2027 Session Proposal Guidelines
General Submission Guidelines
About the Sessions
This year’s theme will be “Growing Our Movement to Meet the Moment”. We are excited to feature innovative, interactive sessions that elevate lessons learned, solutions, and strategies to create the system level change and structural reforms essential to create more affordable homes, end homelessness, protect low income renters, and close equity gaps so we can realize a California with homes, health, and prosperity for all in thriving, sustainable communities.
Submission Information
- Session proposal applications open Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
- Deadline: Submit your proposal by Friday, October 16, 2026 at 11:59 PM (PST).
- Identifying panelists at the time of proposal submission is strongly encouraged. If you do not have a specific person confirmed, writing “someone from X organization” and indicating they are “proposed” or “invited” is acceptable.
- PLEASE NOTE: Due to the high volume of submissions and limited session space, Housing California reserves the right to ask conveners to combine proposals with other related submissions, request modifications to the session proposal content and/or speaker panel, and work with you to modify the title, track, and description.
Questions? Contact lnavas@housingca.org
Session Format Guidelines
| Type | Length | Speakers | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learning Lab (May 4) | 4 hours | 5 people maximum. This may be 1 moderator and up to 4 co-presenters or a combination of 5 people of your choosing. | Learning labs provide an opportunity to dive deeper into a topic or concept and ideally have interactive components or longer discussion opportunities embedded throughout the session. Learning Labs occur pre-conference and require a separate registration fee for attendees. Learning Lab rooms can be set in rounds or theater seating. A facilitation plan with desired learning outcomes should be planned out in advance. |
| Workshop (May 5-6) | 1 Hour and 15 Minutes | 5 people maximum. This may be 1 moderator and up to 4 co-presenters or a combination of 5 people of your choosing. | Workshops are held in a theater-style setting with up to 5 presenters. Workshops should have an interactive component and/or allow for an attendee question and answer period(s). |
| Roundtable Discussion (May 5-6) | 1 Hour and 15 Minutes | 1-2 facilitators. NO SPEAKER PANELS | Roundtable Discussions are facilitated conversations in a smaller session room. The room is set in rounds with up to 60 people. The goal of this format type is to collectively share and discuss, problem solve, or dive deeper into a specific topic, idea, challenge, or innovation. A facilitation plan with proposed conversational outcomes and questions should be planned out in advance. |
Session Selection Criteria
Housing California will prioritize proposals that incorporate the following criteria:
- Meaningfully address justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism within BOTH the topic presented and the speakers included.
- Elevate what we’ve learned and highlight bold impactful strategies to build on our successes and grow from our losses.
- Focus on solutions or topics that advance the systems change and structural reforms needed to create a California with homes, health, and prosperity for all in thriving, sustainable communities.
- Highlight and center the lived experience of people struggling with housing instability and homelessness.
- Take an “all in” or “big tent” approach by building, activating, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration and solidarity.
- Are future-facing and push the field by spurring healthy conversation, debate, or discussion.
- Innovative, interactive and strive for originality in the format or approach.
- Address a statewide approach or a regional or local approach that is transferable or replicable in other localities, regions, or at the state level. Proposals that are narrowly focused on one geographically focused case study are discouraged.
- Complete and clearly articulate the session’s proposed purpose and goals.
Note: Proposals that highlight one agency, product, or business, may be interpreted as an “infomercial” and will be disqualified.
Track Descriptions
For all tracks we are looking for proposals that elevate:
- Innovations, lessons learned, and evidence-based best practices for advancing equity-centered solutions to California’s housing and homelessness challenges.
- Successes and lessons learned from advancing cross-sector partnerships that strengthen coordination, improve efficiency, and advance more integrated housing and homelessness solutions.
- Cross-sector approaches that address interconnected needs and deliver multiple benefits to communities.
- Academic and practice-driven research in the field that informs policy, strengthens implementation, and advances equitable housing and homelessness outcomes.
- Models that engage, empower, and center people with lived experience of housing instability and homelessness.
Track 1: Produce & Preserve Affordable Homes
For this track, we seek proposals focused on the policies, programs, funding and financing strategies, and innovative solutions needed to produce and preserve affordable homes in all regions and for all populations in California.
High-interest topics include:
- Creating and identifying new funding streams
- Innovative financing models
- Responding to the impacts of federal policy
- Reducing development costs, delays, and regulatory barriers
- Developing innovative insurance and risk-management models
- Preserving and rehabilitating existing affordable homes
Track 2: HOUSING AND SERVICES TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS
For this track, we seek proposals that show how coordinated housing, prevention, healthcare, policy, services, and cross-sector partnerships can prevent homelessness, shorten the time people experience it, and support long-term housing stability. Proposals may highlight evidence-based practices, emerging approaches, community-driven solutions, innovative service and housing models, and lessons learned from implementation.
High-interest topics include:
- Practices, approaches, and defense in response to Federal shifts in homelessness funding and policies
- Prop 1 Implementation (Behavioral Health Services Act Housing Interventions funding)
- Integrating housing, healthcare, behavioral health, and supportive services
- Strengthening coordination across homelessness response systems
- Preventing homelessness and improving long-term housing stability
Track 3: Protect Low-Income Renters
For this track, we seek proposals that address policies, programs, strategies, and community-driven solutions that strengthen tenant protections, prevent displacement, promote equitable enforcement, and build tenant power.
High-interest topics include:
- Improving data transparency and accountability in the housing market
- Fair housing
- Preventing displacement and promoting housing stability
- Protecting immigrant communities
- Strengthening tenant organizing, resident leadership, and collective power
Track 4: Shape Housing Narratives & Move Mindsets
For this track, we seek proposals that explore how narrative and communications strategies can shift public understanding, build collective power, and advance housing justice. We encourage session proposals that feature storytelling, messaging and framing, digital organizing, cultural strategy, or campaign case studies that center impacted communities, counter misinformation, and strengthen movements.
High-interest topics include:
- Building narrative power and public support to advance housing justice and achieve lasting policy change
- Countering misinformation and responding to rapidly changing political, cultural, and media environments
- Practical tools, case studies, and roundtable discussions focused on messaging, framing, digital storytelling, and campaign communications
- Using art, culture, technology, and community-driven storytelling to expand public imagination and strengthen movements
- Developing coordinated narrative and communications strategies across organizations, sectors, and campaigns
Track 5: Advance Intersectional Solutions For Housing Justice
For this track, we seek proposals that address collaborative, cross-sector solutions that showcase innovative partnerships, policies, research, and programs that feature the following interconnected topics. Housing justice is deeply connected to health, education, transportation, labor, disability rights, climate resilience, economic opportunity, racial justice, and many other systems that shape people’s lives.
High-interest topics include:
- Topics that go beyond individual laws, policies, and regulations and touch on how various institutions, markets, and sectors interact with housing justice
- Cross-sector models that address multiple community needs and produce shared benefits.
- Partnerships that integrate housing justice into broader movements
- Research, policies, and programs that bridge traditionally separate fields or systems
Track 6: Build Political Power & Win Campaigns at Scale
For this track, we seek proposals that address political strategies, partnerships, and organizing needed to win bold policy change at scale. We are looking for proposals that elevate successful campaigns, cross-sector coalition-building efforts, power-building strategies, and resident engagement models that mobilize communities, influence public policy, and strengthen long-term political power.
High-interest topics include:
- Campaigns to shape elections in 2026 and beyond (Gubernatorial, get out the vote, voter education)
- Adapting tactics in a time of significant turmoil and change
- Successful cross-sector campaign and coalition building efforts that aligned a broad and diverse set of stakeholders to achieve transformative policy wins
Track 7: Strengthen Organizations & Leaders in the Movement
For this track, we seek proposals that explore how to strengthen organizations, develop leaders at every level, and build the capacity, resilience, and effectiveness of the housing movement. We welcome proposals that share innovative or practical strategies and lessons learned for building equitable organizational cultures, strengthening governance and leadership, supporting and sustaining the workforce, navigating change, fundraising and financial sustainability, measuring impact, and embedding the leadership of people with lived experience in institutional decision-making and governance structures.
High-interest topics include:
- Leading organizations through change and uncertainty, including scenario planning, risk management, and organizational resilience
- Funding and financial sustainability in today’s landscape
- Measuring, evaluating, and communicating impact
- Artificial intelligence and emerging technologies
- Centering the leadership of people with lived experience of housing instability or homelessness
- Navigating conflict and leading through polarization
- Workforce recruitment, retention, and well-being