What's Ahead for Housing? A Symposium on Federal Housing Policy Change

Seismic shifts in federal housing policy are on their way - find out how they'll affect your community! Housing Virginia, the Weldon Cooper Center at the University of Virginia, and Capital One invite you to their upcoming statewide symposium, What's Ahead for Housing: A Symposium on Federal Housing Policy Change. Senator Mark Warner will participate via video, and HUD Deputy Secretary Maurice Jones will participate in person as Luncheon Speaker.

The agenda for the day has been finalized. Please see below for sessions and speakers.

8:30 – 9:30: Registration – Continental Breakfast

9:30 – 10:15: Welcome
Kit Hale, Chair, Housing Virginia
Jim Taylor, CRA Business Development Officer, Capital One
John Thomas, Director, Weldon Cooper Center

Introduction: Susan Dewey, Executive Director, VHDA

Keynote: Senator Mark Warner

10:15 – 11:15: The View from Washington
Joseph Ventrone, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, National Association of REALTORS
Ethan Handelman, Vice President for Policy and Advocacy, National Housing Conference
Paul Weech, Executive Vice President for Policy, Housing Partnership Network

11:15 – 11:30: Break

11:30 – 12:15: The View from Richmond
Bill Shelton, Director, DHCD
Susan Dewey, Executive Director, VHDA

12:30 – 1:30: Working Lunch

Introduction: Laura Lafayette, Executive Director, Richmond Association of REALTORS

HUD Deputy Secretary Maurice Jones

1:45 – 3:15: Breakout Sessions: How will these Federal Policy and Funding Shifts Play Out on the Ground Here in Virginia

Homeownership: Finance, Foreclosure and Beyond
Barry Merchant, Senior Policy Analyst, VHDA

Richard Owen, Executive Director, Virginia Mortgage Lenders Association
Julia Gordon, Director of Housing Finance and Policy, Center for American Progress

Affordable Housing Programs: Increasing Needs / Dwindling Resources
John Bohm, Senior Director of Congressional Relations, NAHRO
Robin Gahan, Policy & Program Manager, VCEH
Barbara Burnham, Director of Federal Policy, LISC

Neighborhood Renewal and the Fiscal Impact on Localities
Kelly Harris-Braxton, Executive Director, Virginia First Cities
Mark Flynn, General Counsel, Virginia Municipal League
Dave Norris, City Council, City of Charlottesville

3:15 Adjourn

This symposium will help stakeholders across Virginia to prepare for pending and potential changes in housing policy at the federal level that could fundamentally re-shape the way that housing is developed and financed throughout the entire country.

These changes include the future of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the secondary market, shifts in the single family underwriting standards, funding for HUD affordable housing programs, the future of the Community Reinvestment Act, the Mortgage Interest Deduction, Low Income Housing Tax Credits, foreclosure prevention and mitigation and many other issues.

Taken together, these represent the most fundamental shifts in the housing arena in a generation. Changes in these policies will affect not only those who need housing, but also the communities that rely on a healthy and vibrant housing market.