Design Impact: Straight-Up Talk: Homelessness – Ethics / Policy / Action

Event Location

Virtual Event Space

Date & Time

Dec. 3, 2020 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. EST

Free and open to the public

Panel Discussion

Event Description

Design Impact Vol. 2: Straight-Up Talk: Homelessness – Ethics / Policy / Action, sponsored by the Harvard Graduate School of Design Alumni Council, will be a direct, real-talk dialogue on homelessness in the United States that explores the myriad causes of rising homelessness and innovative solutions to eradicate it. It will consist of 3 distinct panels followed by a summary dialogue. The panels will be prefaced by keynote remarks from Binyamin Appelbaum, lead writer on business and economics for the Editorial Board of The New York Times.

View the full event schedule here.

How to Join

Click here to register for this event.

For questions about this event, please contact [email protected].

Event Curators

Alice Kimm MArch ’90, Principal, John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects, Director, Open Source Homelessness Initiative (OSHI), based in Los Angeles, CA

John Friedman MArch ’90, Principal, John Friedman Alice Kimm Architects, Chairperson of the Board, Open Source Homelessness Initiative (OSHI), based in Los Angeles, CA

Event Sessions

The first panel, “Ethics: Is Housing a (Universal) Human Right?” will probe the cultural, historical, and socio-political causes of homelessness in the United States, as well as the moral and ethical question of who bears ultimate responsibility for providing housing in this country.

Session 1 Moderator: Denise Ghartey JD ’19, Justice Catalyst Fellow and Attorney with the Community Justice Project, based in Miami, FL

Panelists:

• Michael Lehrer MArch ’78, Founding Partner, Lehrer Architects, based in Los Angeles, CA
• Richard Sennett PhD ’69, Chair, United Nations Habitat Urban Initiatives Group
• Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Adequate Housing
• Binyamin Appelbaum, Lead Writer on business and economics for the Editorial Board of The New York Times, based in New York, NY

The second panel, “Policy: What’s the Problem?” will clarify homelessness politics and policy, focusing on how to advance a new national will committed to providing affordable homes for all individuals.

Session 2 Moderator: Sam Greenberg AB ’14, co-founder of Y2Y Harvard Square, based in Cambridge, MA

Panelists:

• Shaun Donovan AB ’87, MArch ’95, MPA ’95, New York City Mayoral Candidate, Former Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, based in New York, NY
• Nithya Raman AB ’02, Councilmember-elect, LA City Council District 4, based in Los Angeles, CA
• Angela Howard, Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Facilities, Covenant House, based in New York, NY
• Hanan Scrapper, Regional Director of PATH San Diego, based in San Diego, CA
• Heidi Marston, Executive Director, Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), based in Los Angeles, CA

The third panel, “Action: Accelerating Implementation” will explore a range of housing and other innovative solutions designed to help eradicate homelessness in the United States and abroad.

Session 3 Moderator: Kofi Akakpo MArch ’21, Co-Chair of Africa GSD, based in Providence, RI

Panelists:

• Rosanne Haggerty, Founder of Common Ground Community and Community Solutions
• Claire Elizabeth Williams, Co-Founder & CEO, Foundations for Social Change, based in Vancouver, BC
• Sam Klein AB ’99, Co-Founder of Underlay, a project of Knowledge Futures Group
• Kevin Hirai AMDP ’18, Chief Operating Officer of FlyawayHomes, based in Los Angeles, CA

Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the Public Programs Office at (617) 496-2414 or [email protected] in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for American Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance. Please note that the University will make every effort to secure services, but that services are subject to availability.

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