A Multi-Sector Approach to Kalamazoo’s Crisis Room 2016/18, 2nd Floor The housing and homelessness crisis continues to impact Kalamazoo County – driving up costs, displacing residents, and straining local resources.  This session will bring together voices from the justice system, housing providers, local business community, and development sectors to examine the intersections of homelessness, housing…

Navigating the Crisis Through an Equity Lens Room 1040/50, 1st Floor The national and local housing and homelessness crisis continues to deepen – yet all communities are not impacted equally.  Subpopulations such as survivors of DV, formerly incarcerated individuals, seniors, immigrants, LGBTQ+ people and others face unique barriers to stable housing. At the same time,…

Creative Solutions to Homelessness in Kalamazoo County Room 2016/18, 2nd Floor Kalamazoo County is facing the urgent challenge of homelessness with innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to reimagining what’s possible. This session will explore creative housing solutions that are not only being envisioned — but actively implemented — in our community.  Presenters:   Anita Johnson: Anita…

Room 2020, 2nd Floor The session will be split into 3 parts. It will start with an introduction to the Southwest Michigan Regional Housing Partnership whose objective is to build a connected, collaborative, and inclusive housing ecosystem tied to MSHDA’s Statewide Housing Plan. Then we will hear from Whitney Wardell the President and CEO of…

How Eviction Derails Parents in College and Ways to Change that Reality: Rooms 1035-1055, 1st Floor Based on collaborative work between Princeton Eviction Lab and New America’s Parenting Student Initiative, this session walks through why parenting students are such a critical population in higher education today, why housing security is vital to their success, and…

The Intersection of Housing and Health Room 1060, 1st Floor What happens when someone with a chronic illness sleeps under a bridge? When a diabetic stores insulin in a tent? When someone with untreated psychosis is evicted from the last shelter bed? This interactive session explores the connection between housing and health through the work…

Neurobiology, Service Delivery, and Healing Spaces in Service Delivery Room 2030/2nd floor This workshop will explore how to implement trauma-informed care from placemaking to communication.  Participants will gain a foundational understanding of the neurobiology of trauma and the effect of trauma on behavior, engagement, and trust.  This workshop will examine how we can meet the…

Lessons in Building Spaces that Work for People Room 1060/1st Floor In this interactive 75-minute session, through the lens of a grassroots-run program — operated in partnership with unhoused guests themselves — we’ll explore how short-term shelter can spark lasting change. Immersive group challenges will invite participants to design shelter from the guest’s perspective, grapple…

A Data-Driven Analysis of Homelessness in Kalamazoo County Room 2016/18, 2nd Floor This session offers a comprehensive look at homelessness in Kalamazoo County using multiple data sources to explore who becomes homeless and why. Attendees will gain insight into the scope of homelessness, key demographic trends, and the racial and systemic disparities that shape individual…