About Us | New Story

Our story

Brett Hagler, Alexandria Lafci, Matthew Marshall, and Mike Arrieta founded New Story in 2014 after believing there had to be better ways to solve one of the world’s largest problems: inadequate housing.

After graduating from Y Combinator in 2015, the team brought tech, transparency, and top-tier business principles to the housing crisis. It was a new model for housing nonprofits — and it was changing the lives of families.

In 2019, we partnered with ICON to help build the world’s first community of 3D-printed homes — all for families without adequate housing. It’s a big part of our story, but it’s only the beginning.

We’re now using a market-based strategy to impact 1 million people by 2030.

Join the mission

Generous supporters make our work possible

Get Involved

Donors, investors, and corporations are working together to tackle the housing crisis.

Our supporters help us use multiple interventions and blended capital to build a better housing market for vulnerable families. Sustainable solutions are creating scalable impact.

How we work

We go beyond building homes for families. We build a housing market that includes families in need.

Vulnerable families want to be more than passive beneficiaries. They want to participate in a housing market that meets their needs and desires — just like you. That’s why we use a market-based strategy that incentivizes the market to serve low-income families.

Together, we can catalyze change at scale.

See our strategy

Housing creates new stories

Israel couldn’t wear his favorite slippers on the dirty floor he used to live on. He also couldn’t study after sunset. Now he’s wearing his slippers whenever he wants and doing his homework at night.

Israel

El Espino, El Salvador

Rosibel lived on the streets for three years, where she was often sick and the rain ruined all of her belongings. Now she’s a healthy homeowner with a thriving tamale business.

Rosibel

El Espino, El Salvador

Lucas used to distrust his neighbors and feel unsafe in his family’s makeshift home. Now his family feels secure in a safe home and he serves on his neighborhood’s committee.