In case you missed the joint announcement earlier, HousingWire is offering our support to the Bipartisan Policy Center’s 2014 Housing Summit this September 15-16 in Washington, DC. We’re honored to play a role.
But it’s why we’re supporting the event – and why you should, too – that maybe needs a little more explaining.
After all, we’ve organized more than our fair share of large-scale events over the years here at HousingWire. But not this year.
This year, HousingWire isn’t organizing a single live event at all – and what’s more, we have no monetary interest or agreement with the BPC relative to our support for their inaugural housing policy event. We make no money promoting their event. Nada. Zip. Zero.
So why are we putting our time and effort into supporting this event? The answer, I hope, is clear. Some things are more important than dollars, and we think this is one of them.
The BPC’s leadership team is working to put together a housing policy summit that is both inclusive to those “inside” the industry and those “outside” the industry, for one thing; an event that steps outside of any single trade group’s agenda, and reaches beyond any single publication’s brand.
It’s why you’ll see CEOs and other leaders from the Mortgage Bankers Association, the U.S. Dept of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Dept of Treasury, SIFMA, Harvard Business School, Home Depot, the Multifamily Housing Council, Move, Inc., Standard & Poor’s, Radian Guaranty, the National Association of Realtors, Fannie Mae, Redwood Trust, and many (many!) more speaking at the event.
It’s why leading journalists from trade media like HousingWire and financial media like The Wall Street Journal are participating and moderating key discussions at the event, too.
The group’s Housing Commission has long been a proverbial who’s-who of housing industry and policy experts, including co-chairs Christopher “Kit” Bond (former US Senator), George Mitchell (former US Senate Majority Leader), Henry Cisneros (former HUD Secretary) and Mel Martinez (former HUD Secretary and US Senator).
Commission members include the likes of Frank Keating, President and CEO at the American Bankers Association; Alfred A. DelliBovi, President and CEO at the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York; Richard Smith, CEO and President at Realogy Holdings Corp; and many more from the industry and consumer sectors.
In other words, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s 2014 Housing Summit isn’t about a single publication. Or a single trade group. Or even one side of the industry, be it lending, servicing, investments or real estate.
It’s about all of it. And the future of all of it.
The BPC says it’s set out to build what it hopes can become the definitive event for those seeking a deeper understanding of the housing sector, the policy decisions that help shape it, and the implications for the economy.
At HousingWire, we think that’s a noble and much-needed goal given the tenor of today’s markets – and one that’s worthy of our entire industry’s support.
So, will you choose to be there? I hope so. I’ll be moderating a luncheon keynote discussion covering the state of the economy with insight from some of the nation’s foremost housing leaders and economists:
- Steven H. Berkowitz, CEO, Move, Inc.
- Raphael Bostic, Bedrosian Chair in Governance & the Public Enterprise, USC Sol Price School of Public Policy
- Beth Ann Bovino, U.S. Chief Economist, Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services
- Mike Fratantoni, Chief Economist & Senior Vice President, Mortgage Bankers Association
Plan to take two days in DC this September, and join in. Registration details are available here and it’s only $495 to participate (even less if you work for Uncle Sam).
