Access and Programs for Affordable Housing Homeownership

While much of the affordable housing industry focuses on rental housing – homeownership offers opportunities to address inequities in wealth while also providing long-term stable housing to low-income households. This event will bring together policy leaders and practitioners to discuss different affordable homeownership policies and programs – as well as opportunities to support and expand these housing types. The discussion will also go over the history, advantages and challenges of affordable homeownership programs. Panelists will discuss community land trust, limited equity cooperative, sweat equity, and below market rate inclusionary ownership programs in California as well as their nuances and advantages in different situations.

When: Wednesday, February 16 | 12pm – 1pm PT

Where: Zoom

Moderator: Leo Goldberg (Co-Director for Policy and Capacity Building, California Community Land Trust Network)
Panelists:

• Sarah Scruggs (Stewardship & Education Coordinator / Co-Director of Policy, Northern California Land Trust)
• Shannon Way (Executive Director, Homeownership SF)
• Tom Collishaw (President and CEO, Self-Help Enterprises)

For more information about the speakers, scroll down the page.

Leo Goldberg

California Community Land Trust Network

Sarah Scruggs

Northern California Land Trust

Shannon Way

Homeownership SF

Tom Collishaw

Self-Help Enterprises

Leo Goldberg is Co-director for Policy and Capacity Building at the California Community Land Trust Network where he advocates for affordable, community owned housing and facilitates peer-to-peer learning and program development for the state’s two dozen Community Land Trusts. Prior to returning to California, Leo was Policy and Research Manager at the Center for NYC Neighborhoods where he led work on countering speculative real estate practices, addressing the racial wealth gap, and establishing paths to homeownership for low-income New Yorkers. He was also a board member of the Cooperative Economics Alliance of New York City. Prior to obtaining a graduate degree in Urban Planning, Leo worked on housing policy in both domestic and international contexts with a focus on equitable development, zoning, and gentrification and organized tenants in Central Brooklyn. He holds a B.A. in History and Urban Studies from Columbia University and a M.A. in City Planning from MIT.

Tom Collishaw is President and CEO of Self-Help Enterprises, a multi-faceted housing and community development nonprofit serving the San Joaquin Valley of California since 1965. The oldest and largest self-help housing organization in the country, Self-Help Enterprises was a pioneer in the development of sweat-equity housing for rural low income farmworkers. As of July 31, 2021, the nonprofit organization has assisted 6,414 families in the construction of their own homes, rehabilitated another 6,783 homes, developed over 1,896 units of affordable rental housing, and connected over 33,000 households to water and sewer infrastructure. Collishaw has worked for the organization in various capacities since 1980, and was named CEO in 2014.

Sarah Scruggs works with Northern California Land Trust (NCLT) in supporting homeowners and cooperative members, community education efforts, and policy efforts around anti-displacement and resident-control. She recently moved to the East Bay from Washington, DC, where she worked for almost a decade in affordable housing advocacy, education and development, with a focus on racial equity and community-led efforts. Sarah has also worked to support Palestinian justice and equality in Palestine/Israel and the United States, and completed graduate work in International Peace and Conflict Resolution at the American University in 2009.

Shannon Way is Executive Director at Homeownership SF, a coalition of housing counseling agencies helping low to moderate income households access affordable housing programs and services. Homeownership SF and it’s member partners work closely with the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development to promote City housing assistance, including rental and homeownership programs, and assisting current home owners facing financial hardships. Shannon joined Homeownership SF in 2013, and launched the SF Housing Expo- which has become San Francisco’s largest annual affordable housing resource fair.

Prior to working with Homeownership SF, Shannon launched the housing and financial service programs at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center, where she also administered Lending Circles- a credit building micro loan program- in partnership with Mission Asset Fund. Her background includes running a successful real estate business in the East Bay (2000- 2011) and serving as the Vice Chair of the Family Selection Committee for Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco (2013- 2014.) Shannon is the 4th generation in her family to be raised in the Bay Area, and her desire to work in affordable housing was ignited by seeing so many of her friends and family members displaced. She is currently the Vice Chair for the Community Council of Housing Organizations Board of Directors.