A Home in California: Are Our Communities Sustainable?

Conference

Few areas of public policy are as complex as housing—particularly here in California—and from those trying to buy a home to policy experts, few believe our current strategies are working. Housing policy touches on many different and fundamental issues, such as the balance of growth with a sense of place, how affordability is evaluated, and what level of government should be making decisions. Today, all of these issues appear to be in insoluble conflict.

In this conference Pepperdine’s School of Public Policy bring together a unique mix of policy makers, experts, and activists in an attempt to find answers to one of California’s foundational questions: are our state’s communities sustainable? Running throughout the presentations and conversations will be the imperative of this distinctive policy school: keeping the “public” at the forefront of public policy.

A unique gathering in a unique place.

This event made possible through the generous support of Fieldstead and Company.

Keynote Address

"Stating the Problem"

Chuck Marohn, Founder and President of Strong Towns

Speakers

Leslie Appleton-Young, Senior Vice President & Chief Economist, California Association of Realtors

Rick Bishop, Executive Director, Western Riverside Council of Governments

Peter Blanchard, Associate Partner, Housing Practice, McKinsey & Company

James Brasuell, Managing Editor, Planetizen

Richard Bruckner, Former Director, Department of Regional Planning, Los Angeles County

Rick Cole, City Manager of Santa Monica

Amanda Daflos, Innovation Director, Los Angeles Mayor's Office

Liam Dillon, Staff Writer, State Capital Bureau, Los Angeles Times

Laura Foote, Executive Director,  YIMBY Action

Brent Gaisford, Abundant Housing LA, Board Chair

Greg Greenway, Board Member, Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce

Carrie Hawkins, Founding Board Member, Century Housing Corporation

Adam Hengels, Founder, The Center for Market Urbanism

Jennifer Hernandez, Partner, Holland & Knight LLP

Michael Lewyn, Director of the Institute on Land Use and Sustainable Development, Touro Law Center

Elyse Lowe, Director, City of San Diego

Alicia Matricardi, General Counsel and Director, Real Estate for New Econmics for Women (NEW) 

Jim Mayer, President and Chief Executive Officer, California Forward

Greg Morrow, Executive Director, Real Estate Development + Design, University of California, Berkeley College of Environmental Design

Pete Peterson, Dean, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy

Lydia Romero, City Manager of the City of Lemon Grove

Michael Shires, Associate Dean for Strategy and Special Projects, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy 

Nestor E. Valencia, Council Member, City of Bell

Matthew Yglesias, Co-Founder, Vox.com