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Housing Summits
During the evening of November 7, 2024, Ideas to Action brought together nearly ninety representatives of the housing continuum from finance and development, to elected officials and policy makers, to service providers.
Download the draft strategies discussed at Ideas to Action (PDF).
Download the general presentation (PDF).
Opening Presentations
The event included a keynote address, two presentations, and Q&A.
- Keynote Address
Ed Augustus, Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities - Municipal Financial Impacts
Doug Howgate, President of Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation - Effective Communication and Engagement
Whitney Demetrius, Director of Fair Housing and Municipal Engagement and Sadé Ratliff, MEI and Fair Housing Associate of Citizens Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) - Audience Questions and Answers
Whitney Demetrius, Doug Howgate and Sadé Ratliff, panelists, and Jenny Raitt, Moderator
Breakout Discussions
The summit ended with the results of the year-long process to create a housing strategy for the Greater Lowell region, including breakout groups in which participants discussed the strategies and collaboration across the region on implementation. High-level takeaways included:
- The possibility of considering modular housing and innovative financing mechanisms for affordable housing in the strategies;
- The critical need for public outreach and education to break down misconceptions and build consensus toward solutions; and
- The need for additional resources for organizations serving the most vulnerable populations, including housing-insecure and unhoused populations.
Many participants re-emphasized the need for progress on all six goals to move forward in unison - all are necessary to tackle the housing challenges the region faces. That said, the most important feedback was the need to begin implementation! The challenge is great, and the need to act is urgent.
See an executive summary (PDF) of notes for each group, along with the verbatim transcript of notes taken on tearpads in the groups.
The Greater Lowell Regional Meeting on Homelessness was held on Thursday, August 3 from 9am to 12pm at University of Massachusetts Lowell’s South Campus, hosted by the City of Lowell and the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments (NMCOG). The meeting was advertised through a mailing list of more than 120 partner agency members and elected and appointed officials from Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Dunstable, Lowell, Pepperell, Tewksbury, Tyngsborough, and Westford. Over 100 individuals attended.
In addition to the executive summary below, NMCOG prepared a Meeting Summary Document (PDF) available for download with more detail about the presentations, discussions, and next steps. You may also download slides or view the recording at the links below.
Download the presentation slides (PDF)
Opening Presentation
To open the event, professionals working in service provision and local and regional government shared data, narratives, and recommendations regarding homelessness in the Greater Lowell region:
- Renata Rourke, Director of Individual Homeless Services, Community Teamwork (CTI)
- Isaiah Stephens, Managing Director, Lowell Transitional Living Center (LTLC)
- Carl Howell, Chief Program Officer, Community Teamwork (CTI)
- Susan Gentili, President & Chief Executive Officer at South Middlesex Opportunities Council (SMOC)
- Camilo Espitia, Deputy Director, Department of Planning and Development, City of Lowell
- Jennifer Raitt, Executive Director, NMCOG
Key takeaways included:
- Low income and a lack of affordable rental units are causing working families to become homeless.
- Individual and youth homelessness has risen across the region.
- Speakers identified three key needs:
- Money: speakers asked municipalities to create a fund distinct from existing municipal funds that will allow for rapid dispersal of funds for housing, possibly through the development of Affordable Housing Trusts.
- Policy change: municipalities should implement inclusionary zoning policies to support regional housing goals that will benefit those most vulnerable, and incentivize developers in the creation of both deeply affordable units and market rate units.
- Commitment: municipal administrations were asked to renew their focus on housing creation and develop a clear and vocal commitment to housing creation across the region.