Solution Session: Building Housing & Community

Join us Thursday, April 11 from 8:30-10:30am at the Clara Brown Commons - one of Denver’s newest community-driven affordable housing projects - for our next Solution Session event. 

At $2,546, the median rent in Denver is 30% higher than the national average and nearly 4,000 people go homeless on a single night in Denver. As people and businesses are displaced, and the world shifts online, many face isolation. 

We’ll hear from 3 community leaders about the unique ways they are helping Denver residents and businesses find - and keep - a place to call home. During this community conversation, we’ll explore the issues the people and businesses of Denver face as residents and tenants of commercial spaces and what it takes to keep communities together. 

Meet the Speakers

• Jeff Johnsen - Executive Director of Mile High Ministries - he’ll welcome us to the Clara Brown Commons and share insights from the 20-year journey to bring this supportive housing community to life in Denver’s Cole neighborhood. 
• Bianca Brandon - Clinical Director of B-Konnected - Bianca will talk about B-Konnected’s innovative technology solutions that help municipalities, social service providers, housing authorities, and landlords track tenants’ social determinant of health and provide support to keep people housed.
• Paul Bindel - Co-op Development Co-Director at the Center for Community Wealth Building - with the ultimate mission of closing the wealth gap, Paul will share about the power of community owned real estate and how they are helping local businesses stay in neighborhoods.  

The Venue - The Clara Brown Commons

This session is hosted in-person at the Clara Brown Commons, an affordable housing initiative by Mile High Ministries. The building, with 61 affordable units, is a warm and welcoming space where members of the community can engage in art projects, exercise, worship, and enjoy outdoor spaces. 

What we’ll do:

• Socialize and connect! Chat with interesting people who want to make an impact in Denver and get those collaborations started.
• Listen and learn! Presenters will each have a short amount of time to speak on their solutions to the housing crisis and exploitative commercial real estate in Denver. There will be time to ask questions of each presenter and to catch up with them after the formal presentations.
• Enjoy morning coffee and pastries! Breakfast will be provided by Luceros, a long time Cole neighborhood Mexican spot. Coffee will be provided by Whittier Cafe, Denver’s only African espresso bar, proudly coined “the activist’s coffee shop”

Agenda:

• Networking & Connection Time 
• Welcome and Introductions
• Presentation #1 + Q&A
• Presentation #2 + Q&A
• Closing + Commit to Action
• Optional tour of the Clara Brown Commons
• Networking & Connection Time 

Pricing

This event is free, but we welcome small donations to support SVP Denver’s execution of free community events such as this. 

About the Solution Session Series Event

SVP Denver’s Solution Session event series is intended to create authentic community connections, education and action. For each event in this series we will meet at unique venues across Metro Denver to hear from local changemakers working on solutions to a significant challenge relevant to the city (workforce development, homelessness & housing, education equity, etc.). There will be time to network, learn and engage.

Want to stay in the loop on future events in this series? Sign up for our newsletter here. 

Event Sponsors

Interested in sponsoring this event or future Solution Sessions? SVP Denver is always looking for local businesses or individuals who want to support us in the execution of our free, engaging community events. Please reach out to dara@svpdenver.org if you are interested in being an event sponsor!