The 2007 Rural Housing Summit will take place on Thursday, October 25 and Friday, October 26 at Asilomar in Pacific Cove, CA. Registration for the conference is closed as of Monday, October 22.

The purpose of the annual RHS is to bring together key practitioners and policy makers in an informal, "think-tank" format to analyze rural housing issues and develop a state housing policy and program agenda for the upcoming year and beyond. Summit participants also gain information on effective local strategies that will benefit communities they serve.

This year’s summit theme is Mobilizing for the Future II: Beyond the Bond will directly involve participants in efforts to improve the housing conditions of Rural Californians during difficult and challenging times.

In 2006, working closely with other affordable housing advocates, CCRH successfully convinced the State Legislature to place the Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act on the November 2007 ballot. Then, as a board member of Homes4California, we coordinated the Yes on Prop 1C campaign. CCRH mobilized rural housing advocates to contribute financially to the campaign and to work tirelessly to gain local endorsements. The outcome: 57.8% voter approval and a record number of rural counties voting in favor. Prop 1C authorizes $2.85, including $135 million for farm worker housing and $10 million for self-help housing. Since passage, CCRH has worked with our allies to implement Prop 1C, especially tracking and affecting policy and budget bills intended to implement the new Prop 1C programs. Through our efforts, up to $850 million will be available for in-fill incentives to support affordable housing. Additionally, funds will likely be available for rural housing trust funds, mobile home park preservation, and housing-related parks.

Via small-group discussions, attendees will formulate a unified agenda to guide rural housing providers and advocates through the remainder of 2007 and in 2008. In doing so, we will be helping to ensure that our recent victories in winning supportive policies and programs and opportunities for rural housing improvement will continue into the future.

Keynoting the Summit will be three excellent speakers: Moises Loza, Executive Director, Housing Assistance Council, will discuss national efforts to pass a National Housing Trust Fund and protect existing USDA and HUD financing programs; Joe Hayes, Research Associate, Public Policy Institute of California, will discuss rural demographic trends, immigration, and changing mortgage and labor markets; Julie Snyder, Legislative Advocate, Housing California, will discuss Prop 1C implementation and the longer-term campaign to create a permanent source for a State housing trust fund.

The schedule, workshop descriptions, and registration form are available in the brochure below.

Letters of invitation will be mailed to past attendees and new invitees in August 2007. Space is limited. For more information, contact Cristina Trujillo at Cristina@calruralhousing.orgor 916-443-4448.