NEWS

The Davidson College Deliberative Citizenship Initiative, Center for Civic Engagement, and North Mecklenburg Economic Mobility Cooperative invite members of the public to join an online expert panel and deliberative forum on “Our Housing Future: Needs, Goals and Solutions.”

The issue of housing will be addressed by each of five expert guests, and then in small groups by members of the virtual audience. Organized as part of the 2021 Community Innovation Institute, the event will be held Tuesday, March 30, from 7-9 p.m. There is no charge to attend, but registration through EventBrite is required, and can be found here.

“This is an excellent opportunity to engage with a pressing community issue through a deliberative framework,” said Graham Bullock, faculty director of the Deliberative Citizenship Initiative. He continued, “Participants can listen to the perspectives of others, and share their own ideas about addressing the housing challenges facing our communities.”

The five experts involved are Eugene Bradley, Town of Davidson Housing and Equity Director; Liz Clasen-Kelly, CEO of A Roof Above; Elizabeth Delmelle, Associate Professor of Geography at UNCC; Willie Jones, Affordable Housing and Community Development Professional; and Jon Sanders, Director of Regulatory Studies and Research Editor of the John Locke Foundation.

Bullock said, “Communities across the United States are facing significant challenges related to issues in housing and affordable housing. The changing housing landscape and needs of different stakeholders are driving increased attention to pressing problems such as cost and availability of housing, housing education and literacy, development and gentrification, evictions, zoning and regulation, segregation, and more. And many of these problems intersect with one another.”

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