The Church in Sag Harbor will present the Affordable Community Housing Convening on Thursday, May 19. A day-long program of lectures and case studies will culminate in a town hall to discuss potential approaches to this important issue.
“The East End is grappling with a housing shortage and a crisis of affordability. Affordable community housing for workers and their families is critical to keep the East End vibrant and our local economy thriving,” read a statement from The Church.
To unpack this complex issue, The Church is bringing together community leaders, legislators, developers, and the financial industry to explore some of the key issues at stake. The event aims to review current efforts to address affordability in the East End, discuss solutions developed in similar communities nationally, and address the role the cultural community can play in these efforts.
“Affordable housing is not a luxury, it’s a human necessity. Our work at OLA affords us an often dark view of how demand for labor coupled with almost nonexistent housing options exponentially increase exploitation,” said Minerva Perez, Executive Director of OLA, which works to create a more equitable East End for Latino immigrants.
Assembly member Fred W. Thiele, Jr. said on the topic, “The qualities that make Sag Harbor and the East End such wonderful and welcoming places to live are at risk in a housing market that prices out local families. At this crucial moment, it has never been more important to reach consensus at the community level on the actions we must take to preserve the unique character of our community. I want to thank The Church for serving as the medium for this urgent conversation, and I look forward to sharing ideas among neighbors.”
The day will feature a series of expert panels and case-studies and conclude with a town hall, moderated by Ellen Dioguardi of 27east and Michael Daly of East End YIMBY. The Affordable Community Housing Convening is sponsored by Community Capital
Management and co-organized by the Blue Rider Group at Morgan Stanley.
Tickets are $35. For a full schedule, visit www.thechurchsagharbor.org.