Partners in Innovation: Financing the Preservation of Rural and Urban Affordable Rental Housing

May 17

More than 200 federal, state and local leaders convened in Portland on May 17 to discuss the vital need to preserve and improve affordable rental housing in the Northwest and nationwide. Sponsored by the National Housing Conference (NHC) and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the day-long forum entitled Partners in Innovation: Financing the Preservation of Rural and Urban Affordable Rental Housing, focused on examining the challenges and the opportunities for preserving affordable rental homes in urban and rural areas. With a special emphasis on funding preservation efforts, the forum brought together public officials, industry experts, and advocates to discuss and explore ways to better support this work through innovative partnerships, policy development and legislative reform.

Specific forum discussion topics included: Why Preservation Matters - The Importance of Preserving Federally Subsidized Housing; Regional Best Practices in Rental Housing Preservation; Financing Preservation - The Oregon Experience; Long Term Project Sustainability; Making the Case for Public Investment in Preservation; The Role of Philanthropy in Policy Development and Social Programs; and Rural Roundtable: Overcoming Challenges, Leveraging Resources and Implementing Solutions.

This  Partners in Innovation event presented an outstanding line-up of keynote and featured speakers including:

• Michael Bodaken, president, National Housing Trust
• Nick Fish, commissioner, City of Portland, OR
• Maureen Friar, president and CEO, NHC
• Carol Galante, deputy assistant secretary, multifamily housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Victor Merced, director, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Forum Resources

Portland Participant Directory

Participant Resource Packet

Presentations from the breakout sessions can be downloaded below:

• Gideon Anders
• Robin Boyce
• Paul Bradley
• Bill Brauner
• Brian Carleton
• Lisa Davis
• Raquel Guglielmetti (presentation)
• Raquel Guglielmetti (handout)
• Charlie Harris
• Craig Kelley
• Jessy Olson
• Bill Rumpf
• Bill Van Vliet

Forum Sponsors

NHC gratefully acknowledges the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their generous support and leadership as the overall forum sponsor. NHC also thanks the Meyer Memorial Trust for their sponsorship of the networking reception.

Planning Committee

NHC gratefully acknowledges the members of the forum planning committee, including:

• Casa of Oregon
• Neighborhood Partnerships
• Network for Oregon Affordable Housing
• Oregon Housing and Community Services
• Oregon Opportunity Network
• Portland Housing Bureau

For Additional Information

Please direct questions to Lynn Ross, Director of State and Local Initiatives for NHC and the Center, at lross@nhc.org or (202) 466-2121, Extension 237.

Click here to learn more about the Partners in Innovation regional forum series.