Who can speak about regional affordable housing solutions?

The Cornell University planning department is organizing a symposium on regional planning this fall and is looking for engaging speakers. We're hoping to find a speaker who has had practical experience dealing with affordable housing issues at the multi-municipality level. Does anyone have ideas of potential candidates?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kurt Creager on June 10, 2010 at 5:40pm

Dear Nathaniel; please specify if you are looking for speakers with a Mid-Atlantic or NE perspective or if you want some ideas from the Left Coast? The counties in the west tend to be expansive therefore more likely to be Multi-Municipality as you say. Also are you looking for policy professionals or practitioners? Some good housing planning and policy work is being done regionally but oftentimes the people actually implementing the programs and projects are different people. You can contact me through the ASU Stardust Center in Phoenix at kurt.creager@asu.edu or through Urbanist Solutions; kurt.urbanist@gmail.com. Best, Kurt Creager

Permalink Reply by Nathaniel Decker on June 11, 2010 at 8:27am

We’re trying to get people who actually implement the programs and projects. Part of the motivation for this symposium is masters students’ desire for a non-academic, non-theoretical perspective on regional planning. We’re hoping to have a broad geographic range of speakers but, because we’re still in the early stages of planning for this event, I’m eager to know of anyone who can speak well on this topic, regardless of where they’re from.

Permalink Reply by Kurt Creager on June 11, 2010 at 5:48pm

Dear Nate: if you are trying to fuse together housing policy with land use plans and implementing ordinances I would recommend a few folks in addition to Kate Allen;

1) Art Sullivan; Program Manager
A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH)
asullivan@ci.bellevue.wa.us
(425) 861-3677

ARCH is a sub-regional coalition of partners that encompasses the eastern part of Metro King County and several cities located north and east of Lake Washington across from Seattle. Redmond is home of Microsoft and Art's office is there. Beginning over 20 years ago these jusrisdictions pooled their funding, land and other resources to effect affordable housing policy and practice including joint underwriting of projects. ARCH also is a collaborative on local, state and federal policy and assists the cities with bonus density incentives, transit oriented development and inclusionary housing policies. Art is the founding Director and worked at BRIDGE in San Francisco before coming to Puget Sound. ARCH (and Art Sullivan personally) has been honored by Harvard's Kennedy School of Government for their innovation in local government practice.

2) Elizabeth (Betsy) Morris; President
EMAdvisors
emadvisors@cox.net
(619) 295-7455

After 27 years as CEO, President and Director of the San Diego Housing Commission Betsy recently retired and formed EMAdvisors. She established the housing trust fund in San Diego capitalized by an office linkage fund and established/administered their inclusionary zoning program, TOD Program and TIF-funded redevelopment program. She Chairs the NAHRO International Committee and has a broad perspective that encompasses more than just southern California.

3) Karen Hemmingson; Director of Research and Corporate Planning
BC Housing
khemmingson@bchousing.org
(604) 433-1711

People in the USA often fail to consider the good work going on in Canada-agruably among the best joined up policy and program development in North America. BCHousing is the Provincial Housing Ministry and operates from the very urbane market of Vancouver BC to the First Nations rural aboriganal communities of their vast province. The provincial funding for housing in Vancouver is thoughtful and comprehensive including the redevelopment of the Expo '86 site on False Creek as well as the redeployment of Winter Olympic Housing for the Vancouver Workforce. Most notably the Ministry has intertwined housing and health care policy in a way that is not found in the USA-anywhere on a significant scale. Their operating budget is $ 900M Canadian and their CEO Shayne Ramsay just announced creation of a privately funded equity pool that is moving forward with an array of green urban infill projects in Vancouver.

4) Patrick Maier; Executive Director
Innovative Housing Institute
pmairer@ihibalto.org
(410) 332-9939

Patrick Maier was Director of Development for the Montgomery County (MD) Housing Authority and ensured the development of affordable houing in the County and cities within Mongomery County for many years. His operational knowledge of inclusionary zoning policies generally and the Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) program specifically in Montomery County makes him a good resource.

Permalink Reply by Kate Allen on June 11, 2010 at 2:44pm

In the Portland, OR/Vancouver, WA region, housing agencies (HA's & entitlement jurisdictions) have historically collaborated informally across 4 counties in 2 states for specific outcomes - securing fed funding for a Healthy Homes initiative, use of HOPWA funds, etc. That collaboration is currently deepening and expanding to include the regional government, transportation and workforce agencies, and affordable housing practitioners, in the development of a regional housing affordability plan.

I work as the City of Portland Housing Policy Manager - and as liasion to other gov. and non-gov. partners in this effort. I'd be happy to provide more info if useful. Reach me at kate.allen@portlandoregon.gov, 503.823.3606