Curtis Memorial Library, located at 23 Pleasant Street in Brunswick, will be hosting a series of three community conversations on the topic of affordable housing this fall. Each session will feature expert speakers followed by audience Q&A.

With rising home costs and increase of rental rates – and resulting cost burden to low and middle-income families in the area – a group of community members and librarians planned this series to bring attention to this need in our local area and to provide information and ideas about steps we can take to address it. The forums will offer up-to-date information on needs, trends and issues, how the community and local organizations are addressing needs and issues, and what neighbors can do to support affordable housing for all.

Housing Vulnerability & Homelessness, Thursday, October 18, 6:00 – 7:30 pm (Facebook event page)

This session will explore financial fragility and the many reasons why people lose their housing and will feature presentations from James Myall, a policy analyst with the Maine Center for Economic Policy; Cullen Ryan, executive director of Community Housing of Maine and chair of the Statewide Homelessness Council; and Giff Jamison, director of operations at Tedford Housing.

The Local Landscape, Tuesday, October 30, 6:00-7:30 pm (Facebook event page)

Join us to learn about the current and projected landscape of affordable housing in local and regional housing markets. Speakers will include John Hodge, executive director of the Brunswick and Topsham Housing Authority; Kevin Bunker, founding principal at Developers Collaborative and Tedford Housing board member; and Jane Millett, Brunswick Town Councilor and local realtor.

Promising Practices, Thursday, November 29, 6:00-7:30 pm (Facebook event page)

Six local and statewide leaders will explore innovative approaches and funding opportunities that address housing affordability. Panelists include Greg Payne, director or Maine Affordable Housing Coalition; Matt Panfil, director of the Brunswick Department of Planning and Development; Carol Eyerman, assistant planner of the Topsham Department of Planning and Development; Bill Floyd, executive director of Genesis Community Loan Fund; Debora Keller, executive director of Bath Housing; and Mark Primeau, executive director of Habitat for Humanity/7 Rivers Maine.

The forums will be recorded and, after the event, will be available for viewing on TV3 Brunswick, the TV3 website, and the Curtis Memorial Library website.

Download the flyer for the series (PDF)

For more information call 207-725-5242, or visit www.curtislibrary.com/housing.