Accelerating inclusive housing solutions

Housing Policy Leadership Academy

There are many factors contributing to the housing crisis. Developing effective solutions requires both a deeper understanding of these issues and robust cross-sector collaboration. Join regional leaders and influencers in learning how to advance policies that address the pressing need to produce housing for all.

Course Overview

The Housing Policy Leadership Academy (HPLA) offers an 8-week intensive learning opportunity open to emerging and established community leaders who want to understand how to advance policy solutions to increase the supply and availability of affordable housing. Offered in a dynamic learning environment, the course brings together people from different backgrounds and disciplines to examine issues and solutions from multiple perspectives and apply their learning to current housing policy challenges.

The course is grounded in the HPLA 5Ps framework, which provides a foundation for examining the physical and social aspects of a healthy housing ecosystem.

Course Topics

The curriculum is divided into eight sessions designed to provide the critical information necessary to advance policy solutions:

  • HPLA Foundations and the Regional Housing Landscape
  • Framing the Housing Crisis: How Housing Policy Shapes Our Communities
  • Increasing Access to Opportunity: Neighborhood Change, Protecting Renters, and Community Stability
  • Ending Homelessness: What Works and Why
  • Market Rate Housing Development
  • Affordable Housing Development
  • Housing Policy and Planning: Federal, State, and Local
  • The Path Forward: Regional and Local Housing Policy

Our Faculty

Jennifer Lesar CEO and Founder, LDC Jennifer brings more than three decades in community and real estate development, investment banking, eco-system change management, and organizational strategy to support clients in achieving scalable solutions to address housing affordability and homelessness policy challenges.
Craig Adelman Senior Principal, LDC Craig has 25 years working in community and real estate development, lending, CDFI and government sectors. Prior to joining LDC, he served as Managing Director for the Low Income Investment Fund’s SPARCC initiative, Bank of America.
Helmi Hisserich Senior Principal, LDC Helmi is a distinguished leader in housing policy and development with a robust track record of scaling sustainable solutions and aligning the interests of diverse stakeholders.
Gabriel Speyer Senior Principal, LDC Gabe is a high performing affordable developer overseeing all aspects of numerous new-construction and rehabilitation projects including entitlements, design, finance, construction and lease-up.
Jessica Ripper Principal, LDC Jessica specializes in building bridges across the public, nonprofit, and philanthropic sectors to advance policy and systems change through strategic planning, community outreach and education, and interactive trainings and workshops.

Housing Policy Leadership Academy

HPLA offers an opportunity for emerging and established leaders to engage in shared learning about housing policy issues and trends and identify opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. Learning cohorts typically include:

  • Elected officials and candidates
  • Professionals from the housing, planning, development, and finance sectors
  • Government agency staff
  • Housing and community advocates
  • Employers and industry groups
  • Philanthropists and impact investors

Course Requirements

HPLA offers an opportunity for emerging and established leaders to engage in shared learning about housing policy issues and trends and identify opportunities for cross-sector collaboration. Learning cohorts typically include:

  • Elected officials and candidates
  • Professionals from the housing, planning, development, and finance sectors
  • Government agency staff
  • Housing and community advocates
  • Employers and industry groups
  • Philanthropists and impact investors

Advanced Leadership & Facilitation Training

HPLA also offers leadership opportunities for individuals with prior experience in one or more areas of housing policy. These individuals serve as small group facilitators, guiding peers during discussions and activities during class. Participants will receive one day of additional training in adult learning and facilitation on the following topics:

  • Creating Environments for Adult Learning
  • Valuing and Sharing Lived Experience
  • Basic and Advanced Facilitation Techniques

Small group facilitators will spend an additional hour each week preparing for class and debriefing with HPLA faculty.

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