On February 26, Elon Law students presented research on affordable housing strategies before a broad range of government officials and non-profit professionals at a regional housing summit in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Elon Law students Camilla Goodchild and Michael Vivenzio presented research at the housing summit that had been prepared collectively with six other Elon Law students, Brian Baker, Samuel Brittain, Jamie Duncan, Andrew Marshall, Sarah Neely, and Josh Simmons, through Elon Law’s “Public Law and Leadership” course.
Their research was welcomed at Housing Summit 2009, a regional conference on affordable housing sponsored by the Greensboro Housing Coalition, the City of Greensboro Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Greensboro Neighborhood Congress.
Beth McKee-Huger, Executive Director of the Greensboro Housing Coalition, said, “We appreciated the comparative analysis that Elon Law students were able to provide, exploring the strengths and weaknesses of programs that communities and government entities are using to address current housing issues.”
Elon Law professor Thomas Noble said, “The law students who prepared and presented this research are engaging directly with city leaders and professional experts in the field to explore how best to develop fair, safe and affordable housing. Their work is a great example of what we are seeking to achieve through the ‘Public Law and Leadership’ course at Elon Law and through the law school’s broader mission to create lawyers who also have the capacity to be effective leaders in their communities.”
Sarah Neely, one of the students involved in the project, said, “Our group offered a fresh look at housing circumstances in Greensboro. Our presentation came before round table discussions where summit attendees brainstormed ideas to include in Greensboro’s strategic plan for housing for the next five years. I would like to think that our ideas may have sparked discussion and additional ideas, resulting in a positive impact on the city’s long range plans.”