CHAPA Annual Fair Housing Month Symposium: Expanding Choice Through Local Fair Housing

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Every April, we take time to honor Fair Housing Month and recommit individually and collectively to the fair housing work still ahead. Join CHAPA virtually on April 28th from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM as we explore and learn from examples of how fair housing can be implemented at the local level through initiatives across the Commonwealth.

Resources:

• FULL AGENDA & BIOS
• Brookline Information on Local Preference, including presentation and other materials
• Arlington Presentation
• CHAPA Fair Housing Month Round Up

Panelists:

• City of Boston’s Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) Executive Order’s implementation plan efforts, lessons learned, and what other municipalities can do similarly
  • Moderator: Robert Terrell, Co-Chair of CHAPA Fair Housing Committee
  • Nadine Cohen, Managing Attorney of the Consumer Rights Unit, Greater Boston Legal Services, and AFFH Committee Advisory Council Member
  • William Onuoha, Executive Director, City of Boston Office of Fair Housing and Equity
     
• Local initiatives to further fair housing through innovative local preference efforts and fair housing plans
  • Moderator: Kristina da Fonseca, Executive Director, SouthCoast Fair Housing Center, and Co-Chair of CHAPA Fair Housing Committee 
  • Roger Blood, Chair of Housing Advisory Board, Town of Brookline
  • Virginia Bullock, Senior Housing Planner, Town of Brookline
  • Adam Chapdelaine, Town Manager, Town of Arlington
  • David Guzman, Housing Planner, Town of Brookline
  • Jennifer Raitt, Director, Department of Planning and Community Development, Town of Arlington

During the symposium, we will also honor those who have inspired us with our 2022 Open Door Champion Awards. This year, we're pleased to honor:

• Undersecretary Jennifer Maddox, Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, for funding a statewide 'Fair Housing Initiative'
• Nadine Cohen, Managing Attorney of the Consumer Rights Unit, Greater Boston Legal Services, for her career commitment to fair housing, legal successes, and innovation
• Adam Chapdelaine, Town Manager, and Jennifer Raitt, Director, Department of Planning and Community Development, for their creation of a fair housing plan for the Town of Arlington
• Town of Brookline for their initiative and commitment to lower Brookline's local preference threshold

Please contact Whitney Demetrius, Director of Fair Housing Engagement, with any questions about this event.