Jimmy Carter lived a life that radiated character, purpose, and an unyielding commitment to service.

His steady, unflinching presence in the face of challenges and his belief in the dignity of every individual has left an indelible mark on humanity. For those of us in housing — homebuilding, development, and investment — Carter’s life serves as a living blueprint for what it means to build with purpose.

Housing, Carter believed, was more than a physical structure. It was the foundation of dignity, stability, and hope.

Without a home, you don’t have a place to put your dreams,” as Holly Eaton said during a 2019 Carter Work Project in Nashville.

I wrote at the time:

Carter, 95, and sporting a shiner, 14 stitches and a bandage over his left eye after a fall that occurred at home in Plains, GA, on the eve of the Habitat build, said a little bump wouldn't prevent his and Rosalynn's plan to build just a little part of each of the neighborhood's 21 new homes. Nashville Tennessean staffer Jessica Bliss wrote:

"We’re here tonight due to a path of generosity and service and selflessness," [Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said ... "A path that was forged by President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn."

Carter understood that deeply, and he made it his mission to offer people that essential foundation — not as an act of charity, but as an act of justice.

The Power of Showing Up

In 2019, at age 95 and nursing injuries from a fall, Carter and Rosalynn still showed up. They arrived at the Habitat for Humanity site in North Nashville, their hands ready to work, their presence sparking purpose in everyone around them.

They were there to contribute, not to preside.

And that distinction — rolling up their sleeves and joining others in a common purpose — defined their leadership.

By showing up, Carter reminded us of a truth the homebuilding industry often overlooks in its pursuit of scale and efficiency: housing is not just a business — it’s a mission. It’s about building places where people can dream, grow, and thrive. It’s about building communities that embody character and care as much as they reflect innovation and capital investment.

Carter himself put it simply but profoundly:

Human rights begin with a place to live.”

Housing as Common Ground

In today’s polarized landscape, Carter’s example offers a stark reminder: housing transcends partisanship. It is, and always has been, common ground. It bridges divides — economic, social, and cultural — because at its core, it answers a fundamental human need. Carter’s life was a testament to this. He refused to let politics or power dilute his values, showing us that progress in housing requires not only resources but also the resolve to work across divisions with integrity and humility.

As fires rage in Los Angeles and climate-driven crises upend housing markets across the nation, Carter’s legacy speaks louder than ever. Housing, like any other essential human issue, demands that we “learn smart lessons from disasters, not stupid ones,” as Noah Smith writes in a recent essay about the wildfires.

Smart lessons inspire us to prepare for the challenges of tomorrow. Stupid lessons lock us in endless cycles of blame and inaction.”

Carter’s approach to housing was always about learning and acting on learning those lessons: showing up, fostering collaboration, and solving problems together. His life reminds us that the solutions to housing’s most significant challenges —affordability, sustainability, and resiliency — will not come solely from policies or profits.

They will come from moral clarity and the courage to confront adversity with empathy and resolve.

Lessons from Carter’s Life

Carter’s work with Habitat for Humanity was not symbolic — it was transformational. His hands-on approach, from woodworking to hammering nails, demonstrated that leadership is not about directing from above but contributing from within.

As he said during the 2019 build:

A little bump isn’t going to keep me from working.”

That same week, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee captured the essence of Carter’s impact:

We’re here tonight due to a path of generosity and service and selflessness—a path forged by President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn.”

This path — the fusion of personal resolve and community purpose — is precisely what the housing industry needs today. From skyrocketing insurance premiums tied to climate risks to regulatory gridlock delaying resilient development, Carter’s legacy reminds us that solutions require more than financial models or policies. They demand moral clarity, shared purpose, and the perseverance Carter embodied.

Character and Community: Housing’s True Cornerstones

Housing is not just a business. It is a solution — economic, social, cultural, and personal. But, as Carter’s life teaches us, the most pressing challenges in housing—affordability, sustainability, and climate resiliency — cannot be solved by capital alone. These solutions demand character, community, and a willingness to confront adversity with courage and collaboration.

Moral education is about helping people become their best versions,” writes New York Times columnist David Brooks.

Carter exemplified this, not through lectures or directives, but through action. He taught us that purpose — fusing individual and collective goals—is the catalyst for transformation. As Brooks notes,

When people are in their student years, their primary motivation is to experience feelings of status and respect. They will listen to and respond to challenges only if they feel respected and safe.”

Carter made people feel respected and safe. That was his super power.

In his 95th year, Carter reflected on his woodworking, saying he hoped that, centuries from now, someone would sit on one of his benches and feel pride in its enduring strength.

It's a very good and solid and tough design, but also very beautiful," Mr. Carter said. "I hope that 500 years in the future, somebody will be sitting on the bench [saying], 'A president made this bench.' I hope it will be a source of pride but still in use."

That hope mirrors his vision for housing: that the homes we build today will stand as monuments not only to architectural ingenuity but to human compassion and resilience.

Let us honor Jimmy Carter not just by saluting his extraordinary life but by striving to embody his principles in our work. Let us build homes — and a housing culture — that reflect his unwavering belief that we are all called to serve. Housing is our shared foundation, and Jimmy Carter’s life proves that building it right requires more than tools and materials. It requires heart, soul, and action.