the organization in 2013 — when it was still CERA — and progressing through increasingly senior roles across programs, policy, fundraising, operations, strategy, and executive leadership, she helped guide the organization through a period of significant growth, institutional strengthening, and expanded national impact in support of advancing everyone’s right to housing.
Annie began her tenure designing and leading core programs, including CCHR’s legal services and public education initiatives for renters. Under her leadership, these areas expanded substantially, deepening the organization’s capacity to support individuals and families facing eviction, housing instability, and discrimination. Throughout her work, she consistently emphasized community-informed, evidence-based approaches, ensuring that frontline realities shaped program design, research, and policy contributions.
A strategic systems thinker, Annie worked to translate lived experiences of housing precarity into responsive programs, policy engagement, and collaborative initiatives that strengthened CCHR’s effectiveness and reach. Over the course of her tenure, she led and contributed to the development of numerous funded initiatives, securing more than $15 million in support while reinforcing the organization’s long-term sustainability and ability to serve renters across Canada.
Throughout her career at CCHR, Annie demonstrated a deep commitment to values-driven leadership grounded in accountability, inclusion, and strong governance. She helped modernize internal policies, performance frameworks, and organizational systems to better reflect principles of fairness, and impact, supporting a resilient and mission-focused organization.
As Executive Director, Annie provided executive oversight for a complex, multi-program portfolio of more than 20 integrated initiatives and an annual operating budget exceeding $3.2 million. During this period, CCHR continued its evolution from a primarily Ontario-based organization into a nationally recognized voice in housing rights, strengthening partnerships with governments, community organizations, funders, and sector stakeholders committed to advancing housing stability and eviction prevention.
Importantly, Annie’s advocacy and leadership were informed by both professional expertise and lived experience, shaping a leadership approach grounded in empathy, equity, and a clear understanding of the disproportionate impact of housing insecurity on marginalized communities. This perspective contributed to her sustained focus on practical, rights-based solutions that prioritize dignity, stability, and access to safe housing.
Reflecting on her tenure, Annie shared:
“It has been a profound privilege to contribute to work that is ultimately about ensuring that everyone has a stable place to call home. Housing insecurity is one of the defining social challenges of our time, and meaningful progress requires sustained collaboration between communities, governments, and the non-profit sector. My commitment to housing justice has always been informed by both professional experience and lived awareness of how housing instability shapes people’s lives. I remain deeply grateful to the staff, partners, and communities whose insight, dedication, and lived expertise continue to drive this work forward.“
Annie’s leadership has left a lasting and meaningful contribution to CCHR’s mission, programs, and strategic direction, as well as to the broader housing rights landscape in Canada. On behalf of the organization, we extend our sincere appreciation for her years of dedicated service, thoughtful stewardship, and enduring commitment to advancing equitable access to housing.
We wish Annie every success in her next chapter and are confident she will continue to make a significant contribution to housing policy, public interest leadership, and the collective effort to ensure that everyone in Canada has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.
Thank you, Annie.