Keynote & Plenaries - Building Michigan Communities Conference

Keynote with Dr. Tiffany "DrT" Manuel

Wednesday, May 14th
11:45 am - 12:15 pm

Tiffany "DrT" Manuel (she/her) is the founder and CEO of TheCaseMade, where she collaborates with social changemakers across the U.S. to build diverse, equitable, and inclusive communities. She authored Case Made! 10 Powerful Leadership Principles that Win Hearts, Change Minds, and Grow Impact. Growing up in Detroit during turbulent times inspired her commitment to transformative policy, programs, and services. With over 25 years of experience in various sectors, DrT holds advanced degrees in public policy from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and political science from Purdue University and the University of Chicago.

About TheCaseMade
Founded by Dr. Tiffany Manuel, TheCaseMade's mission is to transform communities by helping everyday heroes emerge as leaders who can powerfully build the public will necessary to tackle the tough issues that determine our future. We do that by helping leaders build skills around the principles of Strategic CaseMaking through trainings and workshops, community listening facilitations, webinars and other online convenings, leadership coaching and consulting, and strategic guidance. Our current partners are national philanthropies, state advocacy organizations, community coalitions, and local governments, among others.

The State of Housing: State and Federal Perspectives

Wednesday, May 14th
9:00 am - 9:45 am

Even as we see continued uncertainty out of Washington, DC, a bipartisan, national consensus has been building around the need to create more affordable housing options. This panel will share insider perspectives on what's happening (and what's not) in Washington and Lansing to help us move quickly to tackle the opportunities and challenges that we face.

Moderator:

Dan Kildee | President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundation of Greater Flint

Jordyn Hermani | Capitol Reporter, Bridge Michigan

Jennifer Schwartz | Director of Tax and Housing Advocacy, National Council of State Housing Agencies

Supply-side Interventions for Affordable Housing

Thursday, May 15th
8:30 am - 9:15 am

The Brookings Institute reports the U.S. housing market was short 4.9 million units in 2023. How do we close this gap—fast? This dynamic panel will explore scalable solutions to boost affordable housing production in Detroit and beyond. One compelling case study: Tomorrow’s Housing Innovation Showcase in North Corktown, which sought to promote factory-built housing as a potential solution.