Building the Public Will for Housing Solutions: a mini-Community of Practice Event

An invite for our event, featuring a blue, yellow, and white background, and a picture of a toy house with a red roof, three windows, and a yellow door, with a silver key leaning on it.

This past February, we saw over 200 people unite at our Community of Practice event 'Meeting the Moment: Taking Action on Homelessness and Affordable Housing in Montgomery County.’ We learned that many of our partners are interested in shaping a powerful narrative that speaks to the realities of the housing crisis and building their skills to communicate effectively with their colleagues, policymakers, and neighbors.

We now invite you to step into our mini-Community of Practice, 'Building the Public Will for Housing Solutions.’ Our formula is simple but powerful: foster collaboration, share ideas and information, and enhance communication around effective housing solutions. Whether you are a community leader, policymaker, or dedicated advocate, this opportunity is open to you.

This is a limited capacity event. Registration is now closed, but a waitlist is available. Please sign up here.

8 AM – 9 AM : Breakfast and Networking featuring a Generocity Community Newsroom

Generocity’s Community Newsroom Initiative creates a vibrant and engaging platform for community-centered information and media that explores the human side of the issues our local philanthropic and government leaders are addressing.

On August 20th, Generocity will host a newsroom activation as part of HealthSpark's 'Building the Public Will for Housing Solutions.' Join Generocity’s team for onsite interviews and testimony activation stations to share your story, experience, and voice around housing solutions and the needs, solutions, and issues facing your community.

9 AM – 10 AM: Fireside Chat - Education, Engagement, and Evidence-Based Research: Building an Effective Communications Strategy for Housing Solutions

A conversation with Marisol Bello, Executive Director of national policy firm Housing Narrative Lab, Daria Devlin, Executive Director of Erie-based BUILD CDC, and Michael Gaudini, Land Use Consultant and Narbeth Council Member, on what makes an effective narrative on housing, how to use communications research in your own work, and how to engage businesses, downtown associations, elected officials, and others to address homelessness in local communities. Moderated by Emma Hertz, HealthSpark President and CEO.

10 AM - 11:30 AM: Facilitated Roundtable Discussion for Networking & Action

Deep Dive: Narrative Change Opportunities in Montgomery County
Facilitated by: Marisol Bello, Executive Director at Housing Narrative Lab and Dionicia Roberson, Managing Editor at Generocity

To amplify our voices on the unhoused and affordable housing crises, this session will explore the transformative power of narrative change through two activities. In the first exercise, attendees will co-strategize solutions for specific challenges faced in Montgomery County. Then, attendees will design community pathways to shift the narrative around housing and homelessness. This session is structured to encourage active listening and learning and stimulate thoughtful discussions to address these critical issues. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of how narrative framing can influence perception and goals needed to be effective in solutions.

Unpacking Erie’s Housing First Approach

Facilitated by: Daria Devlin, Director of Social Impact at Hamot Health Foundation and Executive Director at BUILD Community Development Corporation and Wyatt Schroeder, Executive Director of Hemlock and Forge

In this session, dive into Erie's approach to housing first by examining how it leveraged a Community Development Corporation (CDC) to drive new housing investments. Gain insights into the formation of cross-sector partnerships, goal-setting processes, and diverse funding strategies. Discover the steps and challenges involved in building effective collaborations and explore how CDCs and public-private partnerships can invigorate housing solutions and generate momentum. This roundtable discussion, led by experts behind the strategy, will provide opportunities for engaging dialogue and in-depth questions, to further enhance your understanding and application.

11:30 AM: Your Feedback and Closing