What is Asset Building For Working Families in a Down Economy?

The "great recession" has caused families, foundations, and governments to tighten their belts. But amid the crisis, there is opportunity: to go back to school or start a business after losing a job, or to take advantage of falling home prices to invest in a property that would otherwise be out of reach.

This forum examined what wealth creation opportunities still exist for working families living here in DC, highlighting promising efforts here and elsewhere around the country, and offered a chance to re-examine our traditional strategies for wealth building.

Agenda

1:10pm to 1:25pm - Welcome

Reid Cramer
Director, Asset Building Program, New America Foundation

Nicky Goren
President, Washington Area Women’s Foundation

Maurita Coley
Executive Director, Capital Area Asset Builders

1:25pm to 1:50pm - Remarks

Kwame Brown
DC Council Chair-elect and Chairperson, Committee on Economic Development

Michael Brown
DC Councilmember, At-large, and Chairperson, Committee on Housing and Workforce Development

Melvin Hardy
Acting IRS/SPEC Territory Manager for the Washington DC/Maryland Territory

1:50pm to 2:10pm - Keynote

Wilhelmina A. Leigh, Ph.D.
Senior Research Associate, Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

2:10pm to 3:05pm - Plenary: Is Homeownership a Good Investment for Low-Income District Residents Given the Recent Housing Crisis?

Moderator
Bob Pohlman
CNHED

Participants
Edward Krauze
Vice President of Public Policy, Greater Capitol Area Association of Realtors

George Rothman
President and CEO, Manna, Inc.

Brad Fennell
Senior Vice President of Development, William C. Smith + Co.

Peter Tatian
Senior Research Associate, Urban Institute

3:20pm to 4:05pm - Concurrent Breakout Sessions

Making Small Business Work in DC
Credit Building as Asset Building

4:15pm to 5:00pm - Practitioner Roundtable/Networking

The roundtable discussion will ask the question, "How can social service agencies of all stripes incorporate financial education and asset building into their work to finally help families achieve real economic security?"