Helping to Hope: Clallam County Housing Access & Affordability

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FORUM: Colleen Robinson, Habitat for Humanity Exec. Dir., Keynote Speaker at “Helping to Hope: Clallam County Housing Access & Affordability” “HELPING TO HOPE” CLALLAM COUNTY HOUSING FORUM ANNOUNCES BY CLALLAM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Wednesday, August 23, 2017, 9:30 – 11:30 am, Port Angeles Main Library, Raymond Carver Room, 2210 S. Peabody Street, Port Angeles, WA The Clallam Economic Development Corporation (EDC) has announced an opportunity for Clallam County residents and organizations to access helpful information and discuss local housing availability at “Helping to Hope: Clallam County Housing Access & Affordability”, a housing symposium to take place Wednesday, August 23 from 9:30 to 11:30am at the Port Angeles Main Library. The community forum, which will address affordability challenges and opportunities and feature panelists from several area organizations that currently deal with these issues, will be keynoted by Colleen Robinson, Executive Director of the local Habitat for Humanity chapter. “Robinson will guide those attending through an introductory ‘state of the County’ on housing access in Clallam County, says EDC Executive Director Bob Schroeter. “Having Colleen and Habitat for Humanity delivering our forum keynote is critically important, as Habitat does an amazing job right here in providing low-income persons the opportunity to realize the dream of home ownership and purchase a simple, decent home of their own. She has a love for the Olympic Peninsula and all the communities it embodies and a passion for serving families through affordable housing.” The event will include a moderated discussion featuring panelists representing a variety of community sectors, including: Mike Chapman, Washington State Representative and former County Commissioner; Mary Budke, Executive Director, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula; Kevin Russell, North Peninsula Builder and 1st Vice President of the Building lndustry Association of Washington; Nathan West, Port Angeles Director of Community Development; Doc Robinson, Serenity House Executive Director; Kendra Waggoner, Vice President of CRA/Fair Lending, First Federal Bank; and - from Olympia - Emily Grossman, Policy Lead for Housing, Department of Commerce. “Two staff members from Peninsula Housing Authority, Sarah Martinez and Debbi Tesch, will also be on hand to share some of the great strides made by PHA in addressing affordable housing options locally,” added Schroeter. “As a community-based non-profit association, the EDC has worked in support of the county’s businesses and in promotion of the area’s job growth,” says Schroeter. “An important aspect of that effort involves backing actions and activities designed to provide sustainable access to affordable housing in our community – now and in the future.” “It is our hope that this discussion will become part of an on-going ‘community conversation’”, adds Schroeter, “bringing together people representing diverse community sectors – each having a valuable perspective on both the issues and – hopefully – some of opportunities to address our community’s current housing challenges.” Focusing on two basic topics of interest -- Clallam County housing access and Clallam County housing affordability, Schroeter adds, “We hope to hear from those who have experienced some of the challenges of local housing access and affordability as well as to learn about opportunities for a more sustainable growth going forward,” Schroeter says. “While there are no easy answers to some of these issues, by having these dedicated community leaders as well as the public sharing ideas, we can begin to seek achievable solutions together.” A Community Conversation Sponsored by the Clallam County Economic Development Corporation