MEREDA’s Morning Menu Breakfast Event “Everyone Needs an Affordable Home: Building on Housing Solutions That Work”

Safe, affordable housing is a basic human need. It can lower stress, bolster health and reduce transiency, enabling children to perform better in school, adults to retain jobs, and neighbors to feel connected and safe. Unfortunately, Maine is experiencing a fundamental mismatch between its housing stock and its housing needs, and that mismatch is creating enormous problems for our families and our state’s economic well-being. For tens of thousands of Mainers, the price, quality, size and location of the homes available to them are simply out of synch with their needs and resources. This housing market failure affects wide swaths of Mainers, but seniors on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, and lower-wage workers are particularly affected. Come hear a panel of experts in the housing policy field present the latest data on Maine’s affordable housing crisis, its impact on Maine people, and a major new initiative being considered by the state Legislature to increase the rate of production of affordable homes statewide.

Join MEREDA for breakfast on February 7 from 7:30 AM – 9 AM at the Portland Regency Hotel for a panel discussion with experts in the housing policy field. Amy Cullen from The Szanton Company will moderate the conversation as our panelists present the latest data on Maine’s affordable housing crisis, its impact on Maine people, and a major new initiative being considered by the state Legislature to increase the rate of production of affordable homes statewide.

About the Event:

February 7, 2019 – 7:30AM to 9:00AM

Portland Regency Hotel
20 Milk Street
Portland, ME 04101

Breakfast: 7:30 AM Program: 8:00 – 9:00 AM

About the Panel:

Amy Cullen is a development officer at The Szanton Company, where her responsibilities include financial analysis, performing due diligence on potential sites for projects, completing financing applications, and coordinating with lenders, attorneys, architects, contractors and others on all aspects of The Szanton Company’s development projects. Amy also serves as the President of Saco Falls Management, where she is involved with the planning, implementation, marketing and operating strategies for a variety of properties in Maine and New Hampshire.

Greg Payne is the Director of the Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, a diverse association of more than 135 private and public-sector organizations committed to ensuring that all Mainers are adequately and affordably housed. He is also a developer of affordable rental homes at Avesta Housing, a non-profit housing agency based in Portland. Greg has more than 20 years of experience on issues related to housing and homelessness, and currently serves as the chairman of the board of the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Jess Maurer is the Executive Director of the Maine Council on Aging, a broad, multidisciplinary network of more than 75 organizations, businesses and community members working to ensure we can all live healthy, engaged and secure lives as we age in our homes and in community settings. In this role, she advances statewide public policy initiatives, provides leadership within Maine’s aging network and supports Maine’s Legislative Caucus on Aging. Her areas of specific focus include housing, transportation, workforce, “aging in place” and care across all settings.

Dana Totman is the President & CEO of Avesta Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing provider with 45+ years of experience as a leader in affordable housing development and property management in southern Maine and New Hampshire. He has led Avesta through significant growth over the past 18 years, with a focus on staff leadership, cultivating partnerships and opportunities, and organizational change. Dana’s career has focused on nonprofit and government management and leadership, specializing in guiding organizations through significant change.

Rick McCarthy is the Managing Director of Eaton Peabody Consulting Group, the government relations and economic development affiliate of Eaton Peabody. Prior to joining Eaton Peabody Consulting Group, Rick served as Chief of Staff to several Maine Senate Presidents. He is recognized in the State House as a skilled consensus builder who is well versed on the major public policy issues of the day. His experience in state and federal budget and finance is particularly strong, along with the topics of transportation, housing, and early care and education.

Registering for this Event:

MEREDA Member: $45 each  | Non – Member: $55 each

Register After January 31:  Member: $55 each  |  Non-Member $65 each

Your RSVP is requested by January 31, 2019. Payment is expected at the time of registration. No refunds will be granted to anyone who registers, but fails to attend or who cancels after January 31, 2019.

This MEREDA Morning Menu Breakfast Event is Sponsored by Norway Savings Bank. 

Click here to register now.