2026 Conference Session Recordings

Thursday, March 19 | 1:15 PM – 2:15 PM

Afternoon Plenary Session

California’s Role in the Federal Landscape: Centering Communities on the Frontlines

Sponsored by U.S. Bank

California stands at a defining moment. With shifting federal priorities, looming budget cuts, and growing national debates over homelessness, immigration, and economic security, the state must navigate unprecedented challenges while continuing to lead with bold, equity-driven solutions. This plenary brings together federal advocates, state leaders, and community experts to explore how California can protect progress, safeguard critical safety-net programs, and advance a proactive agenda, no matter the federal climate.

Panelists will discuss the federal landscape for housing and homelessness funding, threats to immigrant communities, the state’s legal and regulatory role, and opportunities to strengthen federal–state partnerships. The conversation will highlight practical strategies California can deploy to protect renters, expand affordable housing, uphold civil rights, and continue driving national policy innovation—even in moments of political uncertainty. Attendees will leave with a clear sense of the stakes, the opportunities ahead, and how our collective advocacy can move California forward.

Plenary Speakers:

• Chione Flegal, Executive Director, Housing California
• Chris Iglesias, Chief Executive Officer, The Unity Council
• Shiu-Ming Cheer, Deputy Director of Immigrant and Racial Justice, California Immigrant Policy Center
• Anna Oliva, Chief Executive Officer, National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Diane Yentel, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Council of Nonprofits

Friday, March 20 | 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Morning Plenary Session

The Roadmap Home: A Roadmap to Thriving Communities for California

California stands at a defining moment. With shifting federal priorities, looming budget cuts, and growing national debates over homelessness, immigration, and economic security, the state must navigate unprecedented challenges while continuing to lead with bold, equity-driven solutions. This plenary brings together federal advocates, state leaders, and community experts to explore how California can protect progress, safeguard critical safety-net programs, and advance a proactive agenda, no matter the federal climate.

Panelists will discuss the federal landscape for housing and homelessness funding, threats to immigrant communities, the state’s legal and regulatory role, and opportunities to strengthen federal–state partnerships. The conversation will highlight practical strategies California can deploy to protect renters, expand affordable housing, uphold civil rights, and continue driving national policy innovation—even in moments of political uncertainty. Attendees will leave with a clear sense of the stakes, the opportunities ahead, and how our collective advocacy can move California forward.

Plenary Speakers:

• Julie Lo, Deputy Director of Programs, Housing California
• Ben Grieff, Executive Director, Evolve California
• Jared Rivera, Chief of Staff, PICO California
• Leah Rothstein, Author and Housing Policy Advocate, Housing policy and narrative advisor. Co-author, Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law

Advocacy 101

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Learning Lab

Part 1 of this session will explore the intricacies of lobbying and advocacy, from lobbying the statehouse to lobbying government agencies. It features experts in the fields of legislative drafting, state and local lobbying, grassroots advocacy, messaging and communications, and more.

Part 2 of this session will be a moderated Q&A (with questions from the audience welcomed) discussing what it takes to win housing policy battles. It features political consultants who have fought and won at the ballot box, to lobbyists who have fought and won at the state and local levels, and is moderated by an expert in political and election law. Discussion topics will include issues surrounding polling, grassroots advocacy, stakeholder coalition building, campaign and advocacy messaging, get-out-the-vote operations, and more.

Presenters:

• Andrew Crutchfield, Regulus Strategies
• Holly Fraumeni de Jesus, Lighthouse Public Affairs
• Michael Gunning, Lighthouse Pacific Affairs
• Steve Hansen, Lighthouse Public Affairs
• Jeremy Hauser
• Chris Micheli, Lighthouse Pacific Affairs

Introduction to Affordable Housing Development and Finance

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Learning Lab

The groundbreakings and grand openings get all the press and photo-ops, but this Learning Lab shines a light on what happens behind the scenes from before the shovel goes into after the ribbon gets cut. We’ll introduce you to the people, agencies, and funding programs that turn affordable housing from an idea to a reality, as well as the forces that shape where that housing is sited, how it looks, and whom it houses.

Presenters:

• Chad Horsford, Associate Director, Financial Consulting, California Housing Partnership
• Allyson Ujimori, Affordable Housing Finance Consultant, Community Economics, Inc.
• Matthew Wickersham, Principal, AMJ Construction Management, Inc.
• Denice Wint, VP of Real Estate Development, EAH Housing
• Jenny Wong, Senior Financial Consultant, California Housing Partnership

Leveling Up: A Learning Lab for Mid-Career Leaders

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Learning Lab

This Learning Lab is designed for mid-career leaders in the housing justice movement who want to grow as people and leaders while preparing for expanded responsibility. Participants will explore the foundations of effective and equitable management while building practical skills for leading change, working with challenging personalities, and influencing outcomes without formal authority. This hands-on session centers real team dynamics and lived experiences. Participants will also develop a personalized roadmap to support a sustainable and impactful career rooted in partnership and the empowerment of others.

By the end of this Learning Lab, you will be able to:

• Understand the principles of equitable and impactful leadership
• Apply core change management principles in real-world settings
• Influence outcomes and decisions without formal authority
• Address challenging personalities and team dynamics in ways that build trust
• Create a personalized leadership growth roadmap for sustained impact

Presenter:

• Shannon Wheatley, CEO, Lane 9

Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Fundamentals

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Learning Lab

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) 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 a LIHTC investor and California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (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 Financial Consultant, CA Housing Partnership
• Carmen Doonan, Development Section Chief, CA Tax Credit Allocation Committee
• David Eisenman, Associate Director of Acquisitions, Merritt Community Capital Corporation
• Thai-An Ngo, Senior Financial Consultant, CA Housing Partnership

Narrative in Crisis: Building Public Will When the Ground Is Shifting

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Learning Lab

When crisis hits, narratives decide what the public defends and what they sacrifice. Join us to learn which messages, messengers, and stories build public will under pressure. As well-funded opponents saturate the media with harmful narratives that limit our imagination and justify cuts, this learning lab will equip you with values-based, solutions-oriented messaging and authentic storytelling strategies that reclaim the narrative, expand possibility, and move hearts and minds.

Presenters:

• Marisol Bello, Executive Director, Housing Narrative Lab
• Jesse Rabinowitz, Campaign and Communications Director, National Homelessness Law Center

Tax-exempt Bond FUNdamentals

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Learning Lab

This Learning Lab will introduce you to the basics of tax-exempt bonds relating to affordable housing finance. You will learn the basic and technical requirements, the who and why of the multitude of players, the process of obtaining a bond volume cap allocation from the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC), general deal structuring, and the costs of issuance.

Presenters:

• Maxwell Albrecht, Financial Consultant, California Housing Partnership
• Michelle Coulter, Associate Director, Financial Consulting, California Housing Partnership
• Brian Haroldson, Partner, Jones Hall LLP
• Anthony Stubbs, Financial Advisor, California Municipal Finance Authority

Workshop Session 1 (One)

11:00 AM – 12:15 PM

A New Landscape: The Latest Trends in Lending and Investing in Affordable Housing

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

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, including the expanded Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and tax-exempt bond programs, inform lending and investing decisions. Our panelists will address lending and investing opportunities and challenges – in the context of preserving and creating affordable housing, innovations in tenant tenure and governance strategies, and mounting inflation. What does this all mean for a developer’s pipeline?

Presenters:

• Ben Creed, Associate Director, Financial Consulting, California Housing Partnership
• David Dologite, Director of Acquisitions, Merritt Community Capital
• Sebastian Glowacki, Business Development Officer, US Bank Impact Finance
• Eri Kameyama, Executive Director/Senior Banker, JPMorgan Chase
• Eric Leimbach, Managing Director, Wells Fargo

Affordable Housing Development and CEQA Streamlining Measures and Lessons Learned

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

This session will explain the new California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) exemption approved by AB 130 in 2025 and other recent legislative measures to streamline and expand opportunities to develop affordable housing in California. Measures discussed will include SB4, AB2162, AB 2011, and recent enhancements to State density bonus law. The presentation will highlight the legal requirements and applications of the various tools, provide case studies of successful projects, offer lessons learned from active developers, and discuss areas for future legislative advocacy.

Presenters:

• Peter Armstrong, Vice President of Real Estate Development, Wakeland Housing and Development Corporation
• Gabrielle Janssens, Partner, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
• Colin Parent, CEO and General Counsel, Circulate Planning & Policy
• Kristy Wang, Principal, Community Planning Collaborative

Building Power Through Care: How a Community Care Model Unites Health and Housing to End Homelessness

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

The Hollywood Care Model demonstrates how building solidarity across health, housing, and social service sectors creates scalable solutions to homelessness. This session will explore the collective journey of designing a Community Care model – evaluating need, engaging community-based partners, securing public and private buy-in, and aligning resources. Panelists will share strategies for leveraging shared power, amplifying community voices, and overcoming systemic barriers. Attendees will leave with practical insights on how to foster solidarity across sectors and replicate the hub model in their own communities to create stronger, more equitable systems of care.

Presenters:

• Heather Carmichael, Executive Director, My Friend’s Place
• Kerry Landry, President, Kerry Landry Health Care Consulting, LLC
• Jackie Provost, Chief Strategy Officer, Saban Community Clinic
• Alex Sato, Executive Director, The Center in Hollywood
• Brittney Weissman, Executive Director, Hollywood 4WRD

Building Power, Unlocking Capital: Advancing Equity Through Developer Capacity

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) and emerging community-based developers face undercapitalization and structural barriers that limit their ability to deliver deeply affordable, community-rooted housing. This workshop demonstrates how long-term, equity-centered investments in organizational capacity, including staffing, systems, and infrastructure, can shift power and unlock capital for sustainable impact. Panelists from Community Development Financial Institutions, intermediaries, funders, and developers with lived experience will share practical strategies, interactive case studies, and advocacy tools. Attendees will leave prepared to champion capacity-building as essential infrastructure and implement equity-driven solutions in funding, policy, and organizational practice.

Presenters:

• Amanda Bornstein, Director of Advising, Community Vision
• Evita Chavez, Senior Program Officer, Housing, LISC Bay Area
• Nori Dubon, Program and Impact Manager, Housing Trust
• Jessica Paz-Cedillos, Chief Executive Officer, Mexican Heritage Plaza
• Kate Vonshell, Senior Director of Programs (Builders and Developers), Build It Green

Civil Injustice: The State of Evictions in California

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

Each year, hundreds of thousands of Californians face eviction. Statewide, close to half of these Californians never see their day in court. New research released in 2025 provides the first post-COVID picture of eviction trends in the Bay Area and statewide. The studies reveal the pervasiveness of eviction, gaps in data reporting, limited tenant legal services, and the challenges these constraints pose for protecting low-income renters. This session will also highlight innovative strategies by legal service providers and a proactive tenant education and outreach program in Los Angeles aimed at preventing and diverting evictions.

Presenters:

• Irene Farnsworth, Director of Regional Homelessness Prevention, All Home
• Kyle Nelson, Director of Research and Policy, Tenant Right, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)
• Tina Rosales-Torres, Policy Advocate, Western Center on Law & Poverty
• Sean Sweeney, Civic Engagement Lead, Social Justice Learning Institute
• Kate Wardrip, Regional Counsel, Legal Services of Northern California

Confronting Disaster: Curbing Corporate Speculation in Post-Fire Altadena

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

Authors of the new report, Confronting Disaster: Curbing Corporate Speculation in Post-Fire Altadena, will discuss the displacement risks associated with intensifying investor interest in Altadena, based on spatial analysis and learned lessons from other post-disaster recovery efforts. The panelists will (1) review data demonstrating corporate investors have accelerated their purchases of land, (2) discuss the implications of such “land grabs” which are common following climate disasters, (3) provide policy recommendations needed to keep Altadena land in community hands, and (4) discuss lessons and ideas on centering housing justice and anti-speculation in future disaster preparedness and recovery frameworks across California.

Presenters:

• Iris Craige, Assistant Director of Policy and Research, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy
• Rémy De La Peza, Founder, Principal, Morena Strategies
• Shashi Hanuman, Executive Director, Public Interest Law Project
• Doug Smith, Vice President, Inclusive Action for the City

Coordinated Entry Systems System Change: Adapting Access to Meet Today’s Challenges (and Opportunities!)

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Conceptually, Coordinated Entry is the fairest methodology of awarding our limited housing and supportive resources to our highest need most vulnerable households and yet operationalizing an equitable system that offers those households the greatest chance for success is a monumental challenge. This panel complements CES Best Practices by focusing on systems change efforts including navigating local goals to reduce unsheltered homelessness while preserving equity; and evaluating and refining housing matching to improve “fit,” with appropriate services. These reforms are discussed in the context of mitigating near-daily shifting federal policy priorities on the county Continuum of Care organizations charged with implementing CES.

Presenters:

• Kerry Abbott, Principal, Abbott Consulting
• Natalie Bonnewit, Principal, Bonnewit Development Services on behalf of NPH
• Tamera Kohler, CEO, San Diego Regional Taskforce on Homelessness
• Katherine Lamont, Chief Operating Officer, TNDC

Ensuring Affordability: From Strong Underwriting to Strong Communities

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

For decades, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit-financed affordable housing has been one of the most resilient asset classes, with exceptionally low foreclosure rates that attracted growing institutional capital. Since COVID-19, however, new stressors have emerged: property insurance premiums doubling, utilities and maintenance escalating, and income erosion from vacancy and bad debt. Drawing on a 20-year review of nearly 300 California properties, this session reveals the systemic cost pressures now threatening long-term preservation. A cross-sector panel of lenders, developers, service providers, and city partners will unpack these risks and share targeted strategies to strengthen affordable housing and safeguard communities statewide.

Presenters:

• Brooke Bright, Senior Vice President, Affordable Housing, US Bank
• Sarah Furchtenicht, Senior Vice President, Abode Communities
• Tiena Hall, General Manager, Los Angeles Housing Department
• David Saltzman, Chief Risk Officer, California Community Reinvestment Corporation
• Beth Southorn, Executive Director, LifeSTEPS

Framing, Naming, and Movement-Making

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Roundtable

Can California’s housing movement build alignment and advance meaningful progress through a shared frame? Leading advocates from Statewide Housing Advocacy Committee want to hear from you! Inspired by the Green New Deal — which started as a policy package, became a movement through mobilizing flashpoints, and endured as a vision for transformation — we’ve embarked on a journey to determine what we can collectively do to advance our own unifying frame. This roundtable will include case studies, share new statewide message research, and prioritize conversation with attendees to confirm what our movement needs — and is capable of.

Presenters:

• Alina Harway, Communications Director, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH)
• Holly Minch, Partner, LightBox Collaborative

Lessons from LA County, LACAHSA’s First Year and What’s Next

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

Learn from policymakers and practitioners how the Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA) created its inaugural programs and policies for America’s largest county. Learn about new financing models, bond program development, and an innovative shared prevention model across 89 jurisdictions. From building and operating dollars that don’t touch Low Income Housing Tax Credit to planning and technical assistance for expanding future housing opportunities, LACAHSA is focused on both immediate needs and long-term planning solutions.

Presenters:

• Ryan Johnson, Interim Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency
• Claudia Lima, Managing Director of Strategic Investments, Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA)
• Tommy Newman, Chief of Staff, LACAHSA
• Mayor Rex Richardson, Board Chair, LACAHSA

Reinvestment Without Displacement: Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Beyond Development

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

This panel will look at place-based strategies to reinvest in communities that have historically had money and resources funneled away from them, without displacing the residents who have been impacted by that disinvestment. We will talk about how to center the voices and needs of impacted community members, and touch on why these strategies are essential to a robust Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Program. Our panelists include advocates and organizers with deep experience collaborating with their own communities to develop policies that meet their simultaneous needs for protection from displacement and expansion of resources, cultural touchstones, and community pride.

Presenters:

• Alison Cingolani, Director of Policy, Silicon Valley At Home
• Jeantelle Laberinto, Policy & Community Organizer, People Power Media/Race & Equity in all Planning Coalition
• Jovana Morales, Housing & Land Use Policy Manager, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
• Maria Patiño Gutierrez, Deputy Director of Policy and Advocacy, SAJE
• Skylar Spear, Staff Attorney, Public Advocates

The Roadmap Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Meet California’s Housing and Homelessness Goals

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Workshop

This session will share highlights from the updated Roadmap Home report—a transformative, field-driven policy agenda to protect renters, end homelessness, expand affordable housing, and close racial equity gaps across California. More than a policy platform, the Roadmap Home is a shared North Star and growing movement that reflects a collective vision for partners across the state.Built by and for the field, the Roadmap Home brings together 66 evidence-based policies and reforms that address the full spectrum of housing needs. It emerged from a simple but urgent premise: California’s housing and homelessness crises require solutions at the scale of the need—and a unified approach that moves beyond piecemeal fixes toward sustained, structural change.

Participants will learn the story behind the Roadmap Home, the vision driving it, how it was collaboratively developed, and the pathways that guide the full policy agenda. Speakers involved in shaping and advancing the Roadmap Home will share how it informs their work, and how organizations across California are activating around this shared policy agenda. Participants will also hear from speakers who have been directly involved in shaping and advancing the Roadmap Home, how it informs their work, and how organizations across California are activating around this shared policy agenda. The session will close with opportunities to support and join this growing movement.

Presenters:

• Eddie Carmona, Director of Organizing, PICO California
• Monica Davalos, Senior Policy Analyst, California Budget & Policy Center
• William Goodwin, Housing Policy Consultant or Steering Committee Member, Hope Solutions or Housing CA- Resident United Network
• Erika Rincón, Strategic Initiatives Director, Housing California
• Matt Schwartz, President & CEO, California Housing Partnership

Understanding and Preparing for Transitional Rent: Working Together for Successful Implementation

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

For the first time in California’s history, Medi-Cal will provide up to 6 months of rental assistance (“Transitional Rent”) to Medi-Cal members experiencing homelessness, to enable them to transition to stable, accessible, and affordable housing. This new benefit requires intensive collaboration between many partners, especially Medi-Cal managed care plans, homeless response Continuums of Care), Behavioral Health departments, and housing providers and agencies of all kinds. This session will provide an overview of Transitional Rent, including the roles different systems and providers within a community have to play, and cover strategies for successful implementation of this historic new resource.

Presenters:

• Dr. Ayanna McGee, Director of System Implementation, Sacramento Steps Forward
• Ruben Imperial, Director, Stanislaus County Behavioral Health & Recovery Services
• Gillian Morshedi, Senior Directing Attorney, Homebase
• Vanessa W. Davis, Director, Medi-Cal External Engagement and Initiatives, Kaiser Permanente

Uninsurable? Rising Insurance Costs Jeopardizes Affordable Housing in California

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Escalating property insurance premiums are impacting affordable housing developments. The session will explore causes, management challenges under rent caps, and potential policy and market solutions involving state officials, developers, and insurers. Key questions include how properties can absorb or transfer insurance costs without violating affordability rules and the role of the state in stabilizing insurance markets.

Presenters:

• Dena Fuentes, Director, RSG, Inc.
• Rochelle Mills, President and CEO, Innovative Housing Opportunities
• Araceli Palafox, Associate Director, Policy, Enterprise Community Partners

Thursday Lunch Sessions

12:25 PM – 1:15 PM

Updating SB 375 (Sustainable Communities Act)

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Additional Event

Nearly two decades after California passed SB 375, (Sustainable Communities Act), the state’s ambitious effort to align housing, transportation, and land use planning with climate goals has not delivered on its goals to reduce driving by building denser housing in walkable, transit-oriented communities. This panel will examine what SB 375 set out to achieve, what progress has been made, and why implementation has fallen short. Presenters will share current proposals from a variety of stakeholders. Participants will contribute to an active policy conversation about how SB 375 can be strengthened to better support California’s housing, transportation, and climate objectives.

Presenters:

• Amy Lee, Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California, Davi
• Julie Snyder, Principle Legislative Advocate, Housing and Local Government, Metropolitan Transportation Commission
• Sam Tepperman-Gelfant, Managing Attorney, Public Advocates
• Jeanie Ward-Waller, Director of Transportation Advocacy, Fearless Advocacy

What Does it Take for Funders to Support a Strong, Aligned Housing Movement in California?

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Additional Event

Hear from four foundations from across California (Chan Zuckerberg, Irvine, Packard, San Francisco Foundation) about the lessons learned from the last few years, perspectives on the landscape, and priorities moving forward. Drawing on insights from recent investments in housing affordability, this panel will offer a strategic framework for funders to address California’s housing crisis.

Presenters:

• Christa Brown, Director of State Policy, San Francisco Foundation
• Rajib Guha, Director of Program Development, The James Irvine Foundation
• Michelle Kai, Senior Program Officer- Housing Affordability, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
• Deb Kong, Program Officer, David and Lucile Packard Foundation
• Jennifer Martinez, Vice President of Policy and Innovation, San Francisco Foundation

Workshop Session 2 (Two)

2:30 PM – 3:45 PM

Beyond the Cliff: How Cash Assistance and Other Tools Support Stability and Dignity After Time-Limited Subsidies

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Households exiting time-limited subsidy programs face a steep and destabilizing cliff, often leaving them vulnerable to eviction, instability, and returns to homelessness. This session examines how communities can redesign that moment. Panelists will share new findings on the impact of flexible cash assistance as a bridge beyond subsidy expiration and discuss how it works alongside other system tools—such as housing flex pools, CalAIM housing supports, aftercare case management services, and local permanent housing funds—to help households maintain access to housing, benefits, and supports at the point when they need them most.

Presenters:

• Julian Duran, Impact Analyst, Hamilton Families
• William F. Pickel, CEO, Brilliant Corners
• Kendra Froshman, Director of Impact & Learning, Compass Family Services
• KJ Kaminski, Director, County of Santa Clara Office of Supportive Housing
• Tessa Nápoles, Postdoctoral Researcher, Terner Center for Housing Innovation

Federal Housing Policy: What Can California Expect in 2026?

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

This panel will look at the final FY 2026 federal spending bill’s impacts on California housing and homelessness programs along with the impacts of various Executive Orders. We will then strategize about the best way for California advocates to weigh in on our federal priorities in 2026.

Presenters:

• Emily De La Guerra, CFO, Santa Clara County Housing Authority
• David Gonzalez Rice, Senior Vice President of Public Policy, National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Liz Osborn, Vice President for Policy, Enterprise Community Partners
• Matt Schwartz, President & CEO, California Housing Partnership

Financing Solutions to California’s Housing & Homelessness Crisis: Where Do We Go From Here?

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Workshop

Majorities of California voters believe our leaders need to enact policies to solve our housing crisis. Yet, Californians have little confidence our government can solve problems. This workshop will identify the fiscal needs to solve homelessness and compare that data to what the state is currently budgeting. We will discuss laws and politics that limit our state budgeting from fully realizing the affordable housing Californians need. We will conclude by engaging the audience on the ways to get Californians to take action for our collective housing future. We have the power and resources to make California affordable–let’s use it!

Presenters:

• Marshal Arnwine, Legislative Advocate, ACLU California Action
• Monica Davalos, Senior Policy Analyst, California Budget & Policy Center
• Rasheedah Phillips, Director of Housing, PolicyLink
• Sharon Rapport, Director, California State Policy, Corporation for Supportive Housing
• Alex Visotzky, Senior California Policy Fellow, National Alliance to End Homelessness

From Harvest to Home: Intersectional Solutions for Housing Justice

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

On the San Mateo County Coastside, housing justice is inseparable from immigration, food access, health equity, and economic mobility. This panel brings together nonprofit leaders, philanthropy, and a farmworker voice to share how cross-sector work cultivates intersectional solutions rooted in community power. Through stories of resilience and collaboration, participants will learn strategies for centering impacted residents, building solidarity across sectors, and advancing systemic change. Join us to explore how: “when problems are intersectional, solutions must be intersectional.”

Presenters:

• Judith Guerrero, Executive Director, Coastside Hope
• Jered Lawson, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Pie Ranch
• Ritan Mancera, Executive Director, Puente de La Costa Sur
• Guillermo Ramirez, Farmworker and Advocate, Del Campo al Cambio
• Anita Rees, Executive Director, Pacifica Resource Center

Getting Housers Into the Headlines: Leveraging Media to Amplify Affordable Housing & Homelessness Advocacy

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Workshop

This workshop will guide participants in crafting compelling storylines, building relationships with reporters, preparing spokespeople, and leveraging earned media, all while centering voices of impacted communities. With shrinking newsroom capacity and intense competition for media attention around housing and homelessness, advocates must go the next mile to make it into the headlines. Participants will learn how to frame stories, build media outreach plans, engage lived-experience voices, and prepare for interviews.

Presenters:

• Marisa Kendall, Homelessness Reporter, CalMatters
• Mallory Lynn Hill, Vice President, Band Together Communications
• Chelsea Muller, Director of Communications, Destination: Home
• Miriam Perez, RUN Leader, Residents United Network
• Tara Sreekrishnan, Narrative & Strategic Communications Director, Housing California

In the Home Stretch: California Housing and Homelessness Agency Implementation

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

Hear from state government leaders about the exciting progress being made to implement the California Housing and Homelessness Agency, which will officially be operationalized on July 1, 2026. Learn more about the strides that have been made and the work to come in the final stretch of the implementation process.

Presenters:

• Sasha Kerga, Deputy Secretary of Housing, CA Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
• Kevin Kish, Director, Civil Rights Department (CRD)
• Meghan Marshall, Executive Officer, California Interagency Council on Homelessness (Cal ICH)
• Tony Sertich, Director, California Housing Finance Agency (Cal HFA)
• Gustavo Velasquez, Director, Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)

Livin’ on the Edge: What to Do When Times Get Tough: Wildfires, Austerity Budgets, and Operational Overspending

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Roundtable

How do you prepare for the worst or pivot when times get tough? Learn about disaster and wildfire mitigation and challenges for buildings and operations. Delve into solutions for post construction operating challenges and how to right the ship. Bring your questions and feedback for a discussion on austerity budgets and maximizing rents.

Presenters:

• Lauren Maddock, Senior Director, California Housing Partnership
• Seana O’Shaughnessy, President & CEO, CHIP

Operational Resilience in a Shifting Landscape: What Housing and Homelessness Nonprofits Need to Know Now

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

The current Administration brings new operational and compliance complexities for housing justice and homelessness nonprofits in California and nationwide. This session will provide practical guidance for protecting nonprofit status, strengthening internal operations, and ensuring organizations remain mission-driven while navigating a challenging landscape. This workshop will help nonprofit leaders and operational staff understand what has changed—and what may continue to change— and how to proactively safeguard their organizations.

Presenters:

• AJ Galka, Ed.D., Assistant Vice President, Operations & Supportive Housing, Hope through Housing Foundation
• Teresa M. Santalucia, Partner, Klein Hornig LLP

Preventing Displacement During Renovation, Rehabilitation and Redevelopment

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

Communities across the state have continued their efforts to preserve and expand the supply of affordable housing to meet the needs of the most vulnerable Californians. However, if done incorrectly, substantial renovation, rehabilitation, and redevelopment of existing housing stock can lead to displacement of the very residents these efforts are intended to serve. This workshop will provide stakeholders – public agencies, affordable housing providers, developers, and tenant advocates – with tools for (1) developing comprehensive tenant relocation policies aimed at mitigating displacement during preservation and redevelopment efforts and (2) working collaboratively to design and implement effective tenant relocation plans.

Presenters:

• Ryan Bell, Regional Organizer // Board Member, Tenants Together // Pasadena Rental Housing Board
• Craig Castellanet, Attorney, The Public Interest Law Project
• Tia Rameriz, Director of Property Operations, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation
• Nazanin Salehi, Associate Attorney, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
• Karen Tiedemann, Partner, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP

Re-Imagining Tax Incentives as a Solution to California’s Affordable Housing Shortage

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

This interactive workshop brings together state legislators, community leaders, tribal and workforce representatives, and financial experts to develop a practical roadmap of innovative and actionable policy proposals. The session will explore the strategic use of property and other tax administration incentives to accelerate approvals and expand the construction and preservation of affordable housing.

Presenters:

• Hon. Antonio Vazquez, Board Member, Third District, State Board of Equalization
• Tara Barauskas, Executive Director, Community Corporation of Santa Monica
• Hon. Dr. Corey A. Jackson, Assemblymember, California State Assembly District 60
• Robert Garcia, California State Assembly
• Annalee Trujillo, Executive Director, Pala Housing Resource Center

Safety Starts at Home for Immigrant Families: Guidance for Housing Providers to Foster Safe and Inclusive Communities

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

It is a frightening and confusing time for immigrant families as federal authorities ramp up aggressive campaigns of enforcement. Housing providers are being bombarded with threats and demands for information about their tenants from the federal government, often without legal grounds. We have a strong network of laws protecting immigrants in California that remains in place despite federal policies. This session will help housing providers understand the laws protecting immigrants in California, and how private and subsidized housing providers can prepare to address and respond to immigration enforcement with a goal of fostering inclusive and safe resident communities.

Presenters:

• Madeline Howard, Senior attorney, Western Center on Law & Poverty
• Shelby Nacino, Housing Rights Program Director, Asian Law Caucus
• Deborah Thrope, Deputy Director, National Housing Law Project

Social Housing: Moving From Theory to Practice

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

In communities all across California, social housing – a system of decommodified, permanently affordable, green, and resident-centered housing – is rapidly moving from theory to practice. This session will feature developers and tenant advocates on the front lines of building a social housing future, offering insights about the victories,setbacks, challenges, and long-term promise of this approach. Panelists will share lessons from the implementation of United to House LA (ULA) and Measure A funding in Los Angeles, the rapid expansion of Community Land Trusts, and the emerging blueprint for a statewide social housing system informed by the SB 555 study process.

Presenters:

• Saki Bailey, Executive Director, San Francisco Community Land Trust
• Allison Riley, Co-Executive Director, Venice Community Housing Corp
• Liz Ryan Murray, Director of Strategic Campaigns, Public Advocates
• Shanti Singh, Tenants Together

Too Big to Fail? Lessons from the Collapse of Skid Row Housing Trust

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

The Skid Row Housing Trust was a pioneer and ardent supporter of Housing First and Permanent Supportive Housing, grounded in the belief that a secure home is the first step toward safety, stability, and community. Over its 36 years of service, the Trust housed more than 10,000 chronically homeless individuals and transferred 29 buildings before closing its doors on January 17, 2025. What internal and external factors led to its collapse? This session will explore the findings of the research report “Redesign Required: Lessons for Permanent Supportive Housing from Skid Row Housing Trust Buildings” and feature insights from key leaders.

Presenters:

• Ashley Atkinson, Former Director of Asset Management, Los Angeles Housing Department
• Joanne Cordero, Former Interim CEO, Skid Row Housing Trust
• Simon Ha, Former Board Chair, CEO of SH Housing Solutions, Skid Row Housing Trust & SH Housing Solutions
• Claire Knowlton, Owner, Claire Knowlton Consulting
• Brad West, Policy Specialist, The Supportive Housing Alliance

Unseen and Unheard: Building Coalitions and Housing Models for Survivors of Violence How Los Angeles and San Francisco are Investing in Population-Specific Responses through Collaboration and Policy Change

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Unaccompanied women and survivors of violence represent over 25% of California’s homeless population yet remain underserved by traditional housing systems. This workshop will educate housing providers, developers, victim service providers, Continuum of Cares, and advocates on creating targeted, survivor-centered housing solutions. Through case studies from Los Angeles and San Francisco, participants will explore how coalitions advanced Permanent Supportive Housing and policy reforms for women and survivors. Interactive discussions will address local barriers and strategies for equity-focused housing. Join us to learn how to drive systemic change, invest in gender equity, and create safe, permanent homes for some of California’s most vulnerable residents.

Presenters:

• Yves-Langston Bartaud, Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer, San Francisco SafeHouse
• Cristina Cortes, Sr. Manager Domestic Violence Homeless Services Coalition, Downtown Women’s Center
• Rebecca Jackson, Vice President of Re-Entry and Public Affairs, Community Forward SF
• Sammie Rayner, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Community Forward SF
• Amy Turk, Chief Executive Officer, Downtown Women’s Center

Workshop Session 3 (Three)

4:00 PM – 5:15 PM

Build a Community, Build a Career: Carving Your Professional Roadmap as an Emerging Leader in Affordable Housing

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

This interactive session invites emerging leaders in affordable housing to learn about the wide landscape of affordable housing careers, chart their own path in the field, and interact with industry professionals who have taken unique routes to get to their current roles as affordable housers. It will begin with a presentation exploring the landscape of affordable housing careers, spanning all the roles needed throughout the production and preservation processes, and wrap up by engaging industry professionals in a Q&A to see a professional roadmap in practice.

Presenters:

• Lillian Lew-Hailer
• Celina Pacana, Program Manager, Merritt Community Capital Corporation
• Darnell Williams, SVP of Property Operations, Eden Housing
• Regina Williams, Executive Director, SV@Home

From Pain to Power: Centering Solutions and Vision in Housing Justice Narratives

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Workshop

This panel will explore how residents and leaders can share their lived experiences in ways that move beyond trauma-centered storytelling, highlight community wisdom, and elevate solution-oriented narratives that drive housing justice.

Presenters:

• Susan Cabeje, Residents United Network
• Sara da Silva, Statewide Organizer, Housing California
• William Goodwin, Housing Policy Consultant or Steering Committee Member, Hope Solutions or Housing CA- Resident United Network
• Corina Petty, Housing California
• Aamina Phineas, Housing Advocate, RUN Leader Coachella Valley Region, Residents United Network

Good Faith Partnership: How to Partner with Tribes

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

A good faith partnership with tribes is built on principles of respect, reciprocity, and the recognition of tribal sovereignty. For governmental and private entities, this means going beyond minimal legal requirements to create genuinely collaborative relationships. This session will provide an overview on how to engage with tribes and ultimately build a strong partnership.

Presenters:

• Vevila Blossoming Bear, Tribal Liaison, California Interagency Council on Homelessness
• iliana chevez, Director of Tribal Programs, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• Gina Gradias, Associate Tribal Programs Manager, California Coalition for Rural Housing
• Moriah McGill, Deputy Director, Northern Circle Indian Housing Authority

Hot Topics in Housing and Homelessness

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Interact directly with affordable housing and homelessness policy experts and get an inside look at the policy themes dominating the State Capitol in 2026. 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 by those working in the Capitol.

Presenters:

• Cynthia Castillo, National Alliance to End Homelessness
• Anya Lawler, Managing Director, Public Interest Advocates
• Justine Marcus, State & Local Policy Director, Enterprise Community Partners
• Natalie Spievack, Senior Policy Advocate, Housing California

Improving Access to Housing through Coordinated Entry Policy Change

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Coordinated Entry holds promise as a tool for more effective and equitable homelessness response, but its inconsistent implementation has presented challenges for non-profit permanent supportive housing (PSH) operators. In response, housers and public agency partners have come together in communities across the state to develop innovative ways to improve local Coordinated Entry systems. This panel will highlight how cross-sector coalitions in the Bay Area and Los Angeles are bringing stakeholders together to strengthen and improve Coordinated Entry performance. We will also discuss the state’s role in guiding local homelessness response, especially as federal policy poses new existential challenges.

Presenters:

• Mary Juarez-Fitzgerald, Coordinated Entry System Manager, Contra Costa Health
• Courtney Pal, Policy Manager, Resources for Community Development
• Cristi Ritschel, Vice President of Resident Services, SAHA
• Marc Tousignant, Director, Supportive Housing, Southern California, Enterprise Community Partners
• Dhakshike Wickerama, Deputy Secretary, Business, Consumer Services, and Housing Agency

Intersectional Coalitions: Advancing Disability Justice in California Housing Solutions

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

This workshop foregrounds self-advocate experience and housing expert insights to illuminate the unique housing challenges facing the IDD community (Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities). Four speakers—two self-advocates and two housing development experts—will present data, lived experience, and best practices. In the interactive segment, attendees will map existing resources and co-design coalition strategies. The session concludes with synthesizing high-impact steps into a shareable “Coalition Roadmap,” equipping participants to integrate disability justice into their homelessness prevention and affordable housing initiatives.

Presenters:

• Teresa Anderso, Executive Director, California Policy Center for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities/li>
• Lisa Cooley, Self-Advocate, Independent Contractor
• John Decker, Director of Community Services and Support, Alta California Regional Center
• Darin Lounds, Executive Director, HCEB
• Peter Mendoza, SDM-TAP | Grants Program Analyst, State Council on Developmental Disabilities/li>

Maximizing Property Performance: Balancing Resident Needs and Financial Sustainability Using Mission-Driven Asset Management

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Affordable housing providers often face the challenge of delivering high-quality property management and resident services while maintaining financial stability. This is especially challenging when a portion of the community has experienced homelessness in the past. This session explores how mission-driven Asset Management can be a powerful framework for balancing these priorities.

Presenters:

• Ann Huang, Senior Asset Manager Portfolio Analysis and Special Projects, Eden Housing
• Enedina Johnson, Senior Asset Manager, Abode Housing Development
• Capri Roth, Executive VP, Multifamily Real Estate, East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation
• Michael Santero, Senior Director of Asset Management, Abode Housing Development
• Branden Sarkissian, Director of Asset Management, Housing Development Partners

Moving the Needle on Factory-Built Housing in California

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Factory-built housing (FBH), also known as off-site construction and including methods such as volumetric modular production, has long been heralded as a panacea to the nation’s housing supply and affordability crisis. This session moves beyond well-worn discussions of “barriers and opportunities” to highlight current initiatives at the cutting-edge of FBH finance and deployment that advance housing justice and inclusion. The session will provide key insights for scaling up factory-built affordable housing, including strategies for operationalizing innovative financing tools and procurement models to make those initiatives more feasible.

Presenters:

• Ryan Cassidy, Vice President of Real Estate, Mutual Housing
• Caroline McCormack, Vice President of Lending & Policy, San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund
• Tyler Pullen, Assistant Director of Building Innovation, Terner Center
• Jin Zhang, Factory-built Housing Program Manager, California Strategic Growth Council

Preservation and Rehabilitation: An Eye Towards the Future with a Foot in the Past

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Explore the current state of affairs and future prospects for preservation and rehabilitation by looking at past successes and future potential. Hear about the outcomes of the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) Portfolio Reinvestment Program and how you can advocate for future funding. Understand the investor perspective when evaluating rehabs and learn how to best position your project. Review new California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC) and California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) regulations for preservation and rehabs and how to structure your project. Get excited about the 50% Test changing to 25%, allowing for bonds to go further than ever, and see how it will impact your ability to complete your rehab projects. Learn how to mitigate the loss of Investment Tax Credit through state-level incentive programs and utility partnerships, and address challenges in electrifying older properties.

Presenters:

• David Dologite, Director of Acquisitions, Merritt Community Capital
• Louis Liss, Director of Real Estate Development, Eden Housing
• Jesse Ozanian, Associate Director, California Housing Partnership
• Ian Sharples, Sustainability Program Manager, California Housing Partnership
• Lindy Suggs, Chief, Asset Management and Compliance, California Department of Housing and Community Development

Reports From the Field: Evaluating Local Tools That Advance Housing Production

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Across California, cities are demonstrating that faster, more predictable housing delivery is possible when streamlining tools are designed and implemented effectively. This session spotlights local reforms that are actively accelerating housing production, from permit streamlining and zoning flexibility to financial incentives. Through local case studies from northern California jurisdictions, along with real-world developer and policy researcher perspectives, participants will learn what is measurably working, how these tools are implemented, and why they succeeded. The panel will also briefly examine where streamlining alone is not sufficient and what additional local and statewide tools can help close remaining gaps. Attendees will leave with a practical blueprint for advancing proven, results-driven housing reforms in their own communities.

Presenters:

• Parker Evans, Acquisitions Manager, Mutual Housing California​
• Matt Hertel, Director of Research and Policy, Terner Center
• Caleb Smith, City of Oakland
• Greta Soos, Senior Planner, City of Sacramento
• Kristy Wang, Principal, Community Planning Collaborative

Resident Leadership in Action

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Roundtable

Resident advocacy is a cornerstone of community empowerment and a vital part of any organization’s ecosystem. When residents are equipped with the tools to lead, organize, and advocate, they become powerful agents of change; not only for themselves but for their neighborhoods and broader systems. This workshop highlights how leadership development programs across agencies, including Episcopal Community Services (ECS) and the San Diego Housing Federation’s Stronger Housing, People & Neighborhoods (SHPN) program, cultivate grassroots leaders who drive policy, shape services, and build stronger, more equitable communities. Through storytelling, dialogue, and lived experience, guests will witness the transformative impact of resident-led advocacy and cross-agency collaboration.

Presenters:

• Solomon Bukenya, SHPN Resident Advisory Board member, Supportive Housing Provider Network
• Marvin Hurd, SHPN Resident Advisory Board member, Supportive Housing Provider Network
• Cody Keene, Public Policy Manager, DISH SF
• Guled Muse, Community Engagement Manager, Episcopal Community Services
• Raya Rhodes, Vice Chair of SHPN Resident Advisory Board, Supportive Housing Provider Network

Rooting Housing Policy in Environmental Justice

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

As the state’s housing crisis deepens, there has been intense focus on increasing housing supply. This narrow focus has brought new threats to low-income communities, predominantly communities of color, that already bear a disproportionate burden of toxic land uses among their homes and face chronic disinvestment in resources needed to create healthy, thriving neighborhoods. Recent legislation billed as necessary to boost production has presented a false choice between housing supply and environmental protections. This panel will explore this dynamic while presenting policy options rooted in equitable development principles that both address the housing crisis and advance environmental justice.

Presenters:

• Jennifer Ganataa, Legal Department Co-Director, Communities for a Better Environment
• Zach Lou, Coalition Director, California Green New Deal Coalition
• Katherine McKeon, Attorney, Western Center on Law & Poverty
• Jovana Morales-Tilgren, Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability
• Rabeya Sen, Land Use Director, California Environmental Justice Alliance

Seamless Subsidies: Transitions between Transitional Rent and Longer-Term Housing

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

This session features a facilitated discussion on strategies to help people exit homelessness using Transitional Rent to Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA)-funded Housing Interventions, Homeless Housing, Assistance, and Prevention program, and other housing subsidies. Panelists will provide an overview of Transitional Rent, BHSA, and complementary subsidy programs, then walk through real-world and hypothetical scenarios illustrating how counties are using—or could use—these tools in combination to move people from homelessness into stable housing. The session will include in-depth discussion of each scenario and interactive dialogue among presenters and participants to surface challenges, best practices, and implementation lessons.

Presenters:

• Jessica Delaney, CalAIM Program Manager, Blue Shield of California – Promise Health Plan
• Alison Klurfeld, Owner & Principal, Klurfeld Consulting, LLC
• Sharon Rapport, Director, California State Policy, Corporation for Supportive Housing
• Brenda Sarabia, Deputy Director, County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services
• Lauren Turner, Policy Program Manager, Corporation for Supportive Housing

The Narrative Shift: What Narrative Research Tells us About Building Public Support for Supportive Housing

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Workshop

This interactive workshop will share insights from the first nationwide qualitative and quantitative research on the public’s knowledge and attitudes about supportive housing and how to implement the research in communications to a variety of key audiences. As the supportive housing and homelessness sectors reel from budget cuts and damaging policy changes, we have to more effectively make the case for quality supportive housing. After sharing research insights, we will conduct interactive exercises to help attendees put the research into practice so the insights ripple out across the field and can be implemented at scale.

Presenters:

• Marisol Bello, Executive Director, Executive Director, Housing Narrative Lab, Housing Narrative Lab
• Jesse Dean, Director, Strategic Communication, CSH

Workshop Session 4 (Four)

9:00 AM – 10:15 AM

Beating Local Anti-Housing Ballot Measures

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Workshop

Across California, many communities have growth caps that limit affordable housing development. The threat of referendums always looms over projects on public land in particular. This workshop brings together advocates from across the state to discuss their campaigns to overturn or defeat voter initiatives to block affordable housing in San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties. Advocates will discuss specific political strategies they used to defeat anti-housing ballot measures and build a strong base of support to defend affordable housing developments.

Presenters:

• Cesar Covarrubias, Executive Director, The Kennedy Commission
• Elaine Johnson, Executive Director, Housing Santa Cruz County
• Jeremy Levine, Policy Manager, Housing Leadership Council of San Mateo County
• Kalimah Salahuddin, Former Trustee & Community Advocate, JUHSD & REACH Coalition

Building Affordable Housing in California’s Wildfire Urban Interface: Balancing Risk, Resilience, and Equity

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

California’s affordable housing crisis intersects with the growing risk of wildfire in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). This session explores how developers, insurers, fire safety experts, and policy leaders are navigating the trade-offs between housing demand, climate adaptation, and equity. Panelists will share insights on construction innovations, insurance incentives, and policy frameworks that can make housing in WUI areas more resilient and affordable. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the systemic barriers, practical solutions, and justice considerations involved in balancing wildfire risk with the urgent need for housing in California’s most vulnerable communities.

Presenters:

• Cecilia Chouhy, Principal, Mogavero Architects
• Dave Jones, Director. Climate Risk Initiative/CA Insurance Commissioner Emeritus, UC Berkeley School of Law
• Allison Rettig, Project Manager, CHIP
• David Shew, Wildfire Resiliency Consultant, Wildfire DefenseWorks

California Housing and Homeless Agency and the New Housing Development and Finance Committee: Opportunity to Create a Streamlined and Efficient Affordable Housing Funding and Finance System in California

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

The Governor’s Reorganization Plan creates the California Housing and Homeless Agency (CHHA), the state’s first agency solely dedicated to housing and homelessness. CHHA sets up a new Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC) that aims to create a more efficient and streamlined affordable housing finance system. This panel will discuss how the HDFC will address the challenges of the current affordable housing finance system and how best to align tax credits and bonds. Participants will learn about other affordable housing finance systems throughout the country and how to apply best practices to California. Panelists will share their perspective from a development, research, and administrative point of view, and participants can provide feedback on shaping a more efficient and streamlined system for affordable housing funding and finance in California.

Presenters:

• Sarah Karlinsky, Director of Research and Policy, Terner Center
• Suny Lay Chang, President and Chief Operating Officer, Linc Housing
• Christina Mun, Deputy Secretary of Housing Finance Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency
• Geeta Rao, Senior Director, Enterprise Community Partners
• Marina Wiant, Executive Director, California Debt Limit Allocation Committee and the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee

Collaborative Solutions for Encampment Resolution in Rural California: Building Pathways Together

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

With escalating pressures to resolve unsheltered homelessness, local governments are quickly moving to remove encampments, often through harmful policies that don’t address the root causes of the issue. Further complicating the matter, most homelessness response systems are severely under-resourced and siloed from other systems of care. Learn from the ever-evolving experiences of a community working together to close a historical encampment by utilizing innovative solutions, braided funds, wraparound services and pathways to permanent housing.

Presenters:

• Megan Hunter, City Manager, City of Soledad
• Julius Mills-Denti, Director of Programs, Step Up on Second
• Rosaura Sierra, Program Manager, Step Up on Second
• Beatriz Trujillo, Community & Economic Development Director, City of Soledad
• Roxanne V. Wilson, County Homeless Services Director, County of Monterey

Emerging Funding for Affordable Housing: California’s Vehicles Miles Traveled Mitigation Ban

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

California’s new Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Bank – enabled by AB 130 – creates a groundbreaking opportunity to fund affordable housing while offsetting the impacts of major transportation projects. This session will include representatives from the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI), which is working with HCD to draft statewide guidelines, to share a preview of the policy framework. Panelists will also discuss pilot efforts underway and explore how affordable housing is one of the most cost-effective VMT mitigation strategies. Participants will learn how to prepare their organizations for this new funding stream and strengthen cross-sector collaboration.

Presenters:

• Chris Gray, Deputy Executive Director, Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG)
• Renner Johnston, President, Mogavero Architects
• Zach Miller, Principal Transportation Planner – CEQA Policy, Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation
• Craig Shields, Climate Investments Branch Chief, The California Department of Housing and Community Development
• Natalie Spievack, Senior Policy Advocate, Housing California

Housing and Hunger: Building an Integrated Approach to SNAP Outreach and Enrollment in Affordable Housing Communities

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

No Kid Hungry, Mercy Housing and Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services partnered to close the SNAP gap in the Sacramento region by directly connecting residents to CalFresh enrollment support. Through social media campaigns featuring resident voices, on-site and virtual outreach, and systems-level tools like CRM integration and referral tracking, the initiative reduced stigma and increased access and enrollment to food assistance. This session will share practical tools, lessons learned, and a replicable model for housing and food access organizations to collaborate on intersectional, resident-centered solutions to hunger and housing insecurity.

How Housing First Can Create Community Fast

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

The path to solving homelessness in a competitive environment requires collaboration, cooperation, communication, and a respect for the needs of all partners. In just six days, 44 people experiencing homelessness became housed because four partners chose to align together in building a model of collaboration to overcome the challenges and barriers to housing people experiencing homelessness, rather than accepting reasons why the task could not be accomplished. Using experience, training, evidence-based best practices in supporting housing for people experiencing homelessness and an understanding of each partner’s needs, session participants will learn how commitment, cause, and collaboration can make a project successful.

Presenters:

• Will Daniels, Director of Operations, Berkeley Housing Authority
• Anna Fellers, Coordinated Entry Manager, Alameda County Housing and Homelessness
• Bruce Kuban, Training Specialist/HIPAA Privacy Officer, LifeSTEPS Life Skills Training & Educational Programs
• Sylvia Martinez, Director of Housing Development, Housing Authority of the City of Alameda
• Rachel Roguski, Director of Supportive Housing and Health Services, LifeSTEPS

Innovative Financing Models Expanding Access to Homeownership

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

Many urban and rural homeownership development organizations, including but not exclusively self-help housing grantees, are facing increasing challenges due to diminished and uncertain federal funding resources such as USDA Section 502 Direct mortgages and HOME funds. As traditional public financing sources become more constrained, organizations across diverse geographies must identify and leverage alternative strategies to continue advancing affordable homeownership.

This workshop will highlight specific project examples from both rural and urban communities where homes are being developed using innovative financing approaches, including New Markets Tax Credits, local and regional philanthropic resources, Community Land Trust models, and alternative primary mortgage financing from non‑public sources. These examples will demonstrate how adaptable and place‑responsive financing structures can expand access to homeownership in a wide range of market contexts.

Following each project presentation, attendees will be encouraged to ask questions and contribute to a facilitated discussion, sharing their own experiences and lessons learned in employing new or alternative financing tools to support sustainable homeownership in urban and rural settings.

Presenters:

• Tom Collishaw, President/CEO, Self-Help Enterprises
• Jesse Ibarra, Chief Business Officer, Neighborhood Partnership Housing Services, Inc.
• Betsy McGovern-Garcia, Vice President, Self-Help Enterprises
• Tony Sertich, Director, California Housing Finance Agency (Cal HFA)

Investing in Trans Lives: Housing is Foundational

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Roundtable

Transgender individuals face disproportionate housing discrimination, harassment, and homelessness, yet most shelters and programs fail to meet their needs. That’s why Transgender leaders have a pioneering and resilient history of housing advocacy and community building. This roundtable is for trans advocates and allies to discuss inclusive housing models and share best practices in gender-affirming design, respectful policies, and advocacy. We will also cover campaigns for targeted investments at the state and local level to prevent homelessness and to defend gender-affirming residential management policies under attack by the Trump Administration. Join us to invest in trans dignity, stability and wellbeing.

Presenters:

• Greg Kochanowski, Partner / Director of Design, Practice
• Alexandra Magallon, Director of Programs and Services, The TransLatina Coalition

Key Updates on Funding Housing for Health

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

This session will provide information on the housing initiatives under the Department of Health Care Services, including the upcoming Housing Interventions under the Behavioral Health Services Act, the Transitional Rent and Community Supports benefit, and the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing program.

Presenters:

• Brenda Enriquez, Sr. Community Action Manager, County of Glenn
• Alison Klurfeld, Owner & Principal, Klurfeld Consulting, LLC
• Luz Melgarejo, Sr. Community Action Manager, County of Glenn
• Jonathan Russell, Director, Alameda County Housing and Homelessness Services
• Glenn Tsang, Policy Advisor for Homelessness and Housing, California Department of Health Care Services

Navigating The Moment, Building Resilience: Embedding Community Values to Strengthen Culture for Long-Term Impact

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

At a time when organizational values are increasingly tested by shifting external dynamics, leaders must respond with clarity, resilience, and proactive strategy. This session shares how MidPen and Eden Housing are meeting the current moment by embedding community-rooted values into every layer of their operations—internally across staff and leadership, and externally with residents, vendors, and partners. The leaders from the organizations’ respective Culture and Community Values, Impact, and Innovation (CVII) team will convey a broader and enduring approach to how values are expressed, protected, and activated.

Presenters:

• Jen Ingram, SVP Community Values Impact & Innovation, MidPen Housing
• Lorenzo Jones, Vice President of Culture and Engagement, Eden Housing

Scaling a Centralized Digital Listings and Application Platform to Support Applicant Placement Challenges

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

This workshop will discuss the importance of affordable housing placement for developers, property managers and public sector funders. With increasing affordable housing finance complexity – more funding sources required for a typical project, each of which has its own placement requirements – and the growth of jurisdiction-mandated housing lottery “preferences”, units become more difficult to fill, sometimes leaving them vacant for extended periods. How can new digital tools like housing portals launched in the Bay Area and soon in Los Angeles, help to fix this?

Presenters:

• Virginia Allen, Pipeline & Marketing Manager, Mercy Housing
• Cathy Eberhardt, Residents United Network Member, Housing California
• Mashael Majid, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Councilmember Nithya Raman, City of Los Angeles
• Jennifer Pearce, Deputy Director, Alameda County Housing and Community Development Department
• Barry Roeder, Doorway Principal, BAHFA/MTC

Workshop Session 5 (Five)

1:15 PM – 2:30 PM

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Through Litigation

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

California’s housing lawsuits are enforcing more than technical compliance—they’re affirmatively furthering fair housing by ensuring that city’s plan and zone for affordable homes in high-resource areas. Panelists will share lessons from recent litigation and explore how legal action, political advocacy, and grassroots organizing work together. Participants will learn how lawsuits can advance equity, accountability, and housing opportunities across California.

Presenters:

• Rick Bonilla, Former San Mateo Mayor, Union Carpenter
• Shashi Hanuman, Public Interest Law Project
• Tom Mayhew, Partner, Trial Lawyer, Farella Braun + Martel, Farella Braun + Martel
• Ali Sapirman, Advocacy & Policy Manager, Housing Action Coalition
• Leora Tanjuatco Ross, California Director, Yimby Action

CANCELLED Just Recovery: Affordable, Community-Centered Housing as a Tool for Climate Resilience

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice

As climate-fueled disasters intensify across California, vulnerable communities face both destruction and displacement in disasters’ wake. This session explores how affordable housing developers and advocates can lead equitable recovery efforts by advancing climate-resilient, community-centered affordable housing. Panelists will share research on the post-disaster displacement risks rural and urban communities share, from Paradise to Altadena; strategies for preventing displacement post-disaster, including land retention tools like TOPA/COPA and land banking; and advocacy opportunities for insurance reform and decarbonized and more resilient rebuilding. Panelists will share research, case studies, and policy insights to equip participants to support just recovery from future disasters.

Care, Continuity, and Community: Tackling Older Adult Homelessness

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

This session will explore how state investments through the Community Care Expansion (CCE) Program are being tailored to local needs to expand housing options for older adults and individuals with disabilities experiencing or at risk of experiencing ,homelessness. The session will focus on the statewide impact of investing in preservation and expansion of housing with care and supportive services through the lens of rural, suburban, and coastal communities across California. The session will feature specific examples of how licensed adult and senior care facilities, recuperative care sites, and permanent supportive housing solutions are being developed at the local level with funding and support from the state.

Presenters:

• Hanna Azemati, Deputy Director, California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Housing and Homelessness Division (HHD)
• Maddelyn Bryan, Housing Coordinator, Siskiyou County Health and Human Services Agency
• Carrie Harmon, San Bernardino County Community Development and Housing Department
• Evie Haun Zuroske, Housing & Grants Program Manager, Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness
• Geoffrey Ross, Managing Director, BDO Government Services

Communicating for Campaigns: Fueling Revenue, Building Narrative Power, and Driving Housing Justice at Scale

Track 4: Shape Narratives & Move Mindsets – Roundtable

For housing justice organizations, narrative and communications aren’t just about awareness — they’re key levers for revenue generation, coalition building, and long-term power. This roundtable will explore how to shape narratives, leverage earned and paid media for campaign resource mobilization, integrate lived experience storytelling, and use digital organizing to build movement alignment. The session includes small-group discussions, a case study, and a peer-table planning exercise. Participants will draft a mini-action plan linking one narrative asset to one revenue goal and receive feedback to strengthen their work.

Presenters:

• Joshua Steinberger, Founder, Band Together Communications

Cross-Sector Partnerships: Joint Housing, Transit, and Environmental Justice Advocacy on Cap and Trade

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Workshop

Cap and Trade is California’s landmark program to fight climate-change. It’s also a major revenue source, generating over $4 billion a year for programs that reduce emissions and support frontline communities. The 2025 Cap and Trade reauthorization fight pitted essential housing, climate, transportation and environmental justice programs against each other in the context of a general fund deficit.

Join us for a lively discussion on how housing, transportation and environmental justice advocates broke out of ‘zero-sum’ framing and found common ground in our advocacy. We will unpack what narratives were successful in bringing organizations together, how we showed a united front in the Legislature, and what future opportunities for collaboration are on the horizon.

Presenters:

• Andrew Dawson, Senior Policy Advocacy Manager, Policy Advocacy Manager
• Zack Deutsch-Gross, Executive Director, Transform
• Sally Greenspan, Senior Director, Enterprise Northern California
• Katie Valenzuela, Policy Consultant, Katherine Valenzuela Consulting

Housing with Purpose: Building Partnerships to House Transition-Age Youth

Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice – Workshop

Transition-Age Youth (TAY) face unique barriers to stable housing as they exit foster care, juvenile justice, or homelessness systems. This session spotlights real projects across California where developers and service providers have partnered to create affordable homes for TAY. Panelists will share replicable strategies—from unit set-asides to intergenerational models under SB 591—demonstrating how strong partnerships can turn policy into housing. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas to advance TAY housing in their own communities.

Presenters:

• Andre Chapman, President/CEO, Fostering Promise
• Anna Gwyn Simpson, Vice President of Resident Services, EAH Housing
• Roger Kinoshita, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions, Jamboree Housing
• Josh Selo, Chief Executive Officer, The Bill Wilson Center
• Jon White, Chief Real Estate Officer, Abode Housing Development

Lessons from the Frontlines: What Longstanding Rent Stabilization Jurisdictions Can Teach Us

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

As rent stabilization gains momentum across California, cities need guidance on crafting effective, equitable policies. This session brings together leaders from jurisdictions that adopted rent stabilization at different times—from Hayward, West Hollywood and Berkeley to Mountain View and Santa Ana—to share lessons learned. Panelists will discuss legal challenges, community engagement, balancing tenant and landlord needs, and building effective program infrastructure. Participants will gain insight into key tools like rent registries and just cause protections, and how these policies evolve over time. Whether starting fresh or refining existing programs, attendees will leave with practical strategies for local rent stabilization success.

Presenters:

• Emily Ann Ramos, Tenant Protection and Empowerment Associate, SV@Home
• Cesar Covarrubias, Executive Director, The Kennedy Commission
• Emily Hislop, Rental Housing Committee Member, City of Mountain View
• Chelsea Lee Byers, Councilmember, City of West Hollywood
• Alfred Twu, Commissioner, Berkeley Rent Board

Parked for Good: Long-Term Solutions for Mobilehome Preservation

Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes – Workshop

As housing costs continue to rise and the value of land has skyrocketed, mobilehome parks across the state have come under threat. Economic pressures have led to more closures, conversion and redevelopment, dwindling the state’s already limited supply of mobilehome parks. Mobilehome park residents, whether tenants or mobilehome owners, face increased displacement pressures. This session will address strategies for protecting vulnerable mobilehome park residents from displacement and preserving this resource that is so critical to meeting the state’s housing needs.

Presenters:

• Eric Danly, City Attorney, City of Petaluma
• Wendy Dau, Assistant City Attorney, City of Petaluma
• Nazanin Salehi, Associate Attorney, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
• Mariah Thompson, Senior Litigator, California Rural Legal Assistance, Inc.
• Karen Tiedemann, Partner, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP

Resident Leaders on Collective Governance: How Resident Governance Can Pave the Way for Equity and Belonging

Track 7: Foster a Strong and Purposeful Housing Justice Sector – Workshop

Social housing offers a vision of a fundamentally different housing system, one that centers residents’ right to participate in decisions about their home. But how does collective resident governance actually work in practice? To demystify it, we can look directly to the resident leaders and organizers who are already operationalizing it day-to-day.

Why is resident governance needed, and what is the harm that can come from its absence? Which decisions do residents need to participate in, and what does the process for participation look like? How do residents balance leadership responsibilities and capacity constraints? What does this tell us about how policies, funding programs, and organizations need to be set up in order for resident governance to work equitably?

By learning from resident leaders themselves, this workshop offers space for the affordable housing field to reflect on the debates, critiques, challenges, and ultimately, the possibilities that resident governance raises for fostering a strong and purposeful housing justice sector.

Presenters:

• Latoiche Adams, Mutual Housing California
• Nicole Montojo, Senior Researcher, Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley
• Eli Moore, Program Director, Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley
• Jamie Penn, Treasurer, Beverly-Vermont Community Land Trust
• Sothea Ung, Program Manager, Asian Pacific Self-Development And Residential Association

Strengthening and Scaling Supportive Housing

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Join this lively discussion on sustaining high-quality supportive housing (SH) focused on strengthening existing projects, building sustainable approaches for long-term success, and exploring key operational elements like services and operations. Connect with SH providers seeking to strengthen existing supportive housing projects, portfolios and providers, and help shape the future of sustainable SH operations.

Presenters:

• Lindy Moore, Senior Director of Operations and Risk Management, Jamboree Housing Corporation
• Ryan Mosley, Senior Community Investment Officer, CSH
• Simonne Ruff, Director, CSH
• Marc Tousignant, Director, Supportive Housing, Enterprise Community Partners, Southern California

Tenants and Tech: How Automation Threatens Renters and How We Can Fight Back

Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters – Workshop

The rise of artificial intelligence and property technology tools present new risks for tenants, exacerbating existing inequities in the housing system and fueling speculative real estate practices. From algorithmic tenant screening and rent-setting to digital surveillance tools such as smart cameras and keyless entry to investor-driven platforms and data-harvesting technologies that consolidate market power and reduce community control, technology can deepen discrimination and displacement, often with little transparency or accountability. Hear from experts in the field about the challenges posed by property technology; tools and strategies—including grassroots advocacy, legal strategies, and policy safeguards—to fight back; and how some tenant-led efforts are harnessing the power of technology to advance tenant rights and housing justice.

Presenters:

• René Christian Moya, Tenant Power Organizer, The Debt Collective
• Eric Dunn, Director of Litigation, National Housing Law Project
• Hannah Holloway, Research Manager, TechEquity
• Anya Lawler, Managing Director, Public Interest Advocates

The Homelessness Prevention Best Practices Your Community Needs

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Homelessness prevention is a crucial but often overlooked strategy in an effective response system. Learn about best practices in homelessness prevention at work around the state, in rural and urban areas, both in the Bay Area and Southern California. We will discuss the use of technology, data, and predictive analytics to target services; how public-private partnerships have incentivized more public investment; the benefits of prevention for affordable housing providers; how effective targeting of prevention assistance advances equitable outcomes; and what it would take to scale these strategies to finally bend the curve on homelessness.

Presenters:

• Brian Blackwell, Senior Data Scientist, California Policy Lab, UCLA
• Sasha Brown, Program Specialist II, City of Santa Rosa, Housing and Community Services
• Chris Cabral, CEO, Committee On the Shelterless (COTS)
• Joanne Karchmer, Chief Impact Officer, All Home
• Hugo Ramirez, Deputy Director of Community Development, City of Oakland, Department of Housing and Community Development

The Roadmap to 2050: How We Will Win 20% Decommodified Housing in Los Angeles

Track 6: Build Power Increase Solidarity & Win Campaigns at Scale – Workshop

How do we organize the housing movement to go beyond policy campaigns to significantly transform the housing system? The Housing Futures Lab was formed by Los Angeles-based organizations as an experiment in 2019. Already, it has helped shape major successes in LA such as prioritizing billions in public funding for social housing and land trusts. The Lab recently finalized a Roadmap to 2050, a living plan for removing 20% of LA County’s housing from the speculative market in the next 25 years. LA’s housing leaders will share the Roadmap and how they are now operationalizing it through a long-term collaborative process.

Presenters:

• David Levitus, Executive Director, LA Forward
• Jessica Melendez, Director of Policy, T.R.U.S.T South LA
• Laura Raymond, Principal, Laura J Raymond Strategies
• Cynthia Strathmann, Executive Director, SAJE

Unlocking Every Door: Community-Based Housing Strategies Beyond Section 8

Track 2: Solve Homelessness – Workshop

Join community leaders and housing innovators for an interactive workshop exploring pathways to equity and stability in California’s housing landscape. This session will spotlight strategies for expanding Section 8 access, supporting justice-involved and unhoused individuals, and driving system-level reforms that close equity gaps. Panelists will share lived experience, policy insights, and practical tools that connect community-driven solutions with structural change. Participants will leave with actionable approaches to strengthen affordable housing pipelines, protect renters, and advance collaborative models rooted in dignity and justice — helping us realize California’s promise of homes, health, and prosperity for all.

Presenters:

• Dr. Jason D. Green, Owner /Founder Leadership & Behavioral Health Consultant | Trauma-Informed Care Specialist & Recidivism Reduction Specialist, The Triage Room LLC
• Paul Hall, Assistant Director, Mysti’s Adult and Family Services
• Meaghan Highwood, Director of Case Management, Mysti’s Adult and Family Services
• Ruqayyah Muhammad, Regional Ambassador & Community–Government Relations Consultant, Mysti’s Adult & Family Services
• Anayancy Rosillo-Contreras, Director of Programs & Services, Mysti’s Adult & Family Services
• Giovanne Schachere, CEO & Founder, Mysti’s Adult and Family Services