Affordable Housing Symposium at Ivy Tech

by Steve Hinnefeld
331-4374 | shinnefeld@heraldt.com
October 13, 2005

College students and service-agency leaders will try Friday to bring new energy to an old problem: the lack of affordable housing in Bloomington.

They're having a three-hour symposium on the issue, including panel discussions and small-group sessions aimed at building support for solutions.

"This is just an issue that I feel very strongly about. It seemed like a good opportunity to do some work in this area," said Heather Wild of Indiana University's Community Outreach and Partnerships in Service-Learning office.

The office organized the symposium with help from a $2,750 "listening to communities" grant from the Indiana Campus Compact. Ivy Tech-Bloomington's Center for Civic Engagement is co-hosting the event, which will last from 9 a.m. to noon at the Ivy Tech student center.

Wild said it's well-documented that high housing costs and low wages contribute to a lack of affordable housing in Bloomington. And there are initiatives to help, she said, including city renovation and rent-subsidy programs and housing programs by South Central Community Action Program and Middle Way House.

"They need help, people willing to come in and plug into these different projects," she said. "One thing I hope will come out of this will be fruitful partnerships where more people are working with these agencies."

Wild moved to Bloomington six years ago to attend IU, where she is a doctoral student in psychology. She said the lack of affordable housing affects families, low-wage workers and students trying to support themselves.

"I've seen a lot of people working really hard, doing good things in this community and really struggling," she said.

She thinks new approaches should be tried, including cooperative housing, sustainable "eco-villages" and single-room occupancy buildings.

The symposium will include local officials and faculty who incorporate service learning in their classes. Wild said it is open to the public, but she asks that participants stay for the entire event. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m.

Affordable-housing symposium

WHAT: "Listening to Communities" - symposium on affordable housing issues in Monroe County.

WHEN: 9 a.m.-noon Friday

WHERE: Ivy Tech Community College-Bloomington, 200 Daniels Way.

SPONSORED BY: IU Community Outreach and Partnerships in Service-Learning office; Ivy Tech Center on Civic Engagement.

INFO: Call Heather Wild at 855-8291.