Vancouver, WA – The future of affordable housing will be the topic of a Tuesday, April 19, meeting of the Commission on Aging, which is hosting a 2016 series of discussions focused on housing.

The meeting will be in the sixth-floor hearing room of the Public Service Center, 1300 Franklin St. It will begin at 4:30 p.m. and be open to the public.

Our community’s severe shortage of affordable housing has made national news. Featured speaker Andy Silver, executive director of Council for the Homeless, will examine our community and local policy choices that led to the shortage and what the community can do to overcome housing challenges.

Silver led the council through a reorganization that culminated in the March 2013 launch of its Housing Solutions Center, a one-stop access point for publicly funded emergency shelter and housing programs that is designed to prevent and end homelessness. He has been chair of the steering committee of the Healthy Living Collaborative of Southwest Washington and is vice chair of the Southwest Washington Regional Health Alliance. Earlier, Silver was a staff attorney at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Tufts University and a law degree at Georgetown University.

The April 19 discussion is the third of 11 meetings this year focused on housing for older people. Research reveals that 87 percent of people prefer to retire in place and will need accessible, affordable housing. For a schedule of topics, please go to: www.clark.wa.gov/community-planning/2016-focus-housing

The Commission on Aging, supported by the Board of County Councilors, is a nine-member volunteer group that implements the Aging Readiness Plan and provides leadership addressing needs of the aging population.

For more information about the commission, please visit the county website at

www.clark.wa.gov/community-planning/commission-aging.

CONTACT
Jacqui Kamp
Community Planning
564.397.4913
jacqui.kamp@clark.wa.gov