September 26-27 • Denver, Colorado
Get A Fresh Perspective
The summit will bring together housing and community development leaders; faith-based organizations and fair lending advocates; financial institutions and environmental justice groups; as well as small business entrepreneurs, tribal leaders, public officials and academics to discuss and discover ways to reinvest and make a Just Economy a reality in communities across The Mountain West Region: Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Indian Country. In addition to exploring how water and water rights will impact sustainable growth, we will examine strategies to increase access to affordable housing and credit through the Community Reinvestment Act, community land trusts, health equity, and much more. Join us to map out a path forward for collaboration and organizing to increase community wealth across the region.
Who Should Attend
- Advocacy and organizing groups working on economic justice issues
- Tribal Leaders
- Community leaders and faith-based institutions
- Affordable housing and housing counseling organizations
- Fair housing and civil rights organizations
- Healthcare Institutions
- Community Development Financial Institutions
- Financial Institutions
- Neighborhood stabilization and community revitalization groups
- Academics and foundations
- Social service providers and government agencies
- Local small businesses and business development agencies
SCHEDULE
Day 1
Tuesday, September 26
12:00 PM - 6:00 pm
Registration
Location: Colorado Ballroom Foyer
1:00 pm - 2:15 pm
Opening Session
Location: Colorado Ballroom
A conversation with Phillip A. Washington, CEO, Denver International Airport, and Jesse Van Tol, President & CEO, National Community Reinvestment Coalition
2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
Breakout Session
LOCATION:
Colorado Ballroom
Speakers:
Catherine Petrusz, Senior CRA Analyst, NCRC
Description:
Banks have the capital to be a catalyst for change in your neighborhood and can be critical community partners. Join us to learn about the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), which encourages financial institutions to meet the credit needs of low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods and requires federal banking agencies to assess the record of meeting these standards and evaluate their efforts. In this session we will explore how CRA can be used to increase affordable housing and small business reinvestment in your communities and how NCRC uses CRA to secure community benefit agreements with banks. This is crucial information for anyone working towards a Just Economy. How can CRA be leveraged in your community?
4:00 pm - 5:15 pm
Breakout Sessions
LOCATION:
Speakers:
Cornelius Antone, Environmental Manager, Tohono O’odham Nation
Dominique Jackson, Regional Administrator, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Elise Jones, Executive Director, Southwest Energy Efficiency Project
Lubna Ahmed, Manager, Environmental Justice Boards
Speakers:
Bianka Emerson, President, Colorado Black Women for Political Action
Description:
Climate change’s impacts will exacerbate today’s environmental inequities impacting low-income households and communities of color. This panel will equip community development leaders to leverage federal and state resources from the Inflation Reduction Act to address and remedy environmental injustice in the midst of our burgeoning energy, water and climate crisis.
LOCATION:
Colorado B
Speakers:
Dave Castillo, CEO, Native Community Capital Â
John Morseau, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for Indian Country Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Jason Richardson, Senior Director of Research, NCRCÂ Â
Moderator:
Joel Smith, SVP, Chief Credit Officer, Native American Bank
Description:
Data gaps in Indian Country have long perpetuated the anonymity of Native people to bankers, funders, policymakers and the public. Native Community Capital (NCC) and NCRC are collaborating on a research paper and are announcing their findings at the summit. Questions to be explored are: what are the gaps in home, small business and debt consolidation in tribal areas, surrounding areas and metros with large native populations? What sets apart the new research of NCC and NCRC from literature in the subject area? These questions and more will be addressed in the panel discussion.Â
LOCATION:
Big Thompson
Speakers:
Eleni Angelides, Deputy Legislative Director, Office of Governor Jared Polis
Chris Billey, Executive Director, Tribal Homeownership Coalition of the Southwest
Diana Dorn-Jones, Executive Director, United South Broadway Corporation
Shelley Marquez, President, Mercy Housing Mountain Plains
Moderator:
Erin Clark, Chief Real Estate Investment Officer, Denver Housing Authority
Description:
The Mountain West is in an affordable housing crisis. As a result, community development leaders and housing advocates are developing innovative strategies and initiatives to meet the challenges in their respective communities. The Mountain West region has unique challenges that start with access to and use of land, then must navigate through who has the resources to build on that land, who has access to credit needed to purchase the housing, and who has access to wrap-around services to ensure rental housing stability. Join this session to look towards the future of housing in the Mountain West. Hear from experts addressing different aspects of the affordable housing market and housing crisis.
5:15 pm- 6:15 pm
Reception
Location: Colorado Ballroom Foyer
Day 2
Wednesday, September 27
8:30 am - 10:15 am
Breakfast & Remarks
Location: Colorado Ballroom Foyer
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston
10:45 AM - 12:00 PM
Breakout Sessions
LOCATION:
Colorado A
Speakers:
Brad Bishop, Executive Director, Self-Help Homes
Samantha Booth, Government Affairs Manager, Housing Assistance Council
Alisha Murphy, Economist, Navajo Nation Division of Economic Development
Michele Weaver, State Director of Utah, Rural Development, USDA
Moderator:
Dave Castillo, CEO, Native Community Capital
Description:
USDA programs have leveraged resources in rural America for decades, and when they are combined with local government initiatives and bank efforts, communities are transformed. With USDA’s platform of services, partnerships, 523 grants and 502 Direct Loans attendees will learn how this array of services are addressing housing in Utah. They’ll also hear that while capacity building continues, the time is right for investment in Indian Country for both economic development and affordable housing. Finally, legislators in D.C. are too often unaware as to how CRA impacts their constituents, or even the investment and capacity building opportunities in Indian Country. Hear best practices and case studies you can share with your state and local officials at home as to how to address housing in rural America.
LOCATION:
 Colorado B
Speakers:
Tedd Buelow, Tribal Relations Team Lead, Strategic Engagement in Rural Development, USDA
Patricia Garcia Duarte, EVP, Homeownership Initiatives, CPLC
Tara Rollins, Executive Director, Utah Housing Coalition
Cris White, CEO, Colorado Housing and Finance Authority
Moderator:
Jonathan Cappelli, Executive Director, Neighborhood Development Collaborative
Description:
Across the Mountain West, state governments are tackling the housing crisis head on. In Arizona, Governor Hobbs created the Interagency and Community Council on Homelessness and Housing. In Colorado, Proposition 123 established the State Affordable Housing Financing Fund which will dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars for affordable housing in the Rocky Mountain State. USDA’s Tribal Relations Team Lead will describe their innovative programs to promote affordable housing in Indian Country. And in Utah, advocates have won major victories to protect tenant rights over the last two years, pushing back against hidden fees and discriminatory practices. This workshop will examine the region-wide effort to address affordable housing and share best practices and legislation passed to address the housing crisis. Â
LOCATION:
Big Thompson
Speakers:
Deidre Johnson, Executive Director, Center for African American Health
Chris Krehmeyer, President & CEO, Beyond Housing
Aaron Martinez, COO, Urban Land Conservancy
Stu Wright, Executive Vice President, FirstBank
Moderator:
Aaron Miripol, President & CEO, Urban Land Conservancy
Description:
Land is power. Nonprofits are starting to use commercial Community Land Trusts (CLT’s) as a means to expand healthcare services, schools, small businesses, youth programming, grocery stores, and other essential services. In this session we will be learning what commercial CLT’s can do when they remove land from the speculative market to support essential services. Some questions we will answer are: What are the various organizational structures of Commercial CLTs? How do Commercial CLTs finance the purchase of land and buildings? How do CLTs ensure that they are good stewards and build neighborhood support?
12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Luncheon
The Future of the Colorado River: Its impact on community development & housing
Location: Colorado Ballroom
Ylenia Aguilar,
Board Member, Central Arizona Water Conservation Board
Lauren Ris,
Director, Colorado Water Conservation Board
Jeff Atencio,Â
Ohkay Owingeh
Moderator:Â
Michael Elizabeth Sakas, Climate and Environment Reporter & Host, Colorado Public Radio
2:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Breakout Sessions
LOCATION:
Colorado A
Speakers:
Stephanie Brewer, Executive Director, Newtown Community Development Corporation
Stefka Fanchi, President & CEO, Elevation Community Land Trust
Nola Miguel, Director, GES Coalition
Moderator:
Juan Leyton, Director of Organizing, NCRC
Description:
While we continue to see a housing crisis across the country, there are multiple options for affordable housing and community development. Community land trusts are a method where a stable, well-connected organization can provide the financial stability needed to support an individual in their pursuit of low-interest financing or other available funding for their home. Shared equity projects where land trusts aren’t viable are also an option. We will hear from both community land trusts and a representative from the funding side on how to leverage new policy and deep community relations to increase homeownership opportunities for low-income earning people.Â
LOCATION:
Colorado B
Speakers:
Colleen Flynn, Co-Executive Director, Building Healthy Places Network
Joe Keeper, Senior Director, Real Estate Development, Native American Connections Services
Antonio (Tony) Moya, Director, Strategic Projects, CPLC
Tracey Stewart, Senior Program Officer, Colorado Health Foundation
Moderator:
Greg Wilson, Senior Organizer, NCRC
Description:
Attendees will hear best practices by nonprofit hospitals and hospital systems as they invest in affordable housing and community development in the name of health equity, much like banks do under the Community Reinvestment Act. Attendees will also hear strategies and initiatives that engage local nonprofit hospitals or hospital system’s Community Health Needs Assessments and Community Health Implementation Plans. Â
LOCATION:
 Big Thompson
Speakers:
Heather Fleming, Executive Director, Change Labs
Terri Jackson, Executive Director, African-American Trade Association
Teresa Miranda, VP, Prestamos CDFI
Brandon Willis, Business Access Advisor, US Bank
Moderator:
MiDian Z. Holmes, Chief Executive Officer, The Epitome of Black Excellence & Partnership
Description:
Minority-owned businesses face unique challenges to developing relationships with financial institutions. To address those challenges, attendees will hear from US Bank’s Business Access Advisor, who will elaborate on ways entrepreneurs can connect with resources, sustain and grow their businesses. And NCRC members across the region are helping small businesses address those challenges as well. In this session, panelists will share their strategies with Denver’s small business owners. Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) will share their initiatives for economic development, including a small business lending program that was named #1 US Small Business Administration PPP lender by number of loans. Change Labs will highlight how they focus on empowering Native-owned small businesses that ultimately provide a social benefit to tribal communities. Additionally, The African-American Trade Association (AATA) advocates to lessen the wealth gap by the financial services industry being more proactive to small businesses led by people of color.
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Refreshments
LOCATION:
7150 Montview Blvd., Denver, CO 80220
Shuttle buses will be provided.
Tours given by:
Brad Dodson, Chief Financial Officer, ULC
Aaron Martinez, Chief Operating Officer, ULC
Anna Mercurio, Director of Real Estate, ULC
Description:
To close out our time together, join us at the Mosaic Community Campus for refreshments and to learn about this unique 22 acre mixed-use community land trust project. The Urban Land Conservancy along with its partners, Denver Housing Authority and Denver Public Schools, purchased a former university campus that had closed due to financial hardship. Now the campus is a vibrant community asset that includes multiple schools serving K-12 children, a culinary business incubator, and is soon to be home to over 200 units of affordable housing for individuals and families. This project is a great example of how we can build a Just Economy!
SPONSORS
PARTNERS
