Workshop: Housing and Community Development in the National Spotlight

Date: Monday, Oct 4
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Keynote:

Secretary Marcia L Fudge, U.S. Dept. Housing and Urban Development

Description:

Secretary Fudge will discuss the critical role of community development organizations in the Biden administration’s recovery agenda, which prioritizes equitable resource distribution, community power, and accountability. She will also share her vision for HUD’s role in advancing racial equity and addressing structural racism in the housing and community development sector.

After Secretary Fudge’s remarks, we will explore how the community development field can meet this critical moment. Over the past 18 months, our field has been on the national stage in a way never experienced. From the pandemic-driven acceleration of inequities in the housing market, to the eviction crisis, to the mainstream recognition of racial inequities, to the uneven health and economic impact among LMI neighborhoods, our issues are finally front and center in mainstream America. Federal resources are being dedicated and proposed for our work at a level that we’re unlikely to experience again. How do we as a field use this moment to better serve our communities? What are the consequences for our movement?

 

Workshop: Arts and Community Development: Best Practices for Partnerships

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Moderator:

Lyz Crane, ArtPlace America

Panelists:
Olivia Jiménez, Foundation Communities
Sarah Combs, University Area Community Development Corporation
Jun-Li Wang, Springboard for the Arts

Description:
Leaders in the community development and arts sectors continue to find creative ways to collaborate on common goals, but how do they overcome the well-documented differences between their ways of working? While community development and much of the funding and policy infrastructure that surrounds it focus on working backwards from specific outcomes, arts-based groups and artists strive to create a forward-moving community process that makes for authentic collaboration. Join this session to learn from community development and arts leaders who aim to bring together these different approaches in order to accomplish common goals centered on community empowerment.

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Workshop: Using “Multi-Solves” to take on the Housing and Climate Crises Simultaneously

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Presenter:
Odetta MacLeish-White, Director of Georgia Initiatives, Center for Community Progress

Description:
Odetta MacLeish-White, Director of Georgia Initiatives for the Center for Community Progress, will explore the need to recognize the dynamics of power and privilege in our conversations around sustainability and the development of affordable housing. Under-resourced communities have been multi-solving, repurposing, and living sustainably for generations but structural and institutional racism make it disproportionately difficult for communities of color, and the development partners who want to work with them, to access the resources they need to demonstrate robust community engagement and accomplish projects on time and on budget. MacLeish-White has worked for twenty years in affordable housing development, policy and financing. Her career has included empowering residents and community members to influence development and funding processes that impact their neighborhoods.

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Workshop:  The Big Questions Surrounding CRA Reform

DATE: Monday, Oct. 4

TIME: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

PANELISTS:

Sharon Legenza, Housing Action Illinois

Horacio Mendez, Woodstock Institute

Frank Woodruff, National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations

DESCRIPTION:

Keeping banks and investors accountable to communities and community development goals is a significant and complex undertaking – but critical to advancing the civil rights goals inherent in the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Federal regulators charged with implementing the CRA are currently working through responses from this year’s Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and potentially proposing a draft rule in 2022, if not sooner. At the same time, some states are advancing their own CRA laws to increase lending accountability and transparency. Come hear the most recent updates and engage with our expert roundtable about the big questions being raised by these CRA reform efforts, including how we as a sector might want to see them resolved in order to benefit the communities we work with and serve.

Workshop: Converting Motels and Hotels into Affordable Housing—It Works!

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Moderator:

Yolanda Davila, BBVA

Panelists:
Megan Loeb, Associate Program Officer for Economic Vitality and Health at Oregon Community Foundation
Walter Moreau, Executive Director, Foundation Communities
Linda Taylor, H.O.M.E.S., Inc.

Description:
States, cities and nonprofits are transforming older or vacant motels and hotels into short and long-term housing for the homeless. In this session you’ll learn about strategies for creating permanent housing for youth aging out of foster care, the chronically homeless, and homeless veterans. The session will also explore hotels as rapid acquisitions to provide safe, socially distanced shelter for community members impacted by wildfires and COVID-19. Learn about the often complex financial structures cobbled together–often at great speed–to make these things happen, and how developers have navigated zoning challenges and NIMBY backlashes. These are creative opportunities to quickly stabilize older or vacant unused structures and to focus on creating long-term permanent housing.

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Workshop: Supporting BIPOC-Owned Small Businesses in the Aftermath of the Pandemic

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
TBD

Description:
BIPOC-owned small businesses were hit hard by the pandemic, which exposed the inequities and other challenges they face accessing resources and capital to stay in business. Their struggles have provided an opportunity for community leaders to rethink how we support small businesses. Hear from community leaders as they discuss what they’ve learned and what needs to be done to foster an environment of support, inclusion, growth, and resiliency for BIPOC-owned small businesses.

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Workshop: Bridging the Racial Wealth Gap Through Home Ownership

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Lot Diaz, Vice President, Housing and Community Development, Unidos US
David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference

Description:
The racial wealth gap is not news, nor is the fact that homeownership is the main tool for building wealth. But with the multigenerational effects of discriminatory housing policies and practices contributing to white families having eight times the wealth of Black families and five times the wealth of Latinx families, what can be done to increase home ownership by people of color and narrow the racial wealth gap? Join this important discussion as housing advocates from National Housing Conference and Unidos US discuss the unique challenges of this effort and describe the 3by30 campaign and other innovative opportunities to increase Black and Latinx home ownership.

Workshop: Ballerina, Astronaut, or Housing Counselor: Growing the Housing Counseling Profession

Date: Monday, Oct. 4
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm PDT (4:30 pm – 5:30 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Latisha Carlisle, Vice-President of Housing, NID Housing
Ellie Pepper, Deputy Director, National Housing Resource Center
David Young, Director of Capacity Building, Housing Action Illinois

Description:
Every day, housing counselors play a key role in helping people purchase or keep their homes, but most people have no idea that housing counseling is a profession, or how to become a housing counselor. Changing this is key to building more stable, equitable communities, since counselors help families and individuals–especially first-time buyers and those who have historically been shut out of homeownership opportunities–get on and stay on the path to sustainable homeownership. Join us to discuss how to raise the profile of the housing counseling field, encourage more people to consider it as a profession, guide them in becoming HUD-certified counselors, and ultimately increase the ranks of housing counseling professionals.

Workshop: The Identity of the Field – Our Past & Future

Date: Tuesday, Oct 5
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
TBD

Description:
Our field includes a parade of diverse organizations with different agendas, practices, and origins. Our common values bind us together in our diversity. We march together to advance equitable public policies and investments. Hear seasoned practitioners share their reflections on the core values and best practices that their organizations stand firm in as they work to equitably advance prosperity in their communities.

Workshop: Making Voices of Color Central in Systemic Change

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Moderator:

Leslie Reid, CEO, Madison Park Development Corporation

Panelists:
Terrance Narcisse, CEO, East Harris County Empowerment Council
Rev. Bill Stanfield, CEO, Metanoia CDC
Katrina Holland, Executive Director, JOIN

Description:
Community development is rooted in movements working for racial justice. But as the sector evolves, how can we make sure its future is shaped by the voices of leaders of color? Despite the fact that these leaders have been blazing the way forward and fighting the systemic barriers that their communities face, policy, funding, and decision-making structures have again and again shortchanged their community development initiatives. Join the discussion as leaders of color explore the challenge of addressing systemic racism within our industry. What can dominant-culture CDC organizations, philanthropy, and government agencies do to shift power structures and advance a more equitable and racially just economy?

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Workshop: Eviction and the Pandemic: What We’re Learning and What Comes Next

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Michelle Gilbert, LCBH
Sarah Gallagher, NLIHC ERASE Project

Description:
A concerted national effort to protect public health and rein in COVID-19 has led to federal and state eviction moratoria, unprecedented investments in emergency rent assistance, and other policies to prevent evictions. As we plan this session, COVID-19 case rates are rising again, the CDC has reinstated a national eviction moratorium through October 3, and a small number of states still have their own moratoriums. Rent assistance is being distributed, although not quickly enough, and many communities are using local strategies to address eviction and its impacts. These include sealing eviction records and expanding access to legal assistance and court-based mediation programs. Join us to discuss the effectiveness of these strategies and explore reducing barriers to finding future housing. We’ll spotlight current advocacy needs and additional policy reforms, especially those supported by the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s ERASE (End Rental Arrears to Stop Evictions) project.

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Workshop: Voter Engagement – The Georgia Story

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, President and CEO, Georgia ACT
Jerry Gonzalez
Rev. Fer-Rell Malone

Description:
Join Georgia ACT’s President and CEO, Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, and representatives from Georgia’s urban, rural, and Latino populations for a discussion of the 2020 Georgia voter engagement activities and 2021 initiatives, including the 42-city tour across the state that Georgia ACT and a group of collaborators recently completed. The group sponsored local town hall meetings on the impacts of Senate Bill 202 and the American Rescue Plan, and information on how local communities can access funds for community projects related to voter engagement. She’ll speak about current activities too, such as campaigns centered around getting people out to vote or how they plan on getting to the polls to vote. Dr. Hayes-Brown will also discuss voter engagement activities for the upcoming mid-term elections, and panelists will provide suggestions for engagement at the national level.

Workshop: Protecting Communities as LIHTC Affordability Periods Expire

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
David Davenport, Managing Partner, BC Davenport, LLC
Ellen Lurie Hoffman, Senior Director of Federal Policy, National Housing Trust
Robert Rozen, Policy Attorney

Description:
Predatory Low Income Housing Tax Credit Investors are a growing threat to communities and organizations. We’ll discuss how these disputes drain resources from nonprofits, threaten the long-term affordability of properties, and undermine the well-being of residents and communities. Join us to learn about how litigation, federal legislation, and state and local policies can help mitigate this destructive trend and how your organization can protect itself from predatory investors.

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Workshop: Community Development and Public Health as Pandemic Partners

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 5
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Dr. Bambie Hayes-Brown, President and CEO, Georgia ACT
Sherrell Byrd
Liz Coyle

Description:
In the middle of the pandemic, the City of Albany was labeled the COVID epicenter of south Georgia. Hear how one community organization in Albany implemented programs to support a community with health challenges that provided the perfect breeding ground for the spread of the virus. Georgia ACT will also share what they encountered around the state on their 42-city 3V (Vaccines, Visions and Votes) Liberation Tour, and discuss their grant-funded partnership with Georgia Watch, the Morehouse School of Medicine, Georgians for Healthy Future, Public Agenda and Altarum – an initiative focused on training community healthcare workers to engage with local community leaders and elected officials in support of funding, programs, and services for their communities.

Workshop: Lessons from Hermiston, Oregon: Building Affordable Housing in Rural Communities

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Nikolai Ursin, Housing Developer, Northwest Housing Alternatives
Bill Lanning, AIA, Principal, MWA Architects
Brian Layman, Project Manager, Walsh Construction Co.

Description:
Rural communities face unique challenges when dealing with the affordable housing crisis. There’s a shortage of affordable housing in rural Oregon, and for most small towns in the state, new construction means an uphill battle. Join the team of the Northwest Housing Alternative’s Hermiston Family Housing project as they discuss some of the lessons learned and successes achieved in building affordable multifamily housing in Hermiston, Oregon.

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Workshop: Best Practices in Co-located Domestic Violence Services: Home Forward and the YWCA of Greater Portland

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Presenter:
Jaidra Hennessey, Director of Domestic and Sexual Violence Programs, YWCA of Greater Portland

Description:
Jaidra Hennessey, Director of Domestic and Sexual Violence Programs with the YWCA of Greater Portland, will examine the successes and challenges of embedding Domestic Violence (DV) Advocates within a Public Housing Authority (PHA). When Home Forward, the PHA for Multnomah County, Oregon, and the YWCA partnered to provide advocacy services to survivors of abuse in subsidized housing, the expectation was that DV would decrease. Yet, despite the program’s success, more referrals than ever are being made. This workshop presents an opportunity to explore the nature and structure of the advocacy partnership, considerations when partnering with victim service providers, navigating complex and changing policies, managing conflict, and why increased referrals are actually a good thing.

Workshop: Addressing Construction Workforce Gaps as Need for Affordable Housing Grows

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Moderator:
Mekha Abraham, Program Manager, OHCS Multifamily Energy Program

Panelists:
Michael Figueredo, OHCS, Weatherization Training & Technical Assistance Coordinator
James Metoyer, Workforce Development Training Manager, Earth Advantage
Lisa Palermo, Development Director, Oregon Tradeswoman

Description:
In the next twenty years more than 580,000 new homes must be added in Oregon, and more than half of them need to be affordable. While the demand for new affordable housing continues to grow, a construction workforce shortage is also growing throughout the state. To meet the demand, the construction industry will need to attract new talent that’s highly skilled, qualified, and diverse. In this session, you’ll hear from state leaders offering multiple training programs to address this gap, including initiatives focused on the green building and energy-efficiency industry, which is growing fast as new energy policies are rolled out from the local to global level to drive down energy use and emissions from buildings. Audience participation is highly encouraged, so take part in order to better understand your construction workforce needs in affordable housing.

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Workshop: Equitable Research, Evaluation, and Governance for Supportive Housing Programs

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am PDT (1:30 pm -2:30 pm EDT)

Panelists:
Dr. Marisa Zapata, Associate Professor of Land-Use Planning and Director of Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative, Portland State University
Alyssa Craigie, Director of Health Systems Integration, Health Share of Oregon
L. Bentley Moses, Program Manager, Center for Outcomes Research and Education

Description:
What does it look like for homelessness research and evaluation practices to be centered on racial equity and people who have lived experience with homelessness? Researchers from Health Share of Oregon worked with Portland State University’s Homelessness Research & Action Collaborative and Providence CORE to answer this question. They will discuss their study focused on the Regional Supportive Housing Impact Fund, which addresses the growing need for permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness with serious health care needs in the Portland metropolitan region. The findings and recommendations of this study provide actionable guidance for any organization seeking more equitable research, evaluation, and governance approaches for supportive housing and homelessness services.

Workshop:  Housing Oregon Annual Leadership Awards Ceremony

Date: Wednesday, October 6

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm PDT (3:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT)

Presenters:

Chabre Vickers, Vice President, Community Development Officer – Oregon, Wells Fargo

Afton Walsh, Community Outreach Director and Project Manager, Walsh Construction Co.

Description:

Housing Oregon’s Annual Leadership Awards are first and foremost an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the amazing efforts of the many staff, leaders, and volunteers championing affordable multi-family rental housing, homeless services, and homeownership opportunities for low-income households across Oregon. Join housing leaders, advocates and supporters as representatives from our Presenting Sponsors – Wells Fargo and Walsh Construction Co. – present awards to individuals and housing developers and service providers for their projects and programs advancing innovation, equity, and impact within the affordable housing industry in Oregon.

Workshop: Eliminating a Barrier: Fair Housing and Advocacy for Housing Applicants with Criminal Histories

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm PDT (4:30 pm – 5:30 pm EDT)

Presenter:
Glenda Moyer, Eastern Oregon Education and Outreach Specialist, Fair Housing Council of Oregon

Description:
Criminal history can be a barrier for some when trying to secure housing. And yet many people with disabilities who have criminal history and people of color continue to face fair housing discrimination. When criminal history is directly related to a disability or when a housing applicant can provide information about a positive shift or change in their criminal behavior, housing providers should consider the applicant. This session will provide advocates information on how to submit reasonable accommodation requests when assisting those with disabilities when related to their criminal record. Criminal history screening for housing has a disparate impact on communities of color due to inequality in the criminal justice system. We will learn about HUD’s 2016 guidance around people’s right to ask for individual consideration regarding their background.  

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Workshop: Making Upgrades Count: Helping Residents Make the Most of Their New Energy Efficient Homes

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm PDT (4:30 pm – 5:30 pm EDT)

Moderator:
Kristen Bellows, Marketing Lead, OHCS Multifamily Energy Program

Panelists:
Julia Sinex, Technical Manager, OHCS Multifamily Energy Program
Clayton Crowhurst, Housing Developer, Northwest Housing Alternatives
James Snowcarp, Maintenance Technician, Sunnyslope Manor, Cascade Management

Description:
Criminal history can be a barrier for some when trying to secure housing. And yet many people with disabilities who have a criminal history and people of color continue to face discrimination when trying to access housing. When criminal history is directly related to a disability or when a housing applicant can provide information about a positive shift or change in their criminal behavior, housing providers should consider the applicant. This session will provide advocates information on how to submit reasonable accommodation requests when assisting those with disabilities when related to their criminal record. In addition, we’ll cover disparate impact for people of color regarding criminal history and how letters of explanation can assist with obtaining housing.

Workshop: The Ghosts of Our Past: A History of Housing Displacement, Discrimination, and Segregation in Oregon

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm PDT (6:00 pm – 7:30 pm EDT)

Presenter:
Shyle Ruder, Education and Outreach Director, Fair Housing Council of Oregon

Description:
Oregon has a little-known history of housing displacement, discrimination, and segregation that has laid the foundation for the disparities we see in our state today. Come to this session to learn this troubling history. Starting from Oregon’s founding as a territory, we’ll look at how racist practices from that time still have an impact today, examine how governmental policies and programs reinforced systemic racism through practices like red lining, and delve into how the real estate industry and the FHA further solidified racial and economic disparities in the state.

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Workshop: Creating Permanent Supportive Housing Through a Trauma Informed Lens

Date: Wednesday, Oct. 6
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:30 pm PDT (6:00 pm – 7:30 pm EDT)

Moderator:
Kristen Bellows, Marketing Lead, OHCS Multifamily Energy Program

Panelists:
Briana Manfrass, Associate Principal, Pinnacle Architecture
Ryan Cain, Project Designer, Pinnacle Architecture
Stacey Witte, Executive Director, REACH (Relationship Empowerment Action Compassion Heart)

Description:
Imagine being a veteran suffering from PTSD and addiction and living on the streets in a constant state of flight or fight. You’re invited to live in a new PSH (Permanent Supported Housing) community with a roof over your head, a comfortable bed, and services to get you on your feet. It sounds like a dream come true, but for that veteran it’s a drastic change filled with unknowns. Going from living outdoors to occupying an enclosed space surrounded by strangers can trigger traumas and make it very difficult to transition into a new life. Anyone who wants to create successful PSH projects needs to understand that residents have experienced trauma and it’s important to create an environment that promotes a sense of pride and dignity. Attendees will hear from a professional who works with our community’s most vulnerable daily and learn how designers integrate their needs into PSH projects.

Workshop: Trauma-Informed Design in Housing

Date: Thursday, Oct. 7
Time: 9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Presenter:
Dr. Christa Jones, Psychologist, Behavioral Health, Multnomah County
Kim Stanley, Interior Designer, RID, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, Carleton Hart Architecture

Description:

A holistic approach to transitional and permanent supportive housing must consider the influence of trauma on a person’s wellbeing. We’re seeing how close collaboration among service providers, designers, and development teams can help create a built environment that contributes to the healing process. A joint presentation by Dr. Christa Jones, a psychologist, and Kim Stanley, an interior designer (RID, IIDA, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP), will open with an overview of trauma and trauma-informed care by Dr. Jones, whose work includes creating programs for people experiencing or working through trauma. She will provide an overview of how trauma manifests across the lifespan, and discuss re-victimization and trauma-informed practices. Kim Stanley will share her experience working on projects for people who have experienced trauma. Through case studies, she’ll explore how to effectively use design techniques that minimize architectural triggers and contribute to occupants’ wellbeing while also promoting their dignity.

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Workshop:  Blending Affordable Housing, Community Wealth-Building, and Small Business Success

Date:  Thursday, Oct. 7

Time:  9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Moderator:

Steven White, Attorney, Oregon office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

Panelists:       

John W. Haines, Executive Director, Community Investment Trust, Mercy Corps

Maggie Reilly, Vice President and Lender, Craft3

Bill Van Vliet, Executive Director, Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH)

Description:

Awakened by COVID and the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, a renewed focus and funding support is attempting to accelerate a range of long-term racial and rural disparities with an array of priorities in housing, community wealth building and small business survival and incubation. How do we avoid silo thinking and funding to foster collaboration and more integrated impact in neighborhoods?  Join us in a discussion with long-time Oregon housing leader NOAH (Network for Oregon Affordable Housing), the leading regional CDFI, Craft3, and the Community Investment Trust (CIT) of Mercy Corps. Panel will be moderated by Steven White, Attorney with Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe, LLP.

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Workshop:  Lessons in Community and Family Resilience from the 2020 Wildfires

Date:  Thursday, Oct. 7

Time:  9:00 am – 10:00 am PDT (12:00 pm – 1:00 pm EDT)

Moderator:

Kim Travis, Wildfire Recovery Manager, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Panelists:         

Ryan Flynn, Assistant Director of Disaster Recovery and Resiliency, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Michael Morter, Wildfire Recovery Ombudsman, Office of Oregon Governor Kate Brown

Candace Jamison, Executive Director, Marion County Housing Authority

Description:

In early fall of 2020, Oregon experienced a devastating series of wildfires, losing nearly 4,200 homes and forever changing the lives and landscapes in its varied pathways. The fires left thousands of residents homeless and economically vulnerable; the state was already reeling from a severe shortage of affordable housing, escalating costs for land and materials, a growing gap between rental rates and wages, and unprecedented levels of housing insecurity made worse by COVID-19.  Panel participants will outline lessons learned and how we can be more prepared for future disasters, provide a status of new resources (HB 5006) to address the 2020 wildfires, and discuss the importance of modular construction to expedite recovery.