Description

Join us for Leaders & Lunch - Housing Solutions and Framework for the Future

Following our impactful January community conversation, Housing: What “Affordable” Really Means, this next Leaders & Lunch convening takes the dialogue deeper—moving from questions to actionable strategies. 

This virtual session brings together community leaders, researchers, and housing advocates to address how we can re-image what housing looks like in Forsyth County. 

We’ll address barriers such as zoning challenges, community resistance to development, and access challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Panelists will also examine the role of collaboration and innovation in creating solutions that balance growth, equity, and economic vitality.

🕛 When: Noon–1:00 PM (Webinar format; Q&A available for attendees)

If you care about the future of housing in our community—whether as a business leader, policymaker, nonprofit partner, realtor, or engaged resident—this conversation will provide insight, perspective, and pathways for action. Join us to continue building momentum toward housing solutions for Forsyth County. 

Watch the Forsyth County Commissioners briefing here for additional information on affordable housing in Forsyth County.

Moderator: 

Denise "D.D." Adams, Mayor Pro Tempore and City Council Member

Winston-Salem Mayor Pro Tempore and Council Member Denise D. "D.D." Adams has represented the North Ward since 2009. She serves as the Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee and Chair of the Community Development/Housing/General Government Committee. Adams is also a Board Member of the Winston-Salem Urban Area MPO Transportation Advisory Committee and an Executive Board Member of several municipal organizations.

She has been a strong advocate for affordable housing and addressing gentrification. Notably, in 2018, she promoted a comprehensive Housing Study and Needs Assessment study. In 2019, she supported the "ForEveryoneHome" initiative, which secured $225,000 in technical assistance from Grounded Solutions Network to develop equitable housing policies in Winston-Salem.

In 2023, she promoted the Affordable Housing Development Program, launched in 2024, to expand affordable housing options in the area. Council Member Adams remains focused on preserving and expanding affordable housing within Winston-Salem.

Panelists: 

Laurie Ingram, Executive Director of ANCHOR

Laurie brings to her leadership role broad and deep experience in the nonprofit housing sector. She relocated to Winston-Salem in 2023 from Jackson, Michigan, where she was the Executive Director of the Jackson Housing Commission. In that role she established innovative policies for cross-sector housing development and supportive services. In a prior role with Avalon Housing in Ann Arbor, Laurie oversaw compliance, evaluation, and community living supports. Laurie has an MBA from Walsh College and extensive education in nonprofit leadership. She has a proven track record of fund development and partnership building.

https://www.anchornc.org/

Sarah Odio, Associate Director of UNC School of Government's Development Finance Initiative

Sarah Odio specializes in affordable housing, and has helped urban and rural communities across NC understand their housing needs and attract private investment to mixed-use and mixed-income developments. She also oversees projects that range from commercial adaptive reuse to neighborhood revitalization, and has advised communities on post-disaster downtown recovery.

Odio joined the School of Government in 2016 as a graduate fellow while pursuing a master’s degree in city and regional planning at UNC-Chapel Hill. Previously, she focused on community and economic development policy as an aide for a Miami-Dade County commissioner.

Odio earned a bachelor's degree from Vassar College and a master's degree in city and regional planning from UNC-Chapel Hill.

https://dfi.sog.unc.edu/

Dr. Stephen J. Sills, Housing Consultant at Innovative Research Insights

Dr. Stephen J. Sills is an applied sociologist and consultant with 30+ years advancing evaluation, nonprofit capacity, housing policy, economic development, and public health. He holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and a B.A. in Spanish. A former UNCG Professor of Sociology and founding director of the Center for Housing & Community Studies, he has led more than 200 grant-funded, community-engaged projects. Sills specializes in strategic planning, mixed-methods research, and Community Based Participatory Research. He’s authored 125+ publications and is a former EPU Policy Scholar and RWJF IRL Fellow. Through ongoing partnerships, he continues to address root causes of inequality and strengthen community resilience.

https://innovativeresearchinsights.com/

https://thrivingtogetherforsyth.org/humane-housing/

* Note: This is a webinar format, so cameras and mics will be on only for the hosts and guest speakers. If you have any questions for our panelists, you will be able to enter them using the Q&A function.  

* Webinar link will be sent upon completion of registration.