Laura Schwartz will present at the PHFA conference on housing rights for returning citizens.

bird flying free of cage

The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is hosting the Multifamily Affordable Housing Conference on June 8th, 9th, and 10th in Pocono Manor, PA. RHLS Director of Economic Development, Laura Schwartz will present, detailing some of the barriers faced by returning citizens face when trying to access affordable housing.

Laura continues her advocacy for returning citizens in her session, entitled “Housing Returning Citizens – Be Part of the Solution”. She will present with Debbie Gale, Vice-President of Resident Services at HDC MidAtlantic, Shawn Johnson, Director of Reentry and Social Services at Friends Rehabilitation Services, Bruce Quigley, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of Union County. Holly Zugay, the Senior Financial Education Office of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, will be the moderator.

Almost all incarcerated persons will be released from prison. It is a question of “when”, not “if”. What happens when they are released? They need a place to live that is safe and stable. This panel will discuss the rules for landlords who want to offer housing for returning citizens. It will describe how one development corporation changed its resident selection process. We hope that you will join Laura and others in a conversation about breaking down the barriers that returning citizens face in trying to access affordable housing.

The PHFA Multifamily Affordable Housing Conference has been designed to offer content related to service delivery strategies and management techniques, with sessions for Service Coordinators and Property Management staff. PHFA conference registration is here. Read more about Laura’s work here, and work with PARC here.