U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan offers special remarks, via video, at today’s Housing Opportunity 2013 closing luncheon. “This administration believes strongly that Americans should have housing choices that make sense for them and their families,” says Secretary Donovan. “This means rental options near good schools and good jobs, credit for those who want to buy a home, and a helping hand to lower-income Americans who are burdened by the strain of high housing costs.”

The secretary’s remarks will be followed by a panel that will discuss the commonwealth of Massachusetts’s approach to meeting housing demand—a statewide housing production goal of 10,000 multifamily units per year between 2012 and 2020. Panelists will include:

• Will Kohn Fleissig, Communitas Development (moderator);
• Lisa Alberghini, Planning Office for Urban Affairs;
• Secretary Gregory Bialecki, Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development;
• Barry Bluestone, Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy; and
• Amy Cotter, Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

Speakers will discuss the key role that partnership and communication play as the goal moves to implementation and share some best practices when considering such a policy in your city or state.

For more session details and speaker biographies, visit the Housing Opportunity 2013 event page. Stay up to date with the latest  from Housing Opportunity 2013 by following us on Twitter @ULIHousing or join the conversation with #ULIHousing!