2020 Symposium: Richard F. Burns, President & CEO, NHPF
Welcome to the 4th Annual NHP Foundation Symposium, Growing Up & Out of Poverty: Why Housing Matters, examining the intersection between affordable housing, academic success, and opportunities for social mobility. 2020 has been a challenging year for all of us. The impact of the pandemic has reached every corner of our industry. Yet while everything else in our world seems to be changing, the root causes of poverty in this country remain very much the same, only heightened to a vertiginous degree. This year’s Symposium critically examines two factors which, when combined, create economic and social prosperity: improved access to education and safe, affordable housing. This undertaking became more important as the pandemic and other national woes upended the lives of society’s most vulnerable, leading us to align with Enterprise Community Partners to conduct an in-depth survey of educators in order to determine the key factors young people need to succeed academically, socially and economically. The survey results presented here today will serve as the foundation for “A Conversation,” an in-depth dialog featuring inspiring stories from individuals who themselves have grown up and out of poverty. Our goal is that this conversation will inspire more dialog about how the affordable housing ecosystem can support others. We are grateful to this year’s speakers, including our keynote, Matthew Desmond. This dynamic group will offer attendees meaningful takeaways for how to meet the challenges of a nation in need of housing that people can afford. We are also grateful to our sponsors and attendees. In this most difficult of years, you have chosen to embrace NHPF’s mission of providing pathways that residents can follow up and out of poverty. We hope you will join us as we continue to foster strong relationships essential to the success of our valuable work.We hope you will enjoy our program and come away invigorated for the work ahead.
16 Growing Up & Out of Poverty: Why Housing Matters
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