12th Annual Sacramento Regional Affordable Housing Summit

Panel Descriptions

Panel 1: It Takes a Team: Using an Innovative Approach to Keep Homeless Families Housed, Stable, and Thriving in Permanent Supportive Housing

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Families in permanent supportive housing should not simply exist but thrive in their new community. This workshop highlights a collaborative approach between the developer, city, service provider, and Continuum of Care to keep families rooted in their neighborhoods and children connected to their home schools. Panelists will share how a flexible, blended referral process, developed in partnership with the local school district and homeless shelters, helped identify qualifying families with the common goal of maintaining long-term stability. Their coordinated model supported successful transitions into permanent supportive housing, sustained housing stability, and consistent school attendance, demonstrating what it takes for families to truly thrive. 

Panelists 

• Sarah Bontrager, Manager, Housing and Public Services Community Development, City of Elk Grove 
• Rachel Roguski, Director of Supportive Housing and Health Services, LifeSTEPS
• Miguel Jacquez, Assistant Vice President, The John Stewart Company

Moderator

• Bruce Kuban, Training Specialist, LifeSTEPS 

Panel 2: A New Day for Affordable Housing: Streamlining Approvals, Financing, and Cross-Agency Coordination 

11:20 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.

California is undergoing a major transformation in how it finances affordable housing. The new California Housing and Homelessness Agency (CHHA) and Housing Development and Finance Committee (HDFC) launched on July 1, supported by 2026 budget tools that enable the state’s first one-stop financing system. Through extensive stakeholder listening sessions, the state is shaping a coordinated, streamlined approach to delivering affordable housing more efficiently and equitably. 

Panelists 

• Marina Wiant, Executive Director, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee
• Tony Sertich, Executive Director, California Housing Finance Agency 
• Jonathan Klein, Executive Director, Housing Development and Finance Committee 

Panel 3: From Investment to Impact: Health Plan Strategies Advancing  Affordable Housing 

1:45 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Health Net’s planned $37 million housing investment shows how managed care organizations can advance housing stability as a key driver of health. This session highlights cross-sector partnerships translating capital investments into improved housing access, stronger community infrastructure, better health outcomes, and how these models can scale statewide. 

Panelists 

• Amber Kemp, Vice President, Medi-Cal Strategy, Execution, and Engagement, Health Net
• Joseph Smith, Director of Residential Services, Hope Cooperative  
• Patrick Kennedy, Sacramento County Supervisor 

Panel 4: Building Affordable Housing in a Changing Climate: Risk, Resilience,  Equity, and Community Stability

3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

California’s affordable housing challenges increasingly intersect with climate risks—from wildfire and rising insurance costs to extreme heat and growing utility burdens for residents. This session explores how developers, insurers, fire safety experts, and policy leaders are navigating the trade-offs between housing demand, climate adaptation, and equity. Panelists will share insights on construction innovations, insurance incentives, and policy frameworks that can make housing more resilient and affordable. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the systemic barriers, practical solutions, and justice considerations involved in balancing climate resiliency with the urgent need for housing in California’s most vulnerable communities. 

Panelists 

• David Shew, Wildfire Consultant, Wildfire Defense Work 
• Vanessa Guerra, Director of Rental Housing Development, Community Housing Improvement Program 
• Dave Jones, Former Insurance Commissioner, Emeritus Director of the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy & the Environment 

Moderator

• Cecilia Chouhy, Principal, Mogavero Architects