Simone Scott and her children are among the first residents of the Conway Center, an affordable housing development in Washington, D.C., that also provides job training, health care, and other resources, thanks to a grant from Wells Fargo.

A safe, affordable place to call home is universally considered to be a basic human right. The positive implications of having a roof over one’s head are plentiful, ranging from a better quality of life to greater economic opportunity. Still, last year, more than half a million Americans were homeless or unsheltered on any given night. While homelessness is the result of a complicated web of factors, support services and affordable housing initiatives can make a difference.

Join The Hill as we sit down for a series of conversations to address how policymakers, support services and affordable housing initiatives can help struggling Americans transition to housing security. 

LOCATIONLong View Gallery1234 9th St NWWashington, DC 20001

DATETuesday, January 14, 20208:00 AM | Guest Arrival & Networking Breakfast8:30 AM | Program Begins10:30 AM | Program Concludes

SPEAKERS

When Romell Johnson took his fiancée, Monique Noel, to look at a three-level townhouse earlier this year, a moment they had long dreamed of began to unfold — in real life.

The couple toured the open kitchen, the spacious basement, the backyard, even the bathrooms; with seven kids between them, bathrooms mattered. Then they shared spontaneous, heartfelt high-fives. “We were like: ‘Yep! This is it!’” Johnson says.

After seeing dozens of houses in their two-year quest, Johnson and his family had found a home they not only loved but also could afford in the expensive Washington, D.C., metro area. Like many middle-income earners hoping to buy in their own communities, the search involved persistence, faith — and in Johnson’s case, an unexpected assist.

A safe, affordable place to call home is universally considered to be a basic human right. The positive implications of having a roof over one’s head are plentiful, ranging from a better quality of life to greater economic opportunity. Still, last year, more than half a million Americans were homeless or unsheltered on any given night. While homelessness is the result of a complicated web of factors, support services and affordable housing initiatives can make a difference.

Mental illness, drug addiction, foreclosures, unexpected medical bills, underemployment and reentry into society by veterans and formerly incarcerated individuals are all playing into the homelessness crisis that is gripping the country. Beyond the nationwide shortage of affordable housing, how can homelessness be adequately addressed and remedied? What policy approaches can leaders in Washington prioritize in order to support those relying on shelters or family and friends on the long...

When Romell Johnson took his fiancée, Monique Noel, to look at a three-level townhouse earlier this year, a moment they had long dreamed of began to unfold — in real life.

The couple toured the open kitchen, the spacious basement, the backyard, even the bathrooms; with seven kids between them, bathrooms mattered. Then they shared spontaneous, heartfelt high-fives. “We were like: ‘Yep! This is it!’” Johnson says.

After seeing dozens of houses in their two-year quest, Johnson and his family had found a home they not only loved but also could afford in the expensive Washington, D.C., metro area. Like many middle-income earners hoping to buy in their own communities, the search involved persistence, faith — and in Johnson’s case, an unexpected assist.

When Romell Johnson took his fiancée, Monique Noel, to look at a three-level townhouse earlier this year, a moment they had long dreamed of began to unfold — in real life.

The couple toured the open kitchen, the spacious basement, the backyard, even the bathrooms; with seven kids between them, bathrooms mattered. Then they shared spontaneous, heartfelt high-fives. “We were like: ‘Yep! This is it!’” Johnson says.

After seeing dozens of houses in their two-year quest, Johnson and his family had found a home they not only loved but also could afford in the expensive Washington, D.C., metro area. Like many middle-income earners hoping to buy in their own communities, the search involved persistence, faith — and in Johnson’s case, an unexpected assist.

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