ULI’s Terwilliger Center for Housing is convening Housing Opportunity 2014 on May 14–16 at the Hyatt Regency in Denver to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and best practices for supporting healthy housing in healthy places.
The conference will cover a range of issues, including changing demographics and the future of healthy place making; multigenerational housing and intergenerational communities; developing green housing for positive health and economic outcomes; and how incorporating health-supporting features into residential development can help in meeting the bottom line.
Main sessions will address the following topics:
* How does housing influence health outcomes? The opening general session will feature Megan Sandel, who studies the relationship between housing and health at Boston-based Children’s HealthWatch. Participants will learn how stable, decent, and affordable housing is the foundation for healthy children, families, and communities.
* How can communities redevelop to be healthier, vibrant, and more sustainable? Jason Roberts, cofounder of Better Block, will discuss the Better Block project, which supports community re-visioning using living charrettes and neighborhood participation. The Better Block approach encourages place making and increases economic development through community engagement.
* Colorado has been at the forefront of creating and sustaining healthy communities by integrating health, housing, and community development. Participants will learn about the latest in green building, community gardening, multimodal transportation, and more. Developers, planners, and policy makers will discuss Colorado’s innovations in healthy living, how the state has integrated wellness into new and existing developments, and the “value-add” of health to the bottom line.
Molly Simpson is program manager of the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing.
