HOPE Fair Housing Center's Annual Conference started because leaders at HOPE decided that we must come together to ensure that housing remains a human right. Since then, past events have steadily helped to grow interest in the fair housing movement, particularly in the ways our communities are negatively impacted by historically discriminatory practices.
HOPE's annual conference provides vital resources and information on how we can remove barriers to ensure everyone has the freedom to live in the home of their own choice free from illegal discrimination. Moreover, the conference is an opportunity to cultivate advocates and ambassadors for social change. This year's program, “Neighbors in Justice”, asks us to reach out toward the movements whose interests inevitably intersect with our own. We believe that exploring the intersection of ours and other various causes will allow us to uncover new solutions and novel ways to do our work.
We have a hotel block reserved if you need accommodations during your visit. Reservations must be made by April 28th.
HOPE's annual conference provides vital resources and information on how we can remove barriers to ensure everyone has the freedom to live in the home of their own choice free from illegal discrimination. Moreover, the conference is an opportunity to cultivate advocates and ambassadors for social change. This year's program, “Neighbors in Justice”, asks us to reach out toward the movements whose interests inevitably intersect with our own. We believe that exploring the intersection of ours and other various causes will allow us to uncover new solutions and novel ways to do our work.
We have a hotel block reserved if you need accommodations during your visit. Reservations must be made by April 28th.
Location
Riverside Receptions
35 N River Ln, Geneva, IL 60134
35 N River Ln, Geneva, IL 60134
Date & Time
May 8, 2025, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM
Schedule
8:30 am
Registration/Breakfast
9:30 am
Welcome
Michael Chavarria, HOPE
Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns
Eric Sirota, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns
Eric Sirota, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
10:30 am
Breakout Session 1 (Choose One)
Developing Fair Housing Plans for Prosperity and Opportunity | Rob Breymaier, Community Solutions Collaborative
Fair housing planning can be leveraged as a foundation for greater economic development, cultural vibrancy, and social cohesion that results in desirability and growth that benefit all residents. This presentation will provide examples of how fair housing analysis can be employed to improve opportunity, invigorate investment, and bring together a wide range of residents and stakeholders to support a comprehensive vision for community vitality.
Fair housing planning can be leveraged as a foundation for greater economic development, cultural vibrancy, and social cohesion that results in desirability and growth that benefit all residents. This presentation will provide examples of how fair housing analysis can be employed to improve opportunity, invigorate investment, and bring together a wide range of residents and stakeholders to support a comprehensive vision for community vitality.
Be My Neighbor: Solutions for Affordable and Transitional Housing | Joe Jackson, Hesed House & Chrissy Swanson, Brush Hill Development
Affordable housing and fair housing inevitably intersect, which creates unique barriers that require strategic solutions to bring to fruition. This presentation will discuss the need for affordable housing, intersections of affordable housing and groups protected under fair housing laws, and stories of success and struggles in bringing affordable and supportive housing to residential settings. The session will also cover strategies for funding, overcoming NIMBYism and working with local governments to support and approve these efforts.
Affordable housing and fair housing inevitably intersect, which creates unique barriers that require strategic solutions to bring to fruition. This presentation will discuss the need for affordable housing, intersections of affordable housing and groups protected under fair housing laws, and stories of success and struggles in bringing affordable and supportive housing to residential settings. The session will also cover strategies for funding, overcoming NIMBYism and working with local governments to support and approve these efforts.
11:30 am
Breakout Session 2 (Choose One)
Transparency Triumphs: Fair Housing and Consumer Protections in Real Estate | Beth Wanless & Nobu Hata, Zillow
Transparency in real estate is an essential part of promoting fair housing. This presentation will discuss paths to a more equitable industry, including the Clear Cooperation Policy, a current plan designed to combat recent industry changes that may negatively impact consumers, especially first-time buyers and those from marginalized communities.
Transparency in real estate is an essential part of promoting fair housing. This presentation will discuss paths to a more equitable industry, including the Clear Cooperation Policy, a current plan designed to combat recent industry changes that may negatively impact consumers, especially first-time buyers and those from marginalized communities.
Empowering Voices: Labor & Tenant Organizing in the Latino Community | Cristobal Cavazos, Casa DuPage Workers Center / Immigrant Solidarity DuPage
During this session, we will explore the challenges many Latino residents face in their housing across the Chicagoland area. We will discuss ways that organizations, like the Casa DuPage Workers Center, have been able to organize and mobilize in the community, fight back on challenges, create a call to action around tenant rights and share other forms of organizing to transform housing for our Latino community.
During this session, we will explore the challenges many Latino residents face in their housing across the Chicagoland area. We will discuss ways that organizations, like the Casa DuPage Workers Center, have been able to organize and mobilize in the community, fight back on challenges, create a call to action around tenant rights and share other forms of organizing to transform housing for our Latino community.
12:40 pm
Lunch
Keynote Address | Tonika Lewis Johnson, UnBlocked Englewood
2:30 pm
Closing Session
Intersections of Environmental Law and Fair Housing | Robert Weinstock, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
The quality of someone’s housing does not stop at their doorstep. Rather the environment that we all live in affects everything about where we live. Learn about how environmental pollution impacts people's housing, how advocates have tackled these issues through fair housing legal strategies, and how environmental laws can be reformed or harnessed to improve the quality of our local environments.
The quality of someone’s housing does not stop at their doorstep. Rather the environment that we all live in affects everything about where we live. Learn about how environmental pollution impacts people's housing, how advocates have tackled these issues through fair housing legal strategies, and how environmental laws can be reformed or harnessed to improve the quality of our local environments.
Our conference will conclude at 3:30pm, but feel free to stick around for cocktail hour!
Become a Sponsor
Our conference would not be possible without the support of our sponsors. Support the fair housing movement and help create greater housing opportunities for all by becoming a sponsor today.
