Agenda

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM - Welcome & Invocation

Invocation: Local faith leader

Welcome Remarks: Hosting organizations' leaders Gene Dibble (FOZI) and Dr. Wayne Johnson (Presidential Cottage Homes)

Welcome from United Way: John Farden, EVP, Global Network Advancement and Operations

Begin with a reflection and welcome to ground the day shared purpose. Set the tone for learning, partnership, unity, and transformative faith-based leadership. Participants understand the event’s mission and the collective opportunity to act.

9:15 AM – 9:30 AM - Opening remarks from The Honorable Alyia Gaskins, Mayor of Alexandria

Mayor Alya Gaskins will open the afternoon session with remarks highlighting the City of Alexandria’s commitment to housing affordability, inclusive growth, and cross-sector collaboration. Her remarks will underscore the critical role of local leadership, faith-based institutions, and public-private-philanthropic partnerships in addressing the housing crisis and advancing community-centered development. The Mayor will also set the stage for the afternoon discussions by emphasizing the importance of scalable, locally grounded solutions that align policy, capital, and community trust.

9:30 AM – 10:15 AM - Opening Keynote: David Bowers (Enterprise Community Partners) “Radical Common Sense: Equipping the Faith Community to Meet Housing Affordability and Community Development Needs.”

This session aims to be an inspiring call to mobilize faith institutions as central players in addressing housing accessibility and rebuilding communities, positioning faith-based organizations as credible developers and social innovators. Participants see faith not only as mission driver but as a tangible community asset for social and economic renewal. The session will conclude with an interactive Q&A and open dialogue with the audience, inviting participants to engage directly with the speaker, share on-the-ground challenges, and explore practical pathways for translating faith-driven purpose into scalable housing and community development solutions.

10:15 AM – 11:00 AM: Panel 1: “Making it Happen: Faith-Based Development in Action”

Facilitated by David Bowers, this panel highlights Enterprise Community Partners’ real-world examples of faith-based housing and community development in practice. Panelists will share lessons learned from projects already underway—what worked, what didn’t, and how challenges around zoning, financing, partnerships, and community engagement were overcome. Designed to be highly practical, the discussion equips participants with actionable strategies, replicable models, and partnership insights they can apply in their own communities to accelerate faith-based development and deliver tangible housing and community outcomes.

Moderator: David Bowers (Enterprise Community Partners)

Panelists:

Carmen Romero, President, True Ground Housing
Collen Green, Director of the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)
Dr. Joseph Daniels, House of Worship, Pastor of Emory United Methodist Church, Washington, D.C.

11:15 AM – 11:40 AM A New Model for Development: The Abundant Housing Framework – Development, Where it is Needed Most, Without Displacement. David Wilts (Digital Masterplanning)

This session will share a new Abundant Housing Framework for both policy evolution and real estate development. Attendees will learn about two projects in Chicago which are leveraging the approach being shared, and, the coalition that is being built to implement “a new model which makes the old model obsolete.” The presentation will share the four areas of focus: 1) Zoning and Taxes; 2) Design, Construction, and Code; 3) Financing, Equity, and Debt; and 4) Culture.

11:40 AM - 12:10 PM – Panel 2: Federal Support for Faith-Based Housing: Development, Resilience, and Impact.

This panel gathers key leaders from HUD, and the faith-based centers from other government agencies, such as Department of Commerce, U.S. Small Business Administration to discuss how faith-based organizations can access federal programs, navigate regulatory challenges, and build cross-agency partnerships to deliver affordable, resilient housing that meets community needs. Panelists will share their agencies’ priorities and funding opportunities, explore strategies for cross-sector collaboration, and offer guidance on incorporating disaster preparedness and resilience into housing initiatives. Attendees will gain practical insights from successful multi-agency case studies, learn how to effectively leverage federal resources, and leave with key contacts to support the planning, development, and expansion of impactful faith-based housing programs. The panel will be moderated by a housing policy expert or a leader from a national faith-based housing coalition and is designed to provide a structured, informative discussion. Each agency will begin by sharing its priorities and key programs, followed by a conversation on opportunities for collaboration and strategies to navigate regulatory and funding challenges. The panel will also highlight real-world case studies demonstrating successful multi-agency faith-based housing initiatives. It will conclude with an audience with Q&A to address practical questions and provide actionable guidance.

Moderator: Eugene H. Dibble IV (Gene), Founder, Faith Opportunity Zone Initiative (FOZI)

Panelists:

David L. Berenbaum – Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of House Counseling, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Janna Bowman - Director of Faith Outreach, Office of Entrepreneurial Development. U.S. Small Business Administration.

12:10 PM – 12:40 PM – Panel 3: Faith in Action: Navigating the Complexities of Attainable Housing and Community Development.

Faith leaders with experience in housing initiatives, nonprofit and community development executives, CDFIs, financial institutions, policy or regulatory experts, and advocacy leaders. Faith-based organizations are increasingly stepping into the role of housing developers, leveraging their mission-driven approach to address local housing needs. However, the path from vision to reality is often fraught with challenges, navigating regulatory frameworks, securing financing, managing development logistics, and addressing community concerns. This session will explore through successful cases how

faith institutions can build the expertise and strategic capabilities necessary to deliver high-impact, attainable housing projects. Participants will learn practical strategies for overcoming common barriers, including understanding zoning and regulatory requirements, and building technical and operational capacity. Panelists will share case studies and lessons learned, highlighting how faith-led projects can balance mission integrity with financial sustainability. Attendees will leave with actionable insights on assembling the right expertise and implementing scalable approaches to faith-based housing initiatives that meet pressing community needs.

Moderator: Dr. Wayne Johnson – Founder and CEO, Presidential Cottage Homes

Panelists:

Curtis H. Johnson, Jr – VP, Housing Strategy, Catholic Charities USA
Judith Cabelli, VP, Real Estate Development, Wesley Housing

1:40 PM – 2:35 PM – Panel 4: Projects Showcase – Innovative and Resilient Approaches to Community Development

This session will showcase initiatives by organizations that advance innovative, resilient, and culturally grounded approaches to community development and affordable housing. Panelists will highlight new and innovative solutions, share lessons learned in strengthening community resilience and disaster response, and explore scalable, mission-driven models leveraging public, private, and philanthropic partnerships. Participants will gain insights on adapting and replicating these approaches to expand inclusive housing solutions nationwide.

Panelists:

Marcus Coleman, Vice President, Community Resilience Strategy, United Way Worldwide
Bill Bergiadis, Founder & CEO, Walls of Troy
Michael Harjo, CEO, Creek Capital Inc

2:35 PM – 3:15 PM - Spotlight Session: FOZI and Presidential Cottages in Action. A scalable model for dignified, attainable living, and community prosperity.

This session demonstrates how Faith-Based Opportunity Zone Investments (FOZI) and the Presidential Cottages model collaborate to transform underused faith-owned land into vibrant, inclusive communities. Attendees will learn how this innovative community development and housing approach builds economic and social ecosystems around faith-centered initiatives (such as workforce training, schools, childcare, and small businesses) by leveraging faith-based land assets to accelerate the delivery of attainable housing. Participants will gain insight into how this replicable model blends innovation, faith, and finance to create dignified, attainable housing while fostering community wealth and opportunity. The session will motivate leaders to rethink how underutilized assets, especially faith-based properties, can be leveraged to deliver both housing and hope, and will be an invitation to collaborate with FOZI and Presidential Cottages to build opportunities.

Eugene H. Dibble IV (Gene), Founder, Faith Opportunity Zone Initiative (FOZI)

Dr. Wayne Johnson, Founder and CEO, Presidential Cottage Homes

3:30 – 4:15 PM – Panel 5: Faith & Finance: Driving Community Impact in Opportunity Zones

As billions of dollars are directed into Opportunity Zones, faith-driven community leaders are asking a critical question: who truly gains? This session will unpack the Opportunity Zone program from a practical standpoint, highlighting its potential synergies with other community development initiatives. Panelists will showcase projects focused on workforce housing, local social enterprise incubation, and faith-based economic development through resident-owned businesses in Opportunity Zones. Attendees will gain insights into structuring Opportunity Zone and New Markets Tax Credit projects in ways that prioritize tangible benefits for communities and create lasting opportunities for low-income residents.

Agenda

Opening

Session I

Session II

Session III

Closing