2024 Conference Recordings

Thursday, March 7 | 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM

Opening Plenary Session

Celebrating Successes and Shaping the Future: Building a System and Movement to Achieve Housing Justice

Sponsored by Chase Bank

Achieving a housing system that truly meets the needs of low-income Californians will require a paradigmatic shift, both in terms of our strategies and our allies. How can we build on our existing infrastructure for delivering affordable housing, while also creating space to reimagine and actualize a future where government, residents, developers and service providers are working together? And how do we build a movement with real power – one that extends beyond traditional housing stakeholders to people with lived experience and groups that are part of the broader movements for racial and economic justice? Panelists will discuss a future of housing that is grounded in both pragmatism and the systemic change that this crisis demands.

Opening Remarks:

• Rex Richardson, Mayor, City of Long Beach

Plenary Speakers:

• Chione Flegal, Housing California, Executive Director
• Diane Yentel, National Low Income Housing Coalition, President/CEO
• Tomiquia Moss, Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency, Secretary
• William Goodwin, Hope Solutions, Housing Policy Consultant

Thursday, March 7 | 4:05 PM – 5:00 PM

Afternoon Plenary Session

Financing Our Future: Campaigns to Grow our Revenue for Affordable Housing

Sponsored by Merritt Community Capital Corporation

In 2021, Housing CA in collaboration with the California Housing Partnership launched Roadmap Home 2030, a bold, long-term plan to create the future we want for California by building affordable homes, protecting low-income renters, ending homelessness, and advancing racial equity and economic inclusion. California will need to invest approximately $18 billion per year to deliver on these goals. Join a lively discussion with housing leaders who are taking this challenge to the voters and translating recent wins into change on the ground. Hear about the work they are leading to secure and direct billions of dollars of new public funding to advance housing justice.

Plenary Speakers:

• Jennifer Martinez, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Policy Director
• Alicia Sebastian, California Coalition for Rural Housing, Executive Director
• Sabrina Smith, California Calls, Chief Executive Officer
• Amie Fishman, Non-Profit Housing Association or Northern California, Executive Director
• Isela Gracian, Office of Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell, Senior Deputy, Homelessness and Housing

Friday, March 8 | 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Morning Plenary Session

Tackling California’s Housing Crisis through Innovation, Collaboration, and Visionary Leadership: A Conversation with State Housing Leaders

Sponsored by U.S. Bank

California is leading the nation in developing and implementing innovative and transformative housing and homelessness solutions. Meet the state leaders challenging the status quo and bringing to fruition the dream of a California with homes, health, and prosperity for all in thriving, sustainable communities. During this moderated discussion you will learn what’s working, what’s on the horizon for state policies and programs, how California leaders are thinking of challenges, and the pivotal role advocates play in shaping the future of housing and homelessness.

Opening Remarks:

• Rob Bonta, California Department of Justice, Attorney General

Plenary Speakers:

• Gustavo Velasquez, California Department of Housing and Community Development , Director
• Lynn Von Koch-Liebert, Strategic Growth Council, Executive Director
• Tiena Johnson-Hall, California Housing Finance Agency, Executive Director
• Dhakshike Wickrema, BCSH, Deputy Secretary
• Bernadette Austin, CivicWell, Chief Executive Officer

Developer’s Toolbox: Construction Contracts and Insurance State of the Market

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Protecting your construction project from risk is a big challenge in the current market. The Developer’s Toolbox will focus on minimizing your total cost of risk through proactive contract protections, risk management, and insurance coverage. This will help you stay up to date with construction contract changes and recommended best practices. The workshop will also take a deep dive into the state of the insurance market and the continued difficulties facing the affordable housing segment as to premiums and lack of available coverage. We will discuss what options may be available to you as well as responsible risk mitigation steps you can take to help improve your position on your next construction project.

Presenters:

• Robyn Roesner, Area Executive Vice President, Gallagher
• William DiCamillo, Partner, Goldfarb & LIpman LLP
• Matt Heaton, Attorney, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
• Sara Gibson, Senior Risk Control Consultant, Arthur J. Gallagher

Fundamentals of Tax-Exempt Bonds

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The purpose of this Learning Lab is to introduce the basics of tax-exempt bonds relating to affordable housing finance. The workshop will teach the basic and technical requirements, the who and why of the multitude of players, the process of obtaining a bond volume cap allocation from CDLAC, general deal structuring, and the costs of issuance.

Presenters:

• Meagan Tokunaga Block, Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Anthony Stubbs, Financial Advisor, California Municipal Finance Authority
• Ben Barker, Financial Advisor , California Municipal Finance Authority
• Brian Haroldson, Shareholder, Jones Hall

Introduction to Affordable Housing Development and Finance

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

This Learning Lab will introduce the major aspects of affordable housing development in California, focusing primarily on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and companion State funding sources, and calling attention to how these programs influence how housing gets built, where, and for whom. Presenters/panelists will include a nonprofit developer, construction manager, and financial consultant who will walk participants through the affordable housing development lifecycle from predevelopment to construction to operations to eventual recapitalization, introducing the roles of other key players along the way. Interactive tools will be used to demonstrate how the development concept is iteratively shaped by organizational and community needs, site and design limitations, and available financing sources. The construction, lease-up and operations stages will be described with emphasis on how these phases are impacted by decisions made during the predevelopment period.

Presenters:

• Ben Creed, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Lisa Motoyama, Sr. Affordable Housing Finance Consultant, Community Economics, Inc.
• Matthew Wickersham, Principal, AMJ Construction Management
• Michelle Espinosa Coulter, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Denice Wint, Vice President, Real Estate Development, EAH Housing

LOIs and Term Sheets and RFPs, Oh My! Demystifying the Investor and Lender Selection Process

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Success! You’ve just won a tax credit or bond award and now it’s time to select a lender and LIHTC investor. How do you go about the process? How do you interpret lender term sheets and investor LOIs? Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore… Our panel of lender, investor, developer, and financial consultant experts will reveal what’s behind the curtain of the lender and investor selection process. You’ll walk away empowered with the courage, heart, and brains to select and onboard your investor and lender partners. Join us!

Presenters:

• Claire Parisa, Director of Acquisitions, Enterprise Community Investments
• Tamar Sarkisian, Capital Officer, Capital One
• Mengxin Zhou, Associate Director, Financial Consulting, California Housing Partnership
• Michael Duarte, Chief Real Estate Officer, Fresno Housing Authority
• Elissa Dennis, Executive Director, Community Economics

Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Fundamentals

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit remains the most important and one of the most complex financing tools for the creation and preservation of affordable housing in California. This Learning Lab combines lessons from financial consultants and presentations from CTCAC staff to introduce the nuts and bolts of the tax credit program. Participants will learn how to calculate LIHTC equity and navigate CTCAC’s 9% scoring system. Whether you’re new to affordable housing or already working on CTCAC applications, you’ll benefit from this interactive session.

Presenters:

• Genise Choy, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Anthony Zeto, Deputy Executive Director, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
• Adrienne Gemheart, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership

Project Closeout: Skills for a Successful Permanent Conversion

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

There is a lot of focus on assembling your development’s financing and getting to the start of construction, but what about the second closing that happens at conversion to permanent financing? There is so much for a development team to manage: demonstrating stabilized occupancy, cost certifications, LIHTC equity adjusters, permanent loan underwriting, additional public funding sources, and applying to CTCAC for your 8609. In this Learning Lab, you’ll learn from industry experts how best to navigate this stage in the development cycle.

Presenters:

• Thai-An Ngo, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• David Dologite, Director of Acquisitions, Merritt Community Capital
• Laura Orellana, SVP – Senior Relationship Manager, California Community Reinvestment Corporation
• Sherin Bennett, Director, Financial Consulting, California Housing Partnership

Homelessness 101

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Homelessness is the biggest humanitarian crisis facing California. Despite recent investment, the number of people experiencing homelessness in California has increased, as more Californians are falling into homelessness than ever before. This institute will offer an introduction to experiences of homelessness, causes and solutions, and local and state responses. It will offer an understanding of issues facing people working to solve homelessness, and provide an introduction to leaders in California’s and Los Angeles County’s homeless response. Using a combination of brief presentations, discussions with participants, questions of and from participants, and interactive games, this institute will be highly interactive.

Presenters:

• Sharon Rapport, Director, California State Policy, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)
• David Howden, Director, CSH
• Perlita Carrillo, Associate Director of Housing Acquisitions, Brilliant Corners
• Celina Alvarez, Executive Director , Housing Works
• Tricia Tasto Levien, VP of Operations , Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation
• Zella Knight, President Emeritus, Residents United Network Los Angeles
• Paul Duncan, Homeless Services Bureau Manager, City of Long Beach, Homeless Services Bureau

Don’t Feed The Trolls: How to Advance Your Narrative Online

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets

All of our lives are online. That means we need to proactively share stories, images, and information to shift how people think about homelessness and unstable housing where people are now – in creative formats and in social spaces. It also means we need to deal with negative comments some of the time, without feeding trolls. Four out of five Americans use social media. One survey of media consumption habits of 16- to 40-year-olds found that 91% turn to platforms, such as TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram Reels, for their weekly news. Audiences of color, who are integral in growing our housing justice movement, are more likely to be on TikTok. Almost a third of Hispanic and Black adults say they use TikTok, compared to almost a fifth of white adults. And the younger the demographic, the higher the usage, as two-thirds of TikTok users are in their teens and twenties. Learn how to effectively engage online, support creative storytelling, and learn from some pros who are leading the way.

Presenters:

• Levi Giafaglione, Speaker/Digital Lead, Lived Experience Advisers
• Marisol Bello, Executive Director, Housing Narrative Lab
• Lisa Halverstadt, Investigative journalist, Voice of San Diego

Building Local Community Advocacy for Place-Based Successes

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

This learning lab will compare cases of public engagement on different land use plans. Participants will collaborate to develop outreach and engagement strategies that focus on community organizations, enrolling new advocates, and productive interaction with city/county staff. Facilitators from inside and outside City Hall will help develop a strategic framework that can be used in different housing contexts. Participants will share their own best practices and ask questions while the moderator drafts an engagement strategy live. All participants will receive a copy of the developed strategy via email. The lab is suited for beginners and seasoned advocates.

Presenters:

• Alex Arellano, Founder, Everybody’s Long Beach
• Michael Bohn, Partner, Studio One Eleven
• Andrew Kerr, Measure H Citizen Oversight Advisory Board Member, County of Los Angeles
• Connor Lock, Deputy Mayor of Housing, City of Long Beach

Workshop Block I (One)

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

How Governments Can and Do Catalyze Community Ownership

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Local and regional governments across the state are recognizing that alternatives to the speculative real estate model are necessary if they want to stabilize low-income and BIPOC communities that are being threatened by skyrocketing rents and unattainable home prices. Forward-thinking public agencies are developing programs and partnerships to boost various forms of community ownership, from permanently affordable cooperative housing, to indigenous “land back” initiatives, to community land trusts, and beyond. This workshop will explore emergent strategies to support community ownership and create a space for sharing among government stakeholders and CLT practitioners.

Presenters:

• Georgette Gómez, Community Development and Policy Officer, Casa Familiar
• Leo Goldberg, Co-Director for Policy and Capacity Building, California Community Land Trust Network
• Mayor Farrah N. Khan, Mayor, City of Irvine
• Wallace Cleaves, President and Co-founder, Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy
• Connor Lock, Deputy Mayor of Housing, City of Long Beach

Hot Topics in Housing

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Interact directly with affordable housing and homelessness policy experts and get an inside look at the policy themes dominating the State Capitol in 2024. Hear the latest on affordable housing and homelessness-related bills and budget priorities sponsored by Housing California and partners, and get all your questions answered from those working in the Capitol.

Presenters:

• Andrew Dawson, Policy Advocacy Manager, California Housing Partnership
• Justine Marcus, Senior Program Director, State & Local Policy, Enterprise Community Partners
• Shanti Singh, Legislative & Communications Director, Tenants Together

Investing and Lending in Affordable Housing – Maximizing Impact Beyond Dollars

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Community lending and investing are among the most critical and catalytic components in community development and the production of affordable housing. This panel will discuss how today’s economic conditions inform lending and investing decisions, and how lenders and investors are responding to developing circumstances in ways that can maximize their impact beyond just dollars. Our panelists will address lending and investing opportunities in building decarbonization, the preservation of existing affordable housing stock, strategies to increase racial justice and equity, and their responses to mounting costs, equipment and labor shortages, and inflation. What does this mean for a developer’s pipeline?

Presenters:

• Michelle Espinosa Coulter, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Irene Choi, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions, Red Stone Equity Partners
• Eri Kameyama, Vice President, Chase – Community Development Banking
• Chuck Sinkey, Vice President – Affordable Housing Business Development, US Bancorp Impact Finance
• Eric Leimbach, Director, Wells Fargo
• David Eisenman, Senior Acquisitions Manager, Merritt Community Capital

Transforming a Neighborhood Through Community-Centered Public Land Redevelopment

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The ambitious conversion of the 214-unit Las Deltas public housing in unincorporated North Richmond is shaped by a collective of the Housing Authority, North Richmond leaders, and developers (people-of-color-led). The first phase removed Las Deltas from the public housing program and replaced it with 652 units of affordable multi-family housing throughout the County. The second phase transforms the former sites into a mix of affordable homeownership, a community land trust, and market rate homeownership, layered with a local preference policy. This panel showcases a new model to embed community-driven policy into the public land disposition process (and other redevelopment efforts).

Presenters:

• Don Gilmore, Executive Director, Community Housing Development Corporation
• Hannah Phalen Tinsley, Fellow, Partnership for the Bay’s Future
• Joseph Villarreal, Executive Director, Contra Costa County Housing Authority
• Tony Ucciferri, Special Assistant to the Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Contra Costa
• Elissa Roy, Board Member, Richmond LAND

A Collaborative and Effective Approach to Building and Sustaining Supportive Housing

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Insight Housing, Bridge Housing, and the Terner Center will share how permanent supportive housing works and exactly what it takes to get there. We will describe the Hope Center, a model program for addressing homelessness with a continuum of housing options in one location while sharing how to avoid roadblocks that too often stymie projects like this. The workshop will cover (a) blending various funding options to develop supportive housing and once built, sustain supportive services; (b) working with referral partners to quickly engage and enroll residents; and (c) a services approach that even retains individuals wary of providers.

Presenters:

• Angela Upshaw, Chief Operating Officer, Insight Housing
• Jon McCall, Associate Director of Development, BRIDGE Housing Corporation
• Ryan Finnigan, Associate Research Director, Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Being Urgent, Radical, and Relentless in Knocking Down Barriers to Housing

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

The innovations and measurable successes of some of California’s most expensive communities-often overshadowed by historical false narratives about homelessness being intractable – actually show that CA’s housing crises do have scalable solutions.
COVID-19 forced communities’ homelessness response systems to approach solutions to homelessness with a renewed sense of life-or-death urgency. Instead of letting people spend any more time on the streets, in vehicles, in shelters, or on waitlists, communities approached sheltering and housing people as the only acceptable answer. Panelists will share innovative practices stemming from the relentless focus on getting people out of homelessness as fast as possible while being intentional about advancing racial equity and moving away from scarcity thinking in order to stop taking “not enough housing” for an answer.

Presenters:

• Cynthia Nagendra, Deputy Director, San Francisco Dept of Homelessness and Supportive Housing
• Kris Freed, Managing Partner, Impact Consulting
• Chris Block, Manager of Housing Placement, San Francisco Dept of Homelessness and Supportive Housing

Paving the Way: Health and Housing Alignment

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Homeless services and affordable housing providers are keenly aware that preventing and ending homelessness requires housing units, supportive services, and ongoing and sustainable funding streams. While there are some new federal and state funding opportunities, many are only one-time grants, making it difficult to develop budgets for projects that require commitments over years or decades. California’s transformation of Medi-Cal waiver programs into CalAIM has the potential of providing essential ongoing funds via reimbursement for services with their Enhanced Care Management and Community Support opportunities. Implementing CalAIM can be cumbersome, especially in communities with multiple managed care agencies. This session will provide insight on aligning housing and health care services and practical tips on how to leverage this source of funding. Successful utilization of CalAIM is a solution that can advance the systems change and structural reforms needed to create a California with homes, health, and prosperity for all.

Presenters:

• Helene Schneider, Senior Regional Advisor, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Kerry Abbott, Countywide Initiative Coordinator, Homelessness, Alameda County Health Care Services Agency
• Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing, California Department of Health Care Services

Ins & Outs of California Rent Stabilization

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

During this session we will provide an overview of California’s rent stabilization laws and explain the complex framework created by AB 1482 for both landlords and tenants. We will discuss how they work, who is covered by the various laws and when they apply, as well as issues specific to subsidized housing. In addition, we will learn from those working on the ground with tenants or landlords implementing rent stabilization laws about the issues they see, challenges posed by the laws, and the benefits of rent stabilization. Participants will leave the session with a greater understanding of rent stabilization and possible next steps to improve our current laws to work better for landlords and tenants.

Presenters:

• Lila Gitesatani, Staff Attorney, National Housing Law Project
• Katie McKeon, Attorney, Western Center on Law & Poverty
• Jackie Zaneri, Senior Staff Attorney, California Center for Movement Legal Services

No Boasting Allowed – A Learning Space for Narrative & Narrative-Curious Strategists

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets

“Bad Ideas Only!” Or at least that’s the spirit of this session, as we flip the script on typical conference boast-a-thons.

When we liberate ourselves from only sharing wins and successes, we commit to doing the work it takes to strengthen our capacity and strategic muscles. This Roundtable offers an opportunity to get vulnerably honest in service of learning from the mistakes, mishaps, middle-of-discovery, and complete and utter misses.

Join with narrative strategists and narrative-curious partners for an exploration of how to advance new narratives – via a genuine review of what hasn’t worked and what we’re still uncertain about.

Presenters:

• Alina Harway, Communications Director, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH)
• Tommy Newman, Vice President, Public Affairs & Activation, United Way of Greater L.A.

Investing in the Affordable Housing BIPOC Practitioners and Leaders of Today and Tomorrow

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential cornerstones in the affordable housing industry’s quest to address housing disparities. To truly reflect the communities they serve and create equitable housing solutions, organizations must invest in BIPOC practitioners. This session will explore the importance of actively recruiting, training, and retaining BIPOC talent, fostering an inclusive network of support, and implementing actionable strategies for diversifying affordable housing talent. Representatives from a variety of affordable housing internships, scholarships, training, and leadership programs with impact across the state will share proactive measures that can be implemented to achieve these goals. The discussion will explore effective outreach strategies, partnerships, and educational support programs that can attract BIPOC talent to the affordable housing sector. Learn about the programs’ different approaches to mentorship and professional development initiatives to advance BIPOC practitioners’ careers.

Presenters:

• Gisela Salgado, Leadership Development Programs Director, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• Ari Beliak, President & CEO, Merritt Community Capital
• Alexandra Dawson, Director of Lending & Investment, LISC Los Angeles
• Cedric Bobo, CEO and Co-Founder, Project Destined
• Robin Hughes, President & Chief Executive Officer, Housing Partnership Network

Workshop Block II (Two)

1:10 PM – 2:25 PM

Implementation Strategies for Racial Equity in Housing Finance

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Join this workshop to examine new and/or different practices fostering racial equity in lending. A diverse panel of lending and affordable housing subject matter experts will provide tangible examples of their efforts to correct the historical lack of access to capital due to racial discrimination, including revisiting underwriting policies and procedures and applying racial impact to balance risk and profitability. The discussion will focus on lending products and programs that exist to increase access to capital centered on racial equity, strategies and solutions for new equity-based programs, and the formation of cross-sector partnerships. In this session, attendees will learn how to create more equitable access to financing across the industry and drive systemic change that will result in more equitable outcomes.

Presenters:

• Cristian Ahumada, Executive Director & CEO, Holos Communities
• Paul Cummings, SVP, Director of Originations, National Affordable Housing Trust
• Pam Berkowitz, Vice President & Market Director – Western Region, Low Income Investment Fund
• Alexis Butler, Director, RACE Initiative , Corporation for Supportive Housing

Leveraging IRA Renewable Energy Tax Incentives: How Affordable Housing Developers can Access New Financial Resources and Promote Equitable Implementation

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Explore the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) transformative impact on affordable housing through clean energy tax incentives. Discover strategies to harness these incentives, including Renewable Energy Investment Tax Credits, Section 45L credits, and 179D deductions, with an emphasis on equitable implementation. Learn how to navigate the IRA landscape, optimize tax benefits, and promote inclusive access to clean energy financing for affordable housing.

Presenters:

• Blanca de la Cruz, Sustainable Housing Program Director, California Housing Partnership
• Jesse Ozanian, Senior Housing Finance Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Peter Lawrence, Director, Public Policy & Government Relations, Novogradac
• Sneha Ayyagari, Clean Energy Initiative Program Manager, The Greenlining Institute

Streamlining Affordable Housing Finance: One Stop Shop Solutions

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

Cobbling together state resources for affordable rental housing from separate state agencies adds significant time and up to $45,000 in cost per unit. Come hear ideas and add your input to how California could design a more efficient funding system that allows developers to obtain all necessary state resources at one time through a single process. And get the latest on state efforts to implement AB 519 that establishes an Affordable Housing Finance Workgroup to further develop recommendations on this topic.

Presenters:

• Dora Leong Gallo, President & CEO, A Community of Friends
• Mark Stivers, Director of Advocacy, California Housing Partnership
• Marina Wiant, Executive Director, CTCAC/CDLAC
• Gustavo Velasquez, Director, California Department of Housing and Community Development
• Suny Lay Chang, President & COO, Linc Housing

All Inside: How the Federal Government is Partnering with California to Reduce Barriers to Housing and Services

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Learn more about the Federal All INside initiative, and the ongoing work being carried out by the State of California and the City of Los Angeles. Hear from the California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency; the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness; and the Federal Team Leads for the State of California and the City of Los Angeles about how they are partnering with federal government agencies to reduce barriers to housing and services.

A two-year pilot, the All INside initiative launched in May of 2023, with six sites (State of California, LA City, Seattle, Phoenix Metro, Dallas and Chicago) and a seventh site, Denver, added in October 2023. Federal Team leads are assigned to each site and this workshop will provide an opportunity to hear from the panelists about the goals of All INside, and how the effort is unfolding in California.

Presenters:

• Helene Schneider, Senior Regional Advisor, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness
• Maxie Pulliam, Federal Team Lead for the State of California, All INside Initiative, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
• Keith Harris, Senior Executive Homelessness Agent, Greater Los Angeles, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
• Dhakshike Wickrema, Deputy Secretary, Homelessness, California Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency

Housing First: Is System Change Needed

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Housing First is a proven solution for moving individuals from homelessness into stable housing. Have we moved too far from the original design of this evidence based practice? Moving high acuity individuals into permanent housing has created challenges resulting in tension between developers, property managers, and service providers. How can we continue to house people using a housing first model while building in comprehensive care transitions from street to home to improve housing stability with high acuity populations? By looking at additional supports within the framework of a housing first approach, can we improve developer, property management, and services outcomes?

Presenters:

• Julie DeRose, LMFT, Chief Program Officer, Housing, The People Concern
• Rebecca Louie, President & CEO, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation
• Leepi Shimkhada, Deputy Director , Housing for Health, LA County Health Services

New Tenant Preference Policies: Anti-Displacement, Community Collaboration, and Efficient Implementation

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

Gentrification and escalating housing costs are causing displacement and disrupting communities across the state. Anti-displacement housing preference programs are leveraging affordable housing development to target these issues, navigating community-informed policy development and fair housing laws. The City of San Jose has developed a data-grounded policy to set aside units in affordable developments for both residents at high risk of displacement, and residents from the city council district where the development is located. The City of Berkeley recently adopted a similar policy that prioritizes those who have faced displacement, those who are facing displacement, and those who have experienced historical injustices. These programs leverage online affordable housing portals to support implementation and reduce administrative burdens.

Presenters:

• Kristen Clements, Division Manager, City of San Jose Housing Department
• Anna Cash, Housing Policy & Programs Coordinator, City of Berkeley
• Victor Vasquez, Co-Executive Director , SOMOS Mayfair
• Regina Celestin Williams, Executive Director, SV@Home

From Conversation to Action: Leveraging Narrative-Based Tools and Strategies for Change

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets

Narrative shift work is critical to our efforts to expand affordable housing access and advance housing justice. Yet we often lack the strategies and tools necessary to change the hearts and minds of a diverse set of stakeholders who are integral to the success of our projects and campaigns . In this interactive session our panelists will share how they confront challenging political landscapes and narratives and lift up the voices of impacted residents, to realize action toward housing justice.

Presenters:

• Carolyn Berg, CEO , Koble Collaborative Inc.
• Nur Kausar, Business Development Manager, EAH Housing
• Mariel Ferreiro, Business Manager/ Lead Facilitator, TheCaseMade, Inc.
• Dyan Ruiz, Communications Director, Race & Equity in all Planning Coalition (REP-SF)

Driving Housing Stability Solutions Through Collective Impact in the Coachella Valley

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

This roundtable discussion will bring together members of the Housing Collaborative Action Network (CAN), a cross-sector, collective impact initiative in the Coachella Valley, California anchored by local non-profit organization Lift to Rise. The initiative comprises 70+ local and national stakeholders aligned around a core result: reducing regional rent burden by 30% through the production of 10,000 units of affordable housing by 2028. Panelists will discuss what it took to build and maintain this multi-pronged pipeline, policy, investment, and resident engagement initiative that has already changed what is possible in terms of affordable housing development in the Coachella Valley: the region is now producing more than 1,000 units annually compared to less than 50 prior to 2018 when Lift to Rise and the Housing CAN began coordinating. Rooted in the Center for Community Investment’s Capital Absorption Framework, Housing CAN partners have aggregated a regional affordable housing development pipeline that has surpassed 7,000 units. To help move that pipeline, Lift to Rise and partners have built an innovative revolving loan fund called the We Lift Housing Catalyst Fund to push community-prioritized projects from concept to construction. Complimenting and reinforcing the We Lift fund are robust policy advocacy and resident engagement efforts all coordinated around the initiative’s core production result.

Presenters:

• Kenny Rodgers, Deputy Market Director-Coachella Valley, Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF)
• Omar Carrillo Tinajero, Director of Programs, Center for Community Investment
• Michael Walsh, Assistant Director, Riverside County Housing and Workforce Solutions
• Suzanne Anarde-Devenport, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC)
• Heather Vaikona, President & CEO, Lift to Rise

Health, Housing & Justice: Lessons on Medical-Legal Partnership Implementation with a Focus on Increasing Patients’ Health Outcomes and Housing Stability

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

At Kaiser Permanente we know that a safe and affordable place to live is essential to living a healthy life, yet individuals and communities face significant challenges in affording and maintaining their housing. Evictions cause devastation: tenants risk experiencing homelessness, negative physical or mental health consequences, and employment loss. Kaiser Permanente is committed to advancing evidence-based partnership solutions to prevent evictions and keep people housed. We know that our patients have a variety of social needs, and what we’re learning is that meeting some of those needs requires another type of expertise: legal help. This session will increase awareness of: the connection between patient social needs and health-harming legal needs (such as housing instability), tools and resources available, and best practices that should be used to appropriately screen, identify, and refer patients to housing-related legal support resources.

Presenters:

• Mario Ceballos, Community Health Manager, Kaiser Permanente
• Iris Lehatto, Assistant Director of Social Medicine, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
• Elisa Carino, Staff Attorney, Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles
• Kyron Pierce, Health Equity Project Coordinator, HealthBegins

Breakthrough: Building Comprehensive Housing Policies for the Next Generation

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

The purpose of this session is to share the work of the Statewide Housing Advocacy Committee. The group was formed out of a recognition that policy wins at the state level were largely incremental and that the first push to advance a comprehensive shift via the Roadmap Initiative was underwhelming due to a lack of political momentum. We will use the discussion as an opportunity for the Committee to share their work as an accountability mechanism for the larger field. We hope attendees stress test the committee’s short and long-term strategies. We will cover three key subjects- 1. Where are divisions among housing practitioners stymying success and what are the opportunities to shift old patterns and dynamics? 2. What could muscular comprehensive policy strategies look like? 3. How do we build the political power to win ambitious, meaningful gains at the state level?

Presenters:

• Allison Allbee, Co-Founder, Ground Works Consulting
• Matt Schwartz, President & CEO, California Housing Partnership
• Francisco Duenas, Executive Director, Housing Now!
• Chione Lucina Munoz Flegal, Executive Director, Housing California
• Tommy Newman, Vice President, Public Affairs & Activation, United Way of Greater L.A.

Workshop Block III (Three)

2:35 PM – 3:50 PM

Affordable Housing Decarbonization: Programs, Policies, and Proceeding with Electrification

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

With increasing Title 24 restrictions and other policies, the state is pushing hard to decarbonize our housing supply. To accomplish this task, the state is also unlocking billions of dollars for upgrading and installing energy-efficient and electric appliances. In this session, we will describe some of the accessible programs for affordable housing, including the new Equitable Building Decarbonization program with over 900 million dollars for electrification retrofits. We will also discuss updated policies and how to get started with electrification. The panel will include state officials, program administrators, and representatives from housing providers already engaged in this work.

Presenters:

• Sarah Hill, Director, Low Income Programs, Association for Energy Affordability (AEA)
• Andrew Dawson, Policy Advocacy Manager, California Housing Partnership
• Erin Reschke, Architect, Mogavero Architects

Building Homeownership: Innovative Efforts to Unlock More Affordable Opportunities

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

In this workshop participants will hear from three community-based organizations and their bold impactful strategies to reduce barriers to homeownership by increasing access to more affordable homes for purchase. This session will explore successful methods for constructing and producing more affordable homes. Innovative financing strategies will also be covered. Attendees will also hear about why California’s affordability challenges for homeownership contribute to the widening of the racial wealth gap.

Presenters:

• Esmeralda López, California State Director, Policy & Advocacy, UnidosUS
• Tom Collishaw, President & CEO, Self-Help Enterprises
• Carol J. Ornelas, President & CEO, Visionary Home Builders of California (VHB)
• Kalin Scott, CEO & Executive Director, Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire (NHSIE)

Federal Policy in a Presidential Election Year: What’s Needed in California to Advance Housing and Racial Justice

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

DC-based housing policy experts will recap 2023 and examine prospects for 2024, including examining how the presidential election may affect housing. Topics discussed include the final FY 2024 and proposed FY 2025 HUD funding levels, homelessness funding, LIHTC legislation, final Community Reinvestment Act regulations, implementing the Inflation Reduction Act housing provisions, Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing, global minimum tax, other key federal regulatory issues, as well as other California priorities. Attendees will have a chance to pose their own questions and discuss advocacy priorities & opportunities for California.

Presenters:

• Sarah Saadian, Senior Vice President, National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Robin Hughes, President & Chief Executive Officer, Housing Partnership Network
• Zella Knight, President Emeritus, Residents United Network Los Angeles
• Peter Lawrence, Director, Public Policy & Government Relations, Novogradac
• Ann Oliva, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance to End Homelessness

Community Care Expansion: Developing and Preserving Residential Care Settings

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

In 2022, the California Department of Social Services invested $860 million in the Community Care Expansion (CCE) program. The program aims to expand long-term care options and provide safe living arrangements in various settings, including licensed adult and senior care facilities, supportive housing, and recovery residences. Its primary goal is to break the cycles of homelessness and institutionalization. This session will kick off with a high-level presentation on CCE and proceed to a discussion with Panelists working on CCE from different angles that can describe their roles and perspectives on the program.

Presenters:

• Geoffrey Ross, Director, HORNE
• Morvarid Naghshineh, ARPA Evaluation Officer, San Bernardino County
• David Chen, Senior Project Manager, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
• Hanna Azemati, Deputy Director, California Department of Social Services, Housing and Homelessness Division

The Los Angeles Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool at 10 Years

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

In 2014, the Los Angeles Department of Health Services (DHS) launched the LA Flex Pool, a pivotal component of their Housing for Health initiative. For a decade now, Brilliant Corners has served as the community-based operator for the Pool, helping facilitate over 12,000 housing placements for extremely low-income households and high utilizers of public services while also ensuring the retention of these placements. At its core, the LA Flex Pool isn’t just a subsidy; it’s a paradigm shift in housing support. It empowers vulnerable populations through innovative landlord engagement, rent subsidy administration, and comprehensive tenancy and case management services.

In this workshop, representatives from LA County and Brilliant Corners will offer an overview of the LA Flex Pool’s evolution and impact. Attendees will embark on a journey through the Flex Pool’s decade-long history, exploring its foundational model and the key factors behind its success. We’ll discuss how the program has dynamically adapted to changing resource landscapes over the last decade and highlight the diverse housing solutions it has embraced, ranging from scattered site settings to Board and Cares and Project-Based settings.

Presenters:

• Sophia Rice, Los Angeles Director of Housing Services, Brilliant Corners
• Chris Contreras, Chief Operating Officer , Brilliant Corners
• Josh Legere, Associate Director of Housing and Services, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, Housing for Health
• Andrea Iloulian, Senior Director of System Optimization and Communications, Los Angeles County Homeless Initiative and Affordable Housing – LA County CEO
• Bill Pickel, Chief Executive Officer, Brilliant Corners
• Leepi Shimkhada, Deputy Director , LA County Department of Health Services

Preserving Mobile Homes

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

California has one of the largest populations of manufactured housing residents in the country, with over 550,000 manufactured homes throughout the state. Manufactured homes provide a source of housing for low- and moderate-income families and are considered a last bastion for affordability. Manufactured home communities and residents have faced significant obstacles related to discrimination, lack of tenant protections, and limited access to financing. This session will delve into the specific challenges facing manufactured housing residents in California and examine successful strategies for promoting equity in this sector, notably resident ownership, preserving existing parks, and accessing public and nonprofit funding mechanisms.

Presenters:

• Veronica Beaty, Director of Policy & Research, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• Danielle Mazzella, Senior Research Manager, California Housing Partnership
• E. Kim Coontz, Executive Director, California Center for Cooperative Development

Ethical Storytelling for Impact: Unlock the Power of Lived Experience

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets

Personal stories affect us deeply as humans—they change hearts and minds, and can catalyze positive change. But helping other humans share their experiences is time-consuming, delicate work, with potential ethical pitfalls. Through Shift the Bay, All Home and the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern CA are designing a storytelling initiative to help more housing advocates do this important yet challenging work. Come hear what we’ve learned in developing this initiative, and hear directly from people who have experienced housing insecurity about what it’s been like to share their stories. Our goal is to help more advocates and community members share powerful stories that drive impact and empower the storytellers.

Presenters:

• Veronica Marquez, Communications Manager , All Home
• Ashley Banta, Executive Director, Opportunity House
• La’Toya Cooper, Community Engagement Associate, Lens Co
• Yesenia Jameson, Senior Content Manager , Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH)

Rural Equity: Successes and Opportunities from Federal, State, and Tribal Government perspectives

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

HCD leadership will share about the State’s federal housing and community development programs, their home within the new HCD Division of Federal Financial Assistance (DFFA), and how the DFFA team is changing the way they do business to build-in equity. California Tribal leadership will speak to the success and challenges some Tribes have had navigating partnerships to build affordable tribal housing and access resources to address Tribal homelessness. The session will conclude with National Leadership providing an update from DC and discussing what California can expect in the year to come, from incorporating lived experience into homeless policies, to the 2024 funding outlook. Participants can expect to engage in creative discussion that will invites us to think critically about racial equity and rural communities, as well as to dive deeper into the weeds of program design and administration. Participants should leave with concrete resources and tools for building equity into their work; new information regarding funding opportunities and policy updates; and opportunities for partnership in their own communities.

Presenters:

• Moriah McGill, Grants Analyst, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority
• Felicity Lyons Gasser, Senior Housing and Community Development Specialist, California Department of Housing and Community Development
• Josh Shumaker, Director of Advocacy and Federal Programs, Council of State Community Development Agencies
• Sasha Hauswald, Deputy Director for the Federal Financial Assistance Division, HCD

What Religious Congregations Want: Effective Congregational-Developer Partnerships for Affordable Housing

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

Because of religious congregations’ mission toward underresourced populations and their increasingly underutilized property assets, there is an increased interest in undertaking affordable housing development on congregational land. Some estimate that 100,000 congregations across the US are likely to close in the decade of the 2020s, many more will downsize their campuses, and as a result, billions of dollars of real estate will change hands. The state is also encouraging this trend with SB4, adopted this year, which rezones congregational land throughout the state for multifamily affordable housing development.

Despite all of these trends, congregations and developers often struggle to establish an effective partnership for several reasons. This workshop will spark a discussion around best practices and pitfalls for these partnerships, starting from the experiences of the Congregational Land Committee, which has advised approximately 30 congregations in partnering for affordable housing development since 2019.

Presenters:

• Philip Burns, Principal, The Arroyo Group
• Dr. Jill Suzanne Shook, Making Housing and Community Happen
• Hugh Martinez, Vice President of Development, WPH Holdings, LLC/GHK Properties, LLC
• John Oh, Project Manager, LA Voice

Queers for Housing Justice: Creating Community, Linking Movements

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

LGBT+ people need to be included more visibly and intentionally in our movement for housing justice. Not only are LGBT people more likely than non-LGBT people to be low-income, to be renters, to have unstable housing, and to be homeless, but, like other resilient communities, have much to contribute to and benefit from a more LGBT-inclusive housing justice sector. LGBT communities have widespread community and advocacy networks that have not been fully activated and their needs are not fully appreciated, much less included. This roundtable discussion is intended to create a space for generative community and movement building.

Presenters:

• Norman Ornelas, Jr., Ph.D. Candidate, Pennsylvania State University​
• Josh Dubensky, Housing Policy Advocate, SAGE
• Francisco Duenas, Executive Director, Housing Now!

Workshop Block IV (Four)

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM

Advancing Affordable Housing: Bridging Gaps Through A State-Level Community Reinvestment Act Policy

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The federal Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), a policy win of the 20th century intended to counter the impacts of redlining, has been a significant driver of investments in affordable housing by banks, with nearly 85% of Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) investments stemming from banks motivated by the CRA. Despite this impact, the growing housing crisis in California and the proliferation of financial institutions not covered under the federal CRA (credit unions, non-bank mortgage lenders, and financial technology companies) make it clear that more can and needs to be done. This session will examine how a state-level CRA policy that addresses these coverage gaps can create more opportunities for reinvestment in affordable housing development and preservation and address the unmet financing needs of nonprofit developers, CLTs, and affordable housing providers, particularly those serving BIPOC, low-income, and rural communities.

Presenters:

• Monte A. Jones, President & CEO, Logan Heights Community Development Corporation
• Al Ujimori, Affordable Housing Finance Consultant, Community Economics, Inc.
• Doni Tadesse, Southern California Organizer, Rise Economy
• Eric Payne, Executive Director, The Central Valley Urban Institute
• Saki Bailey, Executive Director, San Francisco Community Land Trust

Affordable Housing & Insurance: Problem-Solving Solutions

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The US is facing a housing-industry-wide insurance crisis, with acute and unique impacts to the affordable housing industry in California. Housing providers are facing limited availability of insurance, significant premium and deductible cost increases, and reductions in the scope and quality of coverage. Rising insurance costs present an urgent threat to the fiscal solvency and stability of affordable housing, putting tens of thousands of California’s most vulnerable households at risk; it is undermining the state’s investments in affordable housing. Join us for a focused conversation about the insurance challenges facing housing providers and a discussion of policy and regulatory opportunities to address these challenges at the federal, state, and local level.

Presenters:

• Justine Marcus, Senior Program Director, State & Local Policy, Enterprise Community Partners
• Clay Kerchof, Climate & Transportation Manager, California Department of Housing & Community Development

Making Housing Elements Real: Enforcing Timely Implementation of Programs

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

In recent years, Housing Element Law has been strengthened, and HCD — through the Housing Accountability Unit — has gained stronger authority to enforce housing element compliance and the implementation of adopted housing elements during the eight-year cycle. As a result, the housing element is no longer a paper exercise — it is a local jurisdiction’s eight-year contract with the state to follow through on commitments to promote housing development at all income levels and affirmatively further fair housing. HCD’s Housing Accountability Unit and advocates across the state are monitoring cities’ and counties’ implementation of the programs in their housing elements on their specified timeframes. These programs are essential to ensuring that local jurisdictions are taking the steps necessary to meet their Regional Housing Needs Allocation, creating access to opportunity, investing in place-based community development strategies, and complying with state law. HCD will provide technical assistance to support jurisdictions along the way and will, when necessary, take enforcement action when it determines that an action or failure to act by a local government is inconsistent with an adopted housing element or Housing Element Law. Hear how the state, cities, and advocates are approaching this new challenge — and opportunity.

Presenters:

• David Zisser, Assistant Deputy Director, Local Government Relations & Accountability, California Department of Housing and Community Development
• Cesar Covarrubias, Executive Director , The Kennedy Commission
• Alex Fisch, Special Assistant Attorney General, California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General
• Jenna Hornstock, Deputy Mayor of Housing, Office of Mayor Karen Bass

Project Concept Design for New Development Project Managers

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

There is a generation change happening in affordable housing developer staffing including many that are moving into project management for the first time. The initial yield study and design is perhaps the most crucial time for shaping feasibility and community quality. Starting with a blank sheet of paper can be intimidating in that context. A veteran of hundreds of feasibility studies will outline the critical parameters for evaluating options with the design team.

Presenters:

• David Mogavero, Senior Partner, Mogavero Architects

Ongoing State Funding for Housing & Services: Help Bring California Home

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

During this interactive session, members of the statewide Bring California Home Coalition will offer a brief overview of the level of state funding needed to solve homelessness, a history of the Coalition, and examples from other states and communities that have successfully campaigned for ongoing funding at scale. The presentation will then shift to a discussion format, with members of the Coalition facilitating audience participation in how the Coalition can achieve ongoing funding at sufficient scale to solve homelessness and advance affordable housing creation. The session will be highly interactive, with focus on taking next steps in shaping state homeless policy.

Presenters:

• Mari Castaldi, Director of State Housing Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• Zella Knight, President Emeritus, Residents United Network Los Angeles
• Jonathan Russell, Director, Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination
• Christopher Nikhil Bowen, Policy Director, LA Family Housing
• Sharon Rapport, Director, California State Policy, Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH)

Analytics for Equity: the Importance of Robust, Real-Time Data in Designing and Implementing Housing Programs that Effectively Address Racial Disparities

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

With so much public discussion of the ever worsening homelessness crisis, it is more important than ever to target housing programs to reach those most in need. Robust, ongoing data collection including measures of key policy goals (e.g., preventing evictions) broken down by demographics is critical to making these programs effective and to reaching historically marginalized groups. At the same time, real transparency, including publicly sharing disaggregated and complete data in a timely way, is necessary to holding policymakers and agencies accountable when programs fail to reach targeted groups.

This session will discuss the importance of data in designing and improving programs intended to protect tenants from eviction and prevent homelessness. For example, research has demonstrated that Black women are at higher risk for eviction than any other group – but most housing programs ignore this underlying disparity. Presenters will offer examples of effective uses of data, and cases where a program’s failure to collect and share data impeded its effectiveness. Attendees will learn about how disaggregated data collected and shared on a continuous basis should be leveraged to understand and improve program performance, and to meet the goal of addressing underlying racial disparities in housing access and eviction risk.

Presenters:

• Madeline Howard, Senior Attorney, Western Center on Law & Poverty
• Greg Bonett, Senior Staff Attorney, Public Counsel
• Janine Nkosi, Director of Housing Justice Initiatives, Faith in the Valley
• Rasheedah Phillips, Director of Housing, PolicyLink

Powered by RUN: Activating Leaders with Lived Experience to Achieve Affordable Homes for All

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

Founded in 2014, The Residents United Network (RUN) builds power among residents, neighbors, and staff of affordable housing to change laws so that every Californian has a safe, stable, and affordable home. Come and learn from RUN Resident Leaders across our 6 regions, as they share their stories, priorities and strategies to win Affordable, Permanent and Accessible Housing for ALL Californians. Join Us, and run with RUN!!

Presenters:

• Nick Worrell, RUN San Joaquin Valley Leader, RUN/Housing CA
• Idalia Rios , RUN Orange County Leader, RUN OC/Housing CA
• Theresa Winkler, RUN Los Angeles Leader , RUN LA/Housing CA
• William Goodwin, RUN Bay Area Leader , RUN Bay/Housing CA

What’s your Narrative Secret Sauce? Harnessing your Strengths and Positionality to Change Housing Narratives

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets

Narrative change is a critical lever to building the housing future we hope to live in. This session will showcase housing partners who are putting narrative theory and research into practice. Featured panelists will present on how they’re leveraging their organization’s unique strengths and positionality to shift our housing conversation. This interactive session will help attendees gain tools to identify their narrative “secret sauce” and better understand how to advance housing justice narratives no matter one’s role or organization.

Presenters:

• Mark Horvath, Founder, Invisible People
• Christina Ostmeyer, Narrative Strategist, Funders for Housing and Opportunity
• Barbara Osborn, Director of the Housing & Homelessness Communications Collaborative, United Way of Greater Los Angeles
• Jovana Morales-Tilgren, Policy Coordinator – Housing, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
• Rob Avruch, Senior Program Officer, Housing Affordability, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative

Respecting Tribal Sovereignty Through Housing

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

CalHOME, Multifamily Housing Program, and other State programs have been accessible to nonprofits and local governments but have repeatedly left out tribes. Until 2019, AB1010 explicitly made tribes eligible for State housing programs creating direct access to these funds. Last year, more housing programs emerged for and accessible to tribes, but not without arduous and exhausting hurdles. Tribes alongside tribal housing advocates have worked tirelessly to improve access to these housing programs by improving program guidelines, educating State staff on tribal housing practices, and advocating for a tribal specific funding program. It’s becoming more evident that State housing programs have flaws due to the lack of engagement and consultation with tribes. The path forward is grounded through acknowledging and respecting the history of tribes in California, tribes’ inherent sovereignty and self-determination, and developing a stronger government-to-government relationship with the State and tribes. We will have tribes speak on their efforts to address their community’s housing needs, the ongoing advocacy to improve State housing programs, and steps to continue and strengthen a government-to-government relationship.

Presenters:

• Iliana Chevez, Director of Tribal Programs, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• Liz Hernandez, Associate Tribal Housing Technical Assistance Program Manager, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• AnnaLee Trujillo, Executive Director, Pala Housing Resource Center
• Moriah McGill, Grants Analyst, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority

Workshop Block V (Five)

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Re-thinking Access: Tools to Create Inclusive Communities

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

The ADA and related laws have been critical in increasing basic civil rights for people with disabilities, but aren’t enough to achieve just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive communities. When we adopt an inclusive approach to creating housing, we learn what our specific communities need, and how to better support individuals with all types of abilities, not just those prioritized in federal law, as well as folks of different age, race, gender, family and economic status, and other intersectional identities. We identify cost-effective features and design decisions that can benefit residents, building operations, and service providers.

Join a panel of advocates, architects, and developers to learn how disability-centered inclusive design practices for housing can lead to better outcomes for everyone – avoiding costly compliance challenges; advancing JEDI goals; and providing homes that truly reflect the needs of the community and support residents to thrive. Panelists will discuss the relationship between concepts of accessibility, universal design, and inclusive design, with examples. We’ll demonstrate how to conduct an inclusive design workshop, and give participants a new perspective, inspiration, and tools to advance disability-forward inclusive practices in our housing work.

Presenters:

• Anne Riggs, AIA, CASp, Associate/Inclusive Design Lead, David Baker Architects
• Fiona Ruddy, Senior Project Manager, Mercy Housing California
• Pedram Farashbandi, AIA, Principal, David Baker Architects
• Fatimah Aure, Director of Field Building & Capacity, The Kelsey

Taking Risks for Systems Transformation: Experiments in Housing Preservation

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes

To meet the moment and center communities of color and low-income communities in our work, we need innovative approaches across sectors – and innovation inherently means asking institutions to take some risks. This panel will invite actors taking innovative approaches in the housing preservation ecosystem to share their stories: both the brass tacks – what specific innovations did they push – and the small “p” politics behind it – how did their institutions get comfortable with stepping into the unknown.

Presenters:

• Saki Bailey, Executive Director, San Francisco Community Land Trust
• Emily Duma, Program Strategist – Community Ownership for Community Power Fund, Common Counsel Foundation
• Elizabeth Wampler, Deputy Director, LISC Bay Area
• Heather Vaikona, President & CEO, Lift to Rise

Criminalization of Homelessness: Systemic Impacts and Strategies for Opposition

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

The resurgence of ordinances criminalizing the survival activities of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness is deepening the cycle between jail, prison, community supervision, and homelessness. This session will focus on understanding where these laws fit in the criminal legal system continuum, as well as their long-term impact on individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness. Participants will learn how to advocate against the criminalization of homelessness by sharing impactful stories and insights from people with lived experience, and educating the public on how criminalization is counter-productive to the goal of ending homelessness. This session will be led by Homebase’s Criminal Legal System Initiative and include a successful community example of a strategy employed by a Lived Experience Advisory Board.

Presenters:

• Vanessa Spinazola, Criminal Legal System Initiative Strategy Lead, Homebase
• Frankie D. Perkins, Policy Analyst, Homebase
• Lisa Marie Riley, MC LEAB, MC-LEAB
• Kath Rogers, Staff Attorney, ACLU of Southern California

Emergency Housing Vouchers: Getting to 100 Percent Lease-Up

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

Join us for an in-depth look at how the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) achieved full utilization of its Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program. This session will spotlight the vital collaboration between HACLB, the Long Beach Coordinated Entry System led by the City’s Homeless Services Bureau, and the invaluable support from the Long Beach Office of Mayor Rex Richardson. We’ll delve into the actions taken, partnerships formed, and incentives offered that were instrumental in this effort. The session will offer a practical perspective, sharing effective strategies and lessons that attendees can consider for their own housing programs.

Attendees will gain insights into the real-world strategies and lessons learned from the City of Long Beach’s experience. The discussion will touch on how these practices can be adapted and applied to other voucher programs, offering practical knowledge for those involved in similar housing efforts. Whether you’re a policy maker, housing professional, or advocate, this session will provide a comprehensive look into a successful model of collaborative housing program management.

Presenters:

• Brittany Harris, Intake Supervisor , Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach
• Paul Duncan, Homeless Services Bureau Manager, City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services
• Anna Topolewski, Acting Bureau Manager, Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach
• Connor Lock, Deputy Mayor of Housing, City of Long Beach

The Impact of Fragmentation & Complexity on Delivering Permanent Supportive Housing: Lessons and Opportunities

Track 2: Solve Homelessness

PSH is an evidence-based intervention that has proven effective at addressing homelessness, but it is embedded within a larger system that influences how people experiencing homelessness get access to services. This panel elevates the impact of the fragmented nature of PSH delivery on PSH residents and properties, drawing on research and practice to highlight the ways in which systemic factors and capacity constraints make it more difficult for providers to deliver responsive care. PSH operators from across California will share opportunities to reduce fragmentation, increase coordination, minimize homelessness, and maximize housing retention.

Presenters:

• Betsy McGovern-Garcia, Vice President, Self-Help Enterprises
• Lillian Lew-Hailer, Vice President, Mercy Housing
• Roshe Malakuti, Senior Vice President, Resident Services , Abode Communities
• Carolina Reid, Faculty Research Advisor, Terner Center for Housing Innovation
• Shola Olatoye, Chief Operating Officer, Eden Housing

Lessons Learned & Strategies to Scale Rental and Operating Subsidies in California

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters

Federal rental subsidies like tenant- and project-based vouchers are a key resource to prevent and end homelessness by helping Californians afford housing on the private market and pairing with capital dollars to spur the development and preservation of deeply affordable and supportive housing. Yet due to underfunding, federal vouchers only reach about 1 in 4 households that need them. How do we bring rental subsidies to scale, with or without new federal resources? In this session, we’ll learn from and strategize with impacted renters, local practitioners, and leaders from other states implementing state-funded rental subsidy programs.

Presenters:

• Mari Castaldi, Director of State Housing Policy, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
• Tyler Fong, Senior Director of Program Initiatives, Brilliant Corners
• Margo Velez, Senior RUN Leader/HEAL Lived Experience Advisor, Residents United Network and HEAL Network
• Melodie Pazolt, Managing Director – Office of Apple Health and Homes-Permanent Supportive Housing, Washington State Department of Commerce

Aligning Housing and Health Resources for People Experiencing Homelessness

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

Unlocking/combining health and housing resources to serve people experiencing homelessness requires new partnerships, and ongoing collaboration and coordination. To scale these efforts in communities throughout California, we need to hear the good, bad and everything in between. This workshop will highlight opportunities and “ingredients for success” to help other communities effectively use CalAIM and emerging health resources in conjunction with other available housing resources. You’ll hear from program leaders and practitioners sharing case studies, and illustrating best and promising practices that successfully align housing and health resources for improved services and resident stability. The session will include a brief introduction to CalAIM, and then highlight how practitioners are making the program work among partners, and bringing resources to projects that serve people’s health and housing needs.

Presenters:

• Kris Kuntz, Program Director, Housing and Homeless Strategy, Anthem Blue Cross
• Sasha Kergan, Deputy Secretary of Housing, California Business Consumer Services and Housing Agency
• Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing, California Department of Health Care Services
• Jonathan Russell, Director, Alameda County Office of Homeless Care and Coordination

Radically Reimagined Strategic Planning: Fresno Housing & Grassroots Collaboration

Track 5: Advance Cross-Sector Solutions

The purpose of this session is to share a groundbreaking cross-sector collaboration that radically reimagined Fresno Housing’s 5-year strategic planning process. Participants will leave with practical tools to radically reimagine the way you engage with institution-based and community-based stakeholders in strategic planning. Experience the way Fresno Housing, Faith in the Valley, Radical Possibilities CoLab, Fresno State and UC Merced carried out a powerful resident-centered strategic planning process. Presenters will share lessons on how they engaged with public housing stakeholders (the Board, Fresno Housing leadership, staff, residents, and community partners) through a series of hands-on interactive pop-up exhibits allowing for deeper learning to spark imagination, inspiration and ongoing commitment. This visionary plan was conceptualized and carried out through the following lenses 1) Fresno Housing’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, 2) Community Innovators Lab at MIT’s Anti-Racist Research Principles, and 3) the grassroots community’s Abolition Organizing framework.

Presenters:

• Janine Nkosi, Director of Housing Justice Initiatives, Faith in the Valley
• Shaheed Nkosi, Cofounder, Radical Possibilities CoLab
• Rebecca Martinez, Staff Researcher | Community Organizer, UC Merced HOPe Lab
• Alexandra Alvarado, Community Organizer , Faith in the Valley
• Marc’ Bady, Chief Empowerment Officer, Fresno Housing
• Monserrath Sanchez, Community Organizer, Faith in the Valley

Pay and Culture Matter: Creating Equity for the Homeless Services Frontline Workforce

Track 6: Build a Powerful & Purposeful Housing Justice Movement

How do we take care of the people on the frontlines of the homelessness crisis? Leaders of two of California’s largest homeless service providers and an expert researcher will discuss the strain on the homeless services workforce – and how the public, private, and non-profit sectors can join efforts to recruit and retain more of these essential workers. The panel will cover the urgent and evolving advocacy for higher pay, as well as creative approaches to preventing burnout and building leadership pathways for people on the frontlines to rise through the ranks.

Presenters:

• Zeke Sandoval, Public Policy Manager, PATH
• Jennifer Hark Dietz, LCSW, Chief Executive Officer, PATH
• Veronica Lewis, Director, SSG/HOPICS
• Lisa Abraham, Economist, RAND Corporation