Housing and disaster recovery experts to discuss rebuilding resilient communities at UT forum next week

Next week several housing and disaster recovery experts will discuss how rebuilding efforts after Hurricane Harvey can be equitable and just for all survivors.

The event is sponsored by the Opportunity Forum at the University of Texas at Austin. Speakers on the lunchtime panel will talk about the challenges that low-income survivors and communities of color face during the recovery process and offer solutions for ensuring that the billions of dollars in federal disaster recovery funds are spent equitably and effectively.

Most of the experts on the panel have been involved in recovery during past disasters and will offer their experience on what worked and the lessons learned over the past decade. The discussion will be moderated by Heather Way, UT Law clinical professor
and director of the Entrepreneurship and Community Development Clinic

Panelists include:

• Rebecca Elliott, reporter for the Houston Chronicle
• Tom McCasland, director of the City of Houston Housing and Community Development Department
• Andreanecia M. Morris, executive director of HousingNOLA
• Chrishelle Palay, Houston co-director of Texas Housers
• Dr. Shannon Van Zandt, professor of landscape architecture and urban planning at the Hazard Reduction & Recovery Center at Texas A & M University

Chrishelle and other partners helped us develop principles of recovery shortly after Hurricane Harvey struck, which more than 40 housing advocates and organizations have endorsed (click the link to view and/or endorse). The discussion next week will likely touch on some of the ideas in these principles.

To register and learn more about the event and reserve your seat, visit the Opportunity Forum.