The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and housing and planning representatives from Easthampton, Belchertown, Northampton Hadley and Greenfield will be participating.
AMHERST – On Thursday Amherst officials are hoping there’s inspiration in numbers.
The Housing Partnership/Fair Housing Committee is sponsoring a summit for regional housing experts to talk about what’s happening in the Pioneer Valley when it comes to addressing housing needs of all kinds.
Planner Nathaniel Malloy said the committee had a summit two years ago, but not of this scope.
Nancy L. Gregg, chairwoman of the partnership, said that meeting was much more informal. But this time, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission and housing and planning representatives from Easthampton, Belchertown, Northampton Hadley and Greenfield will be participating.
Gregg said providing housing is "a regional challenge. We should be acting more regionally.”
She said members of housing partnerships in other communities don’t know each other, and this program is a way to open the conversation. “New things are happening. It’s a great way to find out what other communities are doing,” she said.
She said two years ago she didn’t even think the topic of homelessness came up. But, she said, “homelessness, it’s all part of homes and housing.”
The summit will include several speakers, including Joanne Campbell, executive director of the Northampton-based Valley Community Development Corporation; Anne Perkins, former director of home ownership programs for Rural Development in Franklin County; and a representative from the Northampton Housing Partnership.
There will also be a chance for agencies to share brochures and information.
Malloy said that April is Affordable Housing Month and there are some programs looking at the issue in the eastern part of the state. “Let’s get people talking out here. Housing is a regional need. We can’t just look at Amherst,” he said.
And he said, “there may be one organization who has a good idea,” that can be used in another community.
The summit be held from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Jones Library and is free and open to the public.
Anyone with questions can contact Malloy at (413) 259-3040 or malloyn@amherstma.gov.