Affordable Housing Considerations for the I/DD Community

LINK TO JOIN: https://zoom.us/j/95275004470

Building design is an important factor for any affordable housing development project.  In recent years, much consideration has been given to building design that better serves the residents. This includes designs and programming that benefit the IDD community. 

The IHC is excited to present a free live webinar featuring three experts who bring perspective in the areas of affordable housing development, architectural design and autistic support. Together, we will discuss affordable housing design considerations and how they can have a positive impact for the I/IDD community. 

The webinar will be moderated by Tim Dolan from the Inclusive Housing Coalition. Learn more about our exciting panel below!

Meet Our Panel:

Jennifer Wilson, PhD, MSW, Director of Research and Impact at Shopworks Architecture

Jennifer leads a multidisciplinary research team at Shopworks Architecture, a Denver-based architecture firm that specializes in supportive housing and shelter settings. As a social worker and social scientist, Jennifer has experience in direct practice and program management, research and program evaluation, training and teaching. Her research interests include social innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration to promote equity and dignity in housing and homeless service provision. Her current research at Shopworks focuses on trauma-informed design in supportive housing and shelter settings, with previous research examining tiny home villages addressing homelessness, unconditional cash for unhoused individuals, safe parking for vehicular sheltering, artificial intelligence in housing allocation, and hackathons for generating novel responses to wicked social issues. She holds a Master of Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as an MBA and PhD in Social Work from the University of Denver.

Julianna Stuart-Lomax, Vice President Community Impact at Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH)

Julianna Stuart-Lomax is POAH’s Vice President of Community Impact. In this capacity, she collaborates with POAH Communities in a combined effort to make POAH’s housing a platform for resident success. Julianna’s work is focused on POAH’s national initiatives, including strategic partnerships, fundraising, best practice development and scaling across POAH’s portfolio. Julianna manages POAH’s Family Self-Sufficiency program, the largest of its kind in the nation, which enables HUD-assisted families to build assets, increase their earned income and achieve personal and financial goals. Julianna also leads POAH’s efforts to promote well-being and equity through the lens of trauma-resilient design, property management and resident services. 

Julianna has been with the POAH organization since 2017, previously leading the Community Impact department at POAH Communities. Prior to joining POAH Communities, Julianna managed a national project to demonstrate the impact of service-enriched rental housing among 13 members of the Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF) network. Julianna began her career as a resident service coordinator with The Community Builders on Chicago’s West Side. Julianna graduated Valedictorian with a Bachelor of Arts in Religion and Peace/Conflict Studies from the College of the Holy Cross.

Jennifer Korb, Executive Director at Autism Society of Colorado

Jennifer is a Colorado native and resides in Jefferson County with her husband and two children. Jennifer's lengthy professional career in public education as a teacher, administrator, and director of instruction has given her a deep understanding of how people learn and how to create opportunities that bring our people's strengths. Her work in the non-profit sector as a founding member of the Internet Safety Foundation, a leadership team member at Night Lights Respite Care and as the Board President at Bal Swan Children's Center has given her a solid foundation to support the Autism community. Jennifer is a connector who builds strong relationships with a focus on inclusivity. She cares deeply about the people in her community, particularly those who are neurodivergent. Her eldest son is on the autism spectrum and has an intellectual disability. From the earliest days of raising a child with a disability, Jennifer has worked to create inclusive spaces where all people are represented and feel a sense of belonging and community.