First Tier Suburbs Council Meeting

Housing Supply Accelerator — Listening
Session

Local leaders are working to meet the growing demand for housing. In response, the National League of Cities and the American Planning Association have launched the Housing Supply Accelerator – a national campaign to improve local capacity, identify critical solutions, and refine processes that enable communities and developers to work together to produce, preserve and provide a diverse range of quality housing by aligning the efforts of public and private stakeholders in the housing sector to meet housing needs at the local level.

On Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 3:00 p.m. EST, join the First Tier Suburbs (FTS) Council for its bi-monthly council meeting to explore the Housing Supply Accelerator initiative and offer insight into both the challenges and local solutions for housing supply.

During this virtual listening session hear from the Housing Supply Accelerator’s steering committee members, NLC staff and FTS council leadership, including:

FTS Chair, Kris Dahir, Councilman, Sparks, NV
FTS Vice-Chair, Lisa Ford, Council Member, Broken Arrow, OK
FTS Vice-Chair, Joseph Geierman, Mayor, Doraville, GA
Lauren Lowery, Director of Housing and Community Development, NLC
Michael Wallace, Legislative Director for Housing, Community and Economic Development, NLC

Through this solutions-oriented campaign, the Housing Supply Accelerator will advance locally driven solutions that accelerate and incentivize local approaches to housing supply.

First Tier Suburbs Council members, guest elected officials and municipal staff from suburbs are encouraged to join.

About First Tier Suburbs

The First Tier Suburbs Council is open to any local elected official and staff representing a suburb outside of a metropolis and inside rural areas. Participants share ideas and creative solutions to challenges affecting suburbs. Participation in the Council ensures that the unique needs of First Tier Suburbs are reflected in NLC’s advocacy efforts and policy discussions.

Council meetings occur bi-monthly on the odd number of months (Jan, March, May, etc.) The meetings occur virtually via Zoom and in-person during NLC Conferences.

To join the First Tier Suburbs Council or for questions regarding this month’s FTS Council Meeting, please email our membership team at membership@nlc.org and include First Tier Suburbs in the subject line.

Previous Meetings

Council meeting occurred on Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 3:00 pm EST (US and Canada)

This meeting examined the homeless issue with the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County. Attendees learned about several services and housing options for people experiencing homelessness in Cook County.

Speakers will included:

Jennifer Hill, Executive Director, Alliance to end Homelessness in Suburban Cook County.

Council meeting occurred on September , 2022, at 3:00 pm EST (US and Canada)

This meeting explored the Downtown Mesquite Development Program: A Volunteer-Driven Approach to Revitalization in which community partners and stakeholders embarked on an ambitious journey to rejuvenate Mesquite, TX’s historic downtown—injecting vibrancy back into the heart of their community.

Speakers included:

Beverly Abell, Development Manager, Downtown Mesquite
James Johnson, Development Coordinator, Downtown Mesquite

Council meeting occurred on July 5, 2022, at 3:00 pm EST (US and Canada)

This meeting featured guest speaker Krista Nightengale, Executive Director of BETTER BLOCK – a nonprofit that educates, equips, and empowers communities and their leaders to reshape and reactivate built environments to promote the growth of healthy and vibrant neighborhoods.

Speakers included:

Guest Speaker – Krista Nightengale, Executive Director, BETTER BLOCK
Chair – Ty Stober, Mayor Pro Tem, City of Vancouver, WA
Vice-Chair – Marlo Alston, Councilmember, City of Centennial, CO
Vice-Chair – Kris Dahir, Councilman, City of Sparks, NV
NLC Board Liaison – John Goodhouse, Councilmember, City of Tigard, OR
FTS Council Staff Liaison – Kirk H. Ross, Membership Engagement Manager
NLC Federal Advocacy Liaison – Brittney D. Kohler, Legislative Director, Transportation & Infrastructure Services