United Way and city to host Affordable Housing Summit

JUNEAU - The United Way of Southeast Alaska and the city of Juneau's Affordable Housing Commission will host an Affordable Housing Summit from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13, at Centennial Hall. The program is open to the public and free of charge.

"One of Juneau's most pressing challenges is the ability to attract and to retain young families," said Cathy Muñoz, chairwoman of the Affordable Housing Commission. "A healthy range of affordable housing is one of the keys to meeting this challenge. The Housing Summit offers many promising strategies for nonprofit and for-profit developers and individuals interested in moving Juneau in the right direction."

In 2005, 72 percent of the people surveyed in the United Way of Southeast Alaska's community assessment titled Compass II, identified affordable housing as the number one issue facing residents. Since then, the City and Borough of Juneau set up an affordable housing commission to find solutions.

Special guests include Colleen Bickford from HUD who will discuss federal funding initiatives; Mary Brooks from the Center for Community Change, who will address housing trust funds that are widely regarded as the future for affordable housing; and Mark Romick, from Alaska Housing Finance Corp., who will talk about stateside housing initiatives.

The focus of the Summit will be on shaping the concept of a Juneau Housing Fund. City Planning and Permitting and the Juneau Chamber of Commerce will also conduct valuable work sessions.

Local Affordable Housing organizations will have informational tables at the Summit including the Juneau Homeless Coalition, Southeast Building Industry Association and the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority. Any other organizations that are interested are asked to contact Scott Ciambor at the United Way of Southeast Alaska - 463-5530 or housing@unitedwayseak.org.

Members of the Affordable Housing Commission are: Cathy Muñoz, chairwoman; Honey Bee Anderson; Rosemary Hagevig; Tamara Rowcroft; Justin Shearer; Dianne Slater; Stephen Sorensen, vice-chairman; Alan Wilson; Scott Ciambor, United Way staff liaison; Kimberly Kiefer, city deputy manager and staff liaison; and Sara Chambers, Assembly liaison.

Scott Ciambor, program director for United Way of Southeast Alaska staffs the commission as well as facilitates the Juneau Homeless Coalition. His position is funded by a grant from the Alaska Mental Health Trust and the City and Borough of Juneau.