More than 200 federal, state and local housing experts, lawmakers and policymakers will gather in Clayton County next month for a two-day problem-solving summit on housing. A first-of-its-kind forum for the region.
With the future of federal money for housing programs in doubt, participants at the May 12-13 Clayton County Regional Housing summit face a hefty task. On the agenda: creating a comprehensive strategy for dealing with Clayton and metro Atlanta's housing needs in light of the foreclosure crisis and a housing market that is struggling to recover.
In addition to those pressing problems, the summit will deal with work force issues, faith-based housing initiatives and housing for seniors, veterans and residents with special needs.
The summit will begin at 8 a.m. May 12 until noon May 13 at the Morrow Center at Southlake Mall, located at 1180 Southlake Circle, Suite 100 in Morrow. Invited speakers include Senator Johnny Isakson, White House Adviser Michael Blake, Mercer University economist Roger Tutterow, representatives of Congress and the Federal Reserve Bank, as well as local government officials, nonprofits, banks and real estate professionals. Catherine Ross, director and Harry West Chair at Georgia Tech University, will serve as moderator.
While there have been other regional housing forums, the Clayton summit is the first of its kind because it will take a comprehensive look at all housing-related issues, said Peryenthia Hudson, office manager of Clayton County Housing and Community Development and one of the organizers of the summit.
Clayton has one of the highest foreclosure rates in the state, but its Neighborhood Stabilization Program has become nationally recognized for refurbishing, buying and selling foreclosed and abandoned properties.
In addition, Clayton was the first county in the country last year to spend all of its government housing money to help prevent homelessness. The county spent more than $850,000 on housing for the homeless, Hudson said.
Clayton's approach to fixing its housing problems drew praise from federal housing officials earlier this year, prompting Clayton County Commission Chair Eldrin Bell to push for a summit that would bring experts from across the region together to work on a common solution.
Often communities work in a vacuum rather than in tandem when dealing with universal problems like housing, Bell said. Hopefully, he said the summit "presents an opportunity for meaningful dialogue between all of us that I'm certain will create solutions."
Bell said he hopes the summit will yield a white paper that will "serve as an aid to the entire region regarding foreclosures."
"If it doesn't create solutions, hopefully it creates the next step forward in getting us out of this crisis which has impacted the entire region," Bell said.
The summit is open to the public but space is limited and registration is required. To register, log on to www.co.clayton.ga.us.
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