Please stop by our registration tables to check in and pick up your name tag and agenda.

• Housing Data presentation by Central Susquehanna Opportunities, Inc. (CSO) and Community Action Agency.

• Special thanks to the current committee members of the Housing Solutions & Barriers Taskforce

Join state and federal funders as they highlight innovative housing projects made possible through their agency’s funding programs. This panel will explore creative solutions to housing barriers, providing insights into the types of projects that can transform communities and how local organizations can access these opportunities.

Panel Speakers:

• Moderator: Rich Kisner, Executive Director, Community Strategies Group

• Brendan Auman, Homeless Program Manager, DCED

• Clay Lambert, Senior Program Administrator, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

• Karla Alexander, Executive Director of AGAPE (Code Blue)

• Kelsey DeMerlis, Director, Center for Community Services, DCED

• Kim Wheeler, Executive Director, SEDA-COG

• Krunal Thakore, Operations Director of The Gate House (Code Blue)

• Melissa Wright, Executive Director of Policy and Planning, DCED

• Michael Reffeor, Director of Code Enforcement, Town of Bloomsburg

• Michelle Musser, SFH Program Director, USDA

• Taylor M. Lightman, Energy Program Specialist, Department of Environmental Protection

During the planning process, the committee discussed several Columbia and Montour projects they wanted to share at today’s summit. At future summits, we are eager to highlight Northumberland, Snyder, and Union projects!

Lead by Chris Berleth, Columbia Montour Chamber of Commerce

Lunch will be provided. No programming scheduled.

Four Breakout Groups:

• Homelessness and emergency support

• Affordable housing options

• Blight and redevelopment

• Creating pathways for first-time homebuyers

Instructions:

1. Within each breakout group, split up into groups of 4-6 people and answer the questions on the handout provided. Then, come back together to share out. (30-45 minutes)

2. Share out: when sharing out key items, consider the following: (30-45 minutes)

   • What is working well?

   • What is not working well?

   • Key partnerships?

   • Who is not in the room?

   • What could we be working on collaboratively together?

   • Next steps to continue collaboration.

3. Determine as a group what you will share during the Wrap-up Session:

   • Each group will share One Idea, One Key Insight, and One Lingering Question.

4. Head back to your original breakout groups to prepare for the final exercise:

   • Preparation for the “Gallery Walk”

     • Each group creates a visual summary (poster) of their discussion and posts it around the room.

     • Determine one group member who will stay at their station to answer questions or elaborate on your ideas.

Each group shares: One idea, One Insight, One Question

1. Each of the four Breakout Groups will share their final One Idea, One Key Insight, and One Lingering Question with the other Breakout Groups.

2. Final conference wrap-up and thank yous!

• Please stay and connect with conference participants while moving from room to room to see the ideas from each breakout group!

• Kindly Note: One member from each of the breakout groups is welcome to stay with their poster back to their poster to share their ideas!