Events

“Day 3” Webinar Series

An added bonus for 2023 National Conference attendees:
If you liked the National Conference concurrent sessions, don’t miss our “Day 3” Webinar Series! Register once to attend all 5 sessions.

Register for DAY 3 webinars

Over five consecutive Thursdays, NAHRO is hosting 1-hour seminars covering topics we didn’t get to cover at the conference, including:

October 19: Building Cyber Resiliency Safeguarding Public Housing in the Digital Frontier

While rapidly evolving technologies have improved housing agency operations, they’ve also created new and emerging cybersecurity risks like ransomware and business email compromise that can disrupt operations for weeks. So how can agencies become more cyber resilient? Our panelists will answer that question by walking attendees through Denver Housing Authority’s 2021 ransomware incident. Using Denver’s experience as a backdrop, panelists will outline common cyber vulnerabilities, common sense defense strategies, and best practices to fortify housing agencies against cyber risks, ensuring the safety and privacy of residents and employees in this rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Learning Objectives:

  • Comprehend the threat cybercriminals pose to housing agencies of all sizes and the disruptive impact a successful cybersecurity breach can have on an agency.
  • Understand the five critical cybersecurity defense tools (multi-factor authentication, secure backups, regular software updates, cybersecurity awareness training, and endpoint detection and response) that all housing agencies should be looking to implement at a minimum.
  • Grasp the importance of cyber insurance coverage, the latest trends in the cyber insurance market, and the minimum requirements agencies will need to secure coverage in today’s market.

Panelists

  • Moderator: Angel Fear | Account Services Regional Manager, HAI Group
  • Troy LePage | Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer, HAI Group
  • Brad Winchester | Director of Construction and Real Estate Practice, M3 Insurance

October 26: Breaking down Barriers to FSS

The Family Self-Sufficiency program is the nation’s largest asset building program for families with low incomes, yet less than 3% of eligible families participate. Participants often share, “If I had known about FSS earlier in my life, I’d be so much further with my finances.” To close this participation gap, Compass Working Capital has a vision for a new FSS model, grounded in behavioral economics, in which families automatically enroll in the program. This session will explore the common barriers to accessing the program, insights from alternative enrollment methods implemented by Compass Working Capital, and our vision for an automatic enrollment model for FSS.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the current landscape in FSS program design and participation as well as the challenges facing families and housing providers to enrolling under the current program structure.
  • Learn about Compass’ “opt-out” autoenrollment pilots including program design, implementation, marketing outreach, and successes. Attendees will come away with a deep understanding of tested practices that they can adopt and implement for their own residents.
  • Understand the next steps at the policy level to widespread adoption of an autoenrollment model for FSS and what role housing providers can play.

Panelists

  • Aracely Panameño | Director of Policy, Compass Working Capital
  • Sydney Smith | Business Development Manager , Compass Working Capital
  • Mai Dang | Vice President, Connected Communities and Co-Chair Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, Winn Companies
  • Sabrina Nuñez-Diaz | Chair, Program Committee of the Board, Compass Working Capital

November 2: This USDA Program is for Rural and Urban Areas

CRHDC is a national technical assistant provider for USDA helping to increase the use of their 514/516 program that allows creation of housing for agricultural workers. This program provides loans (1%, 33 years) and grant funding PLUS rental assistance to help households that earn 65% of their income in the agriculture industry. The total loan and grant cannot exceed $5,000,000.

Non-profits and housing authorities can learn how to utilize free technical assistance to help with project planning and application process. This is the only USDA program that is not required to be in a rural area.

Learning Objectives:

  • Learn how providing this type of housing can help to stabilize the economic base of community by having workforce housing for this population.
  • Understand the requirements of USDA 514/516 program.
  • Understand how to access and utilize free technical assistance in planning projects and applying for funding.

November 9: Centering Impacted Communities in Advocacy

Advocacy is critical for PHAs to garner support for funding, redevelopment, partnership, and other priorities. While PHA staff can engage with elected and other officials from their vantage point, only residents and program participants can add the first-person, lived experience to the PHA’s ask. PHAs have a unique opportunity to empower marginalized and disenfranchised communities and should approach that work strategically and with respect.

Learning Objectives:

  • Attendees will learn how to energize low-income communities to participate in advocacy efforts.
  • Attendees will learn how to develop program participants into advocacy leaders.
  • Attendees will learn how to center residents and participants in advocacy efforts.

Panelists

  • Seth Embry | Chief of Policy and Government Affairs, HABD
  • DeJuana Thompson | President & CEO/Vice-Chair, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, HABD Board of Commissioners

November 30: Building Resident and Owner Financial Resiliency

Rescheduled from 11/16

Your renters are your most important asset. Financially stable renters create financially stable communities. Learn more about how Esusu and Progress Residential rolled out the ultimate win-win-win platform to improve outcomes for owners, residents, and society at large.

Learning objectives:

  • We will discuss strategies that promote wealth building and barrier reduction such as positive rent reporting, debt forgiveness programs, security deposit relief.
  • We will discuss engagement strategies to assist housing choice voucher holders in searching for rentals and applying for homes in neighborhoods of their choice.
  • We will discuss innovative and creative ways that property owners can be at the table to promote choice and opportunity for families living in low poverty neighborhoods.

Panelists

  • Jennifer Keogh | Vice President Operations, Affordable Housing, Progress Residential
  • Samir Goel | Esusu
  • Wemimo Abbey | Co-Founder, Esusu
  • Eric Oberdorfer | Director of Policy and Legislative Affairs, NAHRO
Register for “DAY 3” Webinars