Building the Inclusive City: A Conversation about the Future of Urban Housing

The United States faces a dire housing shortage and affordability crisis. Experts estimate the nation is short four to seven million homes, and that shortages are particularly acute in major urban areas. This scarcity leaves tenants vulnerable—not just to rising costs, but also to displacement, poor maintenance, and weakened bargaining power with landlords. As a result, state and local governments are taking action, seeking legislative solutions that expand housing supply while safeguarding tenant’s rights.

This panel discussion, hosted by JLPP and co-hosted by American Constitution Society and Law Women, will explore pressing issues at the intersection of state and local housing policies, development, and market regulation. Please join to gain insights regarding  legislative strategies and modes of advocacy to expand housing supply and protect tenants.

The panel:

• Tara Raghuveer, founding director of KC Tenants, a tenant union in Kansas City. Tara has studied evictions in Kansas City since 2013, leading the Kansas City Eviction Project. She is also the Homes Guarantee Campaign Director at People’s Action, a national network of grassroots organizations.
• Dani Isaacsohn is currently serving his second term representing Ohio’s 24th House District as a state representative. He currently serves in House leadership as Minority Whip. He also serves as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee and is a sitting member of the House Finance and Energy committees.
• RuthAnne Visnauskas was appointed Commissioner and CEO of New York State Homes and Community Renewal in March 2017. Prior to joining HCR, RuthAnne was Managing Director of the Housing Advisory Board for the Robin Hood Foundation, New York's largest poverty-fighting organization.
• Matthew Murphy (Moderator) is the Executive Director of the NYU Furman Center. Previously, he served as Deputy Commissioner for the Office of Policy and Strategy for the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and was responsible for creating strategies to advance HPD's housing policy objectives and overseeing initiatives to help achieve agency goals and improve operations.

The talk will officially start at 7pm. Food and drink will be made available fifteen minutes before.

Registration

Please click on the link here.

CLE Information

This event is eligible for 1.0 CLE credit. CLE credit is available both for in-person attendees and attorneys viewing the event live on Zoom. Those who attend in-person must sign in and sign out to receive credit. Those who view the event on Zoom must listen for the "course code" and submit an affirmation form (link) to dwf3111@nyu.edu.

CLE Materials

- Reps. Isaacsohn, Mathews Introduce Legislation Addressing Ohio's Housing Supply Shortage (Link)

- Governor Hochul Proposes New Initiatives to Address the Housing Crisis and Make Rent and Mortgages More Affordable (Link)

- “The Rent Is Too Damn High!”—The Rise of a National Tenants’ Movement (Link)

- Additional Reading (Link)