Former U.S. Senator George Mitchell joined the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Housing Commission and Jack Kemp Foundation to host a public forum in Maine today to discuss the need for improved housing in America’s small and rural communities. The meeting also stressed the importance of integrating social services into new and revamped housing development, particularly for Maine’s aging population.

“Too many of Maine’s senior citizens struggle to pay their rent or make their mortgage payments,” said Senator Mitchell, co-chair of BPC’s Housing Commission. “We need to develop innovative strategies to lessen the financial burden on those with fixed incomes.”

The afternoon event featured Barbara G. Fields, Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Tammye Treviño, Administrator of Rural Housing Services for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Local, regional, and national housing experts also emphasized the importance of addressing complex housing challenges more efficiently and providing comprehensive resident services.

Read the full press release here.

Featuring

Senator George Mitchell
Co-founder, Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC)
Co-chair, BPC Housing Commission
Former U.S. Senate Majority Leader

Barbara G. Fields
HUD Regional Administrator

Janet Murguía
President & CEO, National Council of La Raza
Commissioner, BPC Housing Commission

Paul Weech
Executive Vice President, Housing Partnership Network

Tammye Treviño
Administrator, Rural Housing Services, USDA

Video

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Part I

Video streaming by Ustream

Part II

Video streaming by Ustream

Follow the discussion on Twitter: @BPC_Bipartisan #BPCHousing

Agenda

12:00PM – 1:00PM
Lunch Provided

1:00PM – 1:10PM
Welcome

Senator George Mitchell

1:10PM – 1:30PM

Opening Remarks

• Barbara G. Fields, Regional Administrator, HUD
• Tammye Treviño, Administrator, Rural Housing Services, USDA

1:30PM – 1:45PM
Demographic Trends Impacting the Housing Landscape

Moderator: Janet Murguia, BPC Housing Commissioner

• Frank O’Hara, Vice President, Planning Decisions
  View presentation slides

1:45PM – 2:30PM
Cost Containment: A More Efficient Housing Delivery System

Moderator: Nic Retsinas, BPC Housing Commissioner

• Peter Anastos, Chairman, Maine State Housing Authority
• Bill Shanahan, President, Northern NE Housing Investment Fund

2:30PM – 3:30PM
Innovative Solutions and Best Practices in Affordable Housing

Moderator: Ron Terwilliger, BPC Housing Commissioner

• Paul Weech, Executive Vice President, Housing Partnership Network
  View presentation slides
• Nancy Eldridge, Executive Director, Cathedral Square Corporation
• Polly Nichol, Housing Programs Director, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board & Board President, Housing Assistance Council

3:30PM – 3:45PM
Networking Break

3:45PM – 4:50PM
Open Public Forum

Introduction: Former Governor Frank Keating, BPC Housing Commissioner

Moderator: Jimmy Kemp, President, Jack Kemp Foundation

4:50PM – 5:00PM
Closing Remarks

Senator George Mitchell

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In the News

Former Maine Senator Holds a Public Forum on Housing

Affordable housing challenges debated in Bar Harbor

Read the Press Release: Former United States Senator George Mitchell, Bipartisan Policy Center, Jack Kemp Foundation Host Housing Forum in Maine

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BPC's Housing Commission, in partnership with the Jack Kemp Foundation, is hosting a series of regional forums to gather input on key housing issues and best practices from stakeholders across the country. Public input will be an integral part of the commission's process as it crafts a package of realistic and actionable recommendations for improving the nation's housing policy.

For information about shuttle service to the event, please contact Nikki Rudnick at nrudnick@bipartisanpolicy.org.

For more information on past regional forums, click here.

For more information on the Jack Kemp Foundation, click here.

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Housing Commission