NEWS RELEASE
| Governor’s Conference on Housing February 10th & 11th in Columbia The 1998 Governor’s Conference on Housing will be held February 10th and 11th at the Holiday Inn Select Executive Center in Columbia. This is the fourth annual Conference and this year’s theme is "The Building Blocks of Affordable Housing." The Governor’s Conference on Housing draws over 500 participants, including representatives from local government, for profit and nonprofit organizations, financial organizations, social service agencies and housing advocates from across the state. The conference is hosted by Governor Mel Carnahan and organized by the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) in partnership with state agencies, social service providers and professional associations. Both days of the conference will feature a full slate of expert panelists who will address today’s challenges of affordable housing -- including topics on rental production, homeownership, subdivision development, project-based Section 8 restructuring, tax credits, neighborhood organizations, welfare reform, homelessness and more. A "Town Hall" style meeting will be held on the 10th. Also, Governor Carnahan will be awarding the 1998 "Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing" at the noon luncheon on the 11th. This year’s speakers include Governor Mel Carnahan, Lt. Governor Roger Wilson, and Attorney General Jay Nixon. The invited keynote speaker is the Federal Housing Commissioner Nicolas P. Retsinas, Assistant Secretary for Housing for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Members of the press are invited to attend any and all sessions and conference events free of charge. Please check in at the Press Table in the Registration Area-Atrium Lobby to coordinate your press needs. A press release regarding the "Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing" will be made available immediately following the noon luncheon on the 11th. Attached you will find a complete schedule of events. 1998 Governor’s Conference on Housing The Building Blocks of Opportunity Holiday Inn Select Executive Center -- Columbia, Missouri February 10-11, 1998 The Governor’s annual statewide affordable housing conference offers housing professionals and Missouri citizens an opportunity to keep abreast of the latest developments in affordable housing while networking with their counterparts. The conference is hosted by Governor Mel Carnahan and sponsored by the Missouri Housing Development Commission in partnership with state agencies, social service providers and professional associations. The Governor’s Conference on Housing draws over 400 participants, including representatives from local government, for profit and nonprofit organizations, financial organizations, social service agencies and housing advocates from across the state. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Tuesday, February 10, 1998 11:00 AM-5:00 PM Registration 1:00 PM-2:30 PM The Building Blocks of Homeownership Programs The Building Blocks of Rental Production Programs 2:45 PM-4:00 PM Fundamentals of Single-Family Subdivision Development Beyond the Basics of Rental Production Programs 4:15 PM-5:30 PM Town Hall Style Meeting 5:30 PM-7:00 PM Governor’s Conference Reception for all Participants Wednesday, February 11, 1998 7:30 AM-8:30 AM Registration Continental Breakfast 8:30 AM-10:15 AM Opening Plenary Session Call Conference to Order William H. Creech, Jr., Chairman Missouri Housing Development Commission
Introduction of Keynote Speaker Richard G. Grose, Executive Director Missouri Housing Development Commission Keynote Address Nicolas P. Retsinas, Assistant Secretary for Housing,
10:30 AM-11:45 AM Property Management/Tenant Relations Task Force Report How Can Community Planning Work in Your Community? Project-Based Section 8 Restructuring: How & When? 12:00 PM-1:15 PM Governor’s Luncheon Keynote Speaker Governor Mel Carnahan Presentation of Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Affordable Housing 1:30 PM-2:45 PM Welfare Reform & Homelessness
3:00 PM-4:15 PM Property Management Training Programs Impediments to Fair Housing How Will Utility Restructuring Affect You? 1998 Governor’s Conference on Housing WORKSHOPS Tuesday, February 10, 1998 The Building Blocks of Homeownership Programs This workshop is for new lenders, realtors, non-profits and others involved in financing homeownership who may not be fully acquainted with the primary state and federal programs to encourage low and moderate income families to become homeowners. Experts in each program will walk you through the various programs that are available to first-time homebuyers. We will also include an overview of the Mortgage Credit Certificate Program for the construction of new single-family housing in rural areas. The Building Blocks of Rental Production Programs This workshop is for the novice developer who may not be fully acquainted with the primary state and federal programs to encourage the production of affordable rental housing. It will explain how federal and state housing tax credits work, the tax credit allocation plan, the fundamentals of MHDC’s Rental Housing Production Program and the application process. We will also discuss other potential funding sources for the development of rental housing. This workshop will focus on insights from experts in the development of new single-family housing subdivisions. The workshop will include a discussion of the challenges of financing single-family housing in rural areas. This workshop will examine the financial, environmental and regulatory aspects of developing new housing subdivisions in Missouri. Beyond the Basics of Rental Production Programs This workshop will discuss how successful partnerships are formed among the public, private and non-profit sectors using state and federal rental housing production programs. The workshop will also look at how developers can determine the need for affordable housing in a given area. This workshop will enhance the skills of those who are already familiar with state and federal rental production programs.
Wednesday, February 11, 1998 - Workshops Property Management & Tenant Relations Task Force Report What are the issues facing landlords and tenants in affordable housing developments today? MHDC appointed a Task force to study these and other issues affecting affordable housing in Missouri. Members of the Task force will present their findings at a workshop focusing on property management and tenant issues. How Can Community Planning Work in Your Community? St. Louis 2004 and FOCUS Kansas City have both recently issued reports on the needs of their respective communities and how they view the potential for growth in the future. The Regional Commerce & Growth Association has been planning the response to the population and economic growth associated with the upcoming expansion at Fort Leonard Wood. How does community planning affect growth? Find out how you can begin to plan for your communities’ future. Project-Based Section 8 Restructuring: How and When? How and when is this going to take place on a comprehensive level nationwide? How is the pilot program to restructure project-based Section 8 contracts working elsewhere? What is the outlook in Missouri and who will be doing the restructuring? These and other issues will be discussed in detail at this workshop. Welfare Reform and Homelessness Welfare reform changes occurring nationally and in Missouri will be discussed at this workshop. What are the challenges of moving persons from welfare to work? How might the changes in welfare reform at the federal and state level affect the problem of homelessness? Experts studying the homeless problem will discuss the current trends of homelessness in Missouri.
Fostering Neighborhood Organizations in Missouri Why do only some regions in the state have an ample number of neighborhood organizations and non-profit organizations? How can neighborhood based community housing development organizations get chartered in rural areas? Find out what organizations and associations are available to assist the start up of community based neighborhood organizations. Tax Credit Syndication: How Does It Work? Experts will briefly outline all of the different tax credits available for housing and community and economic development. Then experts in syndicating both federal and state housing tax credits will discuss how developers can increase the equity in their developments. What are the factors affecting the amount of equity generated for a particular affordable housing development? What role does an equity fund play in this process? These and other syndication issues will be discussed in detail at this workshop. Roundtable Discussion for Architects and Designers What are the elements of design that make a development more attractive, environmentally friendly and ultimately more successful? What problems will you encounter rehabilitating older structures? These and other issues involving architects and designers will be discussed at this roundtable discussion. Property Management Training Programs What continuing education programs are available to train professional property managers? Representatives of real estate management associations and assisted housing associations will discuss the various programs and certifications they have to offer through their continuing education programs. Impediments to Fair Housing Representatives of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, the Missouri Human Rights Commission and municipalities will discuss the various impediments to fair housing at the federal, state and local level. These and related issues will be discussed in a workshop focusing on civil rights and fair housing. How Will Utility Restructuring Affect You? The utilities industry is undergoing rapid restructuring at both the federal and state level in an effort to provide greater competition and lower costs to consumers. These changes will have an impact on how both tenants and homeowners purchase their electric and gas utilities, particularly in rural areas. What can you expect? Representatives of the Missouri Division of Energy and the Missouri Public Service Commission will discuss these and other issues related to utility restructuring.
|