National League of Cities

Press Release

Contact:

Matt Bach
Director of Communications
Michigan Municipal League
(734) 669-6317; C: (810) 874-1073
mbach@mml.org; www.mml.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 13, 2018

Mayors, Councilmembers & Local Leaders Form National Task Force to Address Housing Crisis Facing Cities Across the Country

WASHINGTON -- November 13, 2018 — Today the National League of Cities (NLC) announced the creation of a national task force to address how communities can better respond to the growing challenge of housing availability, affordability, investment and quality. The National League of Cities Task Force on Housing is being created under the leadership of NLC President Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana, and will be chaired by Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

Every American deserves a place to call home. But in cities across the country, serious shortages of adequate housing means that too many residents don’t have the security of a stable home,” said National League of Cities President Karen Freeman-Wilson, mayor of Gary, Indiana. “Local leaders are on the frontlines of ensuring that residents have safe, affordable housing and through the formation of this task force we will leverage our collective experience to help solve this urgent challenge.”

Comprised of 18 elected city leaders, representing a diversity of city sizes, geography, roles in their respective regions, and market types, the task force will develop a set of best and promising practices at the local level, as well as policy recommendations to federal and state governments.

“The affordable housing crisis is one of the most critical issues we are facing in this country, and one on which we are effectively working to tackle in Washington, DC. From investing hundreds of millions of dollars for affordable units in new developments to building creative livings spaces like grand-family housing for seniors raising their grandchildren, we know that mayors will lead the way in providing innovative solutions, “said Muriel Bowser, mayor of Washington, D.C. and chairman of the newly formed the National League of Cities Task Force on Housing. “I am honored to serve as the Chair of the National League of Cities Housing Task Force and look forward to working with NLC President Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson and other city leaders to advance solutions for our residents.”

Members of the National League of Cities Taskforce on Housing include:

Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., Chair
Councilmember Jesse Matthews of Bessemer, Alabama
Mayor John Giles of Mesa, Arizona
Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland, California
Councilmember Albus Brooks of Denver, Colorado
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms of Atlanta, Georgia
Councilmember Denise Moore of Peoria , Illinois
Councilmember Brandon Scott of Baltimore, Maryland
Mayor Vi Lyles of Charlotte, North Carolina
Councilmember David Bobzien of Reno, Nevada
Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester, New York
Mayor Jamael Tito Brown of Youngstown, Ohio
Councilmember Greg Evans of Eugene, Oregon
Councilmember Lana Wolff of Arlington, Texas
Mayor Ron Nirenberg of San Antonio, Texas
Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, Seattle, Washington
Carolyn Coleman, executive director of the League of California Cities
Daniel P. Gilmartin, executive director & CEO, Michigan Municipal League

The National League of Cities (NLC) is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans. Learn more at www.nlc.org.

For additional information, contact the League’s Matt Bach, director of communications, at (810) 874-1073 (cell); (734) 669-6317 (office) and mbach@mml.org.

About the League: Michigan Municipal League is dedicated to making Michigan’s communities better by thoughtfully innovating programs, energetically connecting ideas and people, actively serving members with resources and services, and passionately inspiring positive change for Michigan’s greatest centers of potential: its communities. The League advocates on behalf of its member communities in Lansing, Washington, D.C., and the courts; provides educational opportunities for elected and appointed municipal officials; and assists municipal leaders in administering services to their communities through League programs and services. Learn more at mml.org.

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