ABA Forum on Affordable Housing to meet in-person in D.C.

The American Bar Association Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law will meet with legal, government and private housing experts to discuss evictions, homelessness, environmental justice, fair housing, economic development and tax reform May 25-27 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Damon Smith, general counsel at U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is scheduled to give opening remarks in the Grand Ballroom on Thursday, May 26, at 8:45 a.m. On Friday, Sasha Samberg-Champion, deputy general counsel of Enforcement and Fair Housing for the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is scheduled to give welcome remarks at 9 a.m.

The opening plenary on Thursday at 9 a.m. will feature author Sheryll Cashin, who will discuss her book “White Space, Black Hood: Opportunity Hoarding and Segregation in the Age of Inequality.” The book delves into America’s housing inequities, which include government created “ghettos” and residential caste systems that undermine Black lives, and offers creative answers and approaches for housing reform.

Programs of interest at the  31st Annual Meeting include:

• “HUD 2: Successes and Challenges Using Existing and Emerging HUD” — The affordable multifamily housing stock in the country is aging: some projects are in desperate need of rehabilitation, while other projects are aging out of use restrictions, putting their affordability at risk. In the last several years, HUD has made several programs available to projects that need additional, or have an excess of, project-based rental assistance. These programs include (but are not limited to) Section 8bb, 210 Transfer Authority and the ability to project base Tenant Protection Vouchers. However, the process of using these rental assistance sources can be challenging for property owners and HUD, as complications can arise under fair housing, site, and neighborhood standards, or even appropriations. A panel of experts will discuss how these programs work, the problems that HUD and practitioners are seeing and potential solutions.—Wednesday, 2:45-4 p.m.

• “State Strategies for Homelessness”— A panel of experts will discuss various state approaches to homelessness, including California’s Home Key program, which turns hotels into housing.—Thursday, 10-11:15 a.m.

• “Multigenerational and Senior Housing Models: Programmatic & Fair Housing Requirements & Limitations” — An expert panel will provide insight into the new multigenerational housing models and other creative housing models targeted toward seniors. They will also discuss guidance and requirements of fair housing issues arising from targeted housing.—Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

For additional information on the ABA Forum on Affordable Housing and Community Development Law, visit www.americanbar.org/groups/affordable_housing.