Agenda 08:00 AM: Registration 08:30 AM: Welcome Kyle Brown – Director of Entertainment, Good Time Entertainment 08:35 AM: Opening Remarks Stephen Pelz – Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Kern 08:50 AM: Income Property Association Of Kern Presentation Mardi Sharples – President, Income Property Association of Kern Monique Davis – Secretary, Income Property Association of Kern 09:15 AM: Kern County Homeless Collaborative Presentation Heather Kimmel – Asst. Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Kern Jessica Janssen – Homelessness Programs Manager, United Way Of Kern County 09:45 AM: First Breakout Session Housing and Supportive Services Panel Legal Solutions for Landlords Town Hall On Homelessness 10:30 AM: Break and Vendor Booths 10:45 AM: Second Breakout Session Housing and Supportive Services Panel Legal Legal Solutions for Landlords Town Hall On Homelessness 11:30 AM: Break and Vendor Booths 12:00 PM: Lunch Service 12:30 PM: Afternoon Keynote Greg Terzakis – Senior VP, California Apartment Association 01:15 PM: Closing Keynote Joe Coughlin – Founder, Coconut Joe’s Restaurant & Coconut College 01:45 PM: Call To Action Heather Kimmel – Assistant Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Kern
Break Out Sessions Housing and Supportive Services Panel (Moderator) Jose Luis Gonzalez – Homeless Initiative Coordinator, The County of Kern Mardi Sharples – Voucher Programs Housing Administrator, Housing Authority of the County of Kern Deborah Johnson – President/CEO, California Veterans Assistance Foundation Tim Lee – Property Owner Fred Wright – Tenant Shelia Sexton – Housing Specialist & Case Manager, Flood Bakersfield Ministries Legal Legal Solutions for Landlords (Moderator) Tina Posey – Assisted Sites Housing Administrator, Housing Authority of Kern Alan J. Peake, Esq. – Partner, Wall Wall & Peake Laura Matter – Staff Attorney, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Jina Kim – Fair Housing Project Attorney, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Sgt. Jim Moore – Street Impact Team, Bakersfield Police Department Town Hall On Homelessness (Moderator) Heidi Martinez-Forsythe – Professor of Communications, Bakersfield College Bob Smith – Vice-Mayor, City of Bakersfield Jacquie Sullivan – Councilmember, City of Bakersfield Andre Gonzales – Councilmember, City of Bakersfield Lauren Skidmore – District Director, Office of Asm. Vince Fong Benjamin Stark – Legislative Analyst, Office of Sen. Jean Fuller
SPEAKERS Kyle Brown – Director of Entertainment, Good Time Entertainment Kyle is a professional entertainer and emcee specializing in custom receptions with a unique and memorable twist. Stephen Pelz – Ex Dir., Housing Authority of the County of Kern After 13 years with the Kern County Department of Human Services as a Social Worker, Supervisor, Program Director and interim Chief Financial Officer and two years as a Deputy County Administrative Officer with the County Administrative Office, in 2005, Stephen Pelz was hired as Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Kern. Since 2005, the Housing Authority has increased Agency owned or managed affordable housing by over 75%, enhanced resident services, significantly expanded permanent housing and services for the homeless and developed new partnerships with community organizations. Stephen also serves as Executive Director of Golden Empire Affordable Housing, Inc. and the City of Wasco Housing Authority, and is on the Governing Board for the Kern County Hospital Authority, Kern County Network for Children, Kern County Homeless Collaborative, Dust Bowl Historical Foundation and California Housing Workers’ Compensation Authority. Mardi Sharples – President, Income Property Association of Kern & Voucher Programs Housing Administrator, Housing Authority of the County of Kern Mardi Sharples has served on the board of the Income Property Association of Kern for nearly 30 years and has been President for the past three. In her roles with the Housing Authority of the County of Kern she has been managing voucher and housing programs for 26 years. Monique Davis – Secretary, Income Property Association of Kern Monique Davis is one of the Board of Directors and holds the office of Secretary at the Income Property Association of Kern. She has numerous years of experience in Property Management for the private sector as well as Voucher Programs with the Housing Authority of Kern and Los Angeles County Housing Authority. She participates in the Kern County Homeless Collaborative and volunteers for the annual Point in Time Count for homeless individuals as well as many other civic organizations.
Heather Kimmel – Assistant Executive Director, Housing Authority of the County of Kern Heather Kimmel has been the Assistant Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Kern for nearly three years. Prior to that she was the executive director of the California Veterans Assistance Foundation and currently sits on their board of directors. She also chairs the housing committee for the Kern County Homeless Collaborative. Jessica Janssen – Homelessness Programs Manager, United Way Of Kern County Jessica Janssen joined United Way of Kern County in March of 2017. United Way is the Collaborative Applicant and Fiscal Agent for the Kern County Homeless Collaborative. Jessica’s duties include coordinating funding opportunities for homeless services, helping to coordinate the efforts of the Kern County Homeless Collaborative and being an advocate for those experiencing homelessness. Greg Terzakis – Senior VP, California Apartment Association Greg Terzakis came to the California Apartment Association after a 30 year career in government and politics at the local, state, and federal levels. For three years he has overseen CAA’s operations in the Central Valley from Kern through san joaquin. Goal to work with county and city officials on issues that impact multifamily and rental housing. Joe Coughlin – Founder, Coconut Joe’s Restaurant & Coconut College Joe Coughlin is a restaurateur and professional speaker. His dynamic presentations specialize in life-changing perspective shifts that bring peace-of-mind and balance to the overwhelmed, overworked, and over-scheduled. Joe has been happily married to his beautiful wife Leah for 34 years and has been blessed with two beautiful girls he adores Ami and Kate.
HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PANEL Jose Luis Gonzalez – Homeless Initiative Coordinator, The County of Kern Jose Luis Gonzalez is the Homeless Initiative Coordinator for the County of Kern. He is also a member of the Bakersfield Association of Realtors
Deborah Johnson – President/CEO, California Veterans Assistance Foundation Deborah started her career with homeless veterans in 1996, as an Office Manager for the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. She was promoted to Executive Director in 1999 where she stayed until January 2009. In January 2009, Deborah transferred to the California Veterans Assistance Foundation in Bakersfield and was named President/CEO that December. Tim Lee – Property Owner Tim Lee came to Bakersfield in 1989 because in search of affordable housing. He started by buying a home for his family and eventually began an investment property business. Tim and his wife Anna manage their properties and now house several formerly homeless individuals. Fred Wright – Tenant Fred Wright is a formerly homeless individual who has successfully been housed for nearly four years through vouchers provided by the Housing Authority of the County of Kern. Shelia Sexton – Housing Specialist & Case Manager, Flood Bakersfield Ministries Shelia received housing through Flood Ministries in June 2015 after a period of homelessness.. She has been on staff at Flood Bakersfield Ministries since June 2015 where she has served as a supportive services group facilitator, street outreach worker, case manager Currently seeking a degree in social services.
LEGAL ISSUES IN HOMELESS RENTALS PANEL Tina Posey – Assisted Sites Housing Administrator, Housing Authority of Kern Tina Posey has been with the Housing Authority of the County of Kern for twenty years in a variety of roles. She currently serves as the Housing Administrator for assisted sites. In addition to her work with the Kern County Homeless Collaborative, Tina also sits on the board of directors for the Kern Literacy Council.
Alan J. Peake, Esq. – Partner, Wall Wall & Peake Alan J. Peake has over 25 years of experience in handling residential and commercial real estate matters. He is well versed in all phases or real estate transactions including. His background includes experience with tax credit properties, Section 8 housing, HUD housing, as well as representing private property owners and real property management companies. Laura Matter – Attorney, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Laura Matter is an attorney at Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance, Inc., and focuses on housing issues. She moved to Bakersfield from Anchorage, Alaska, where she worked as an attorney at Alaska Legal Services Corporation and focused on housing and consumer law. She grew up in Iowa and graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law in 2011. She lives in Bakersfield with her husband and three dogs. Jina Kim – Fair Housing Project Attorney, Greater Bakersfield Legal Assistance Jina Kim is a staff attorney with the GBLA Fair Housing Law Project (FHLP). In this capacity, she advises and advocates for clients regarding their fair housing rights. Jina also investigates claims of housing discrimination and represents clients in fair housing complaints filed with HUD and DFEH. She has also represented clients in housing discrimination lawsuits in federal court. Jina graduated from UC Berkeley and received her law degree from UC Davis School of Law. Sgt. Jim Moore – Street Impact Team, Bakersfield Police Department Sgt. Jim Moore has been with the Bakersfield Police Department for 22 years. As part of the Street Impact Team he deals with quality of life, community policing, and homelessness issues. Prior to his current assignment Sgt. Moore spent time in both homicide and narcotics.
TOWN HALL ON HOMELESSNESS Heidi Martinez-Forsythe – Professor of Communications, Bakersfield College Heidi holds a Bachelors in Communications from CSUB, a Masters in Education from Point Loma Nazarene University. After teaching Public Speaking for five years, Mrs. Forsythe decided to join Toastmasters,and has mentored two clubs. As an entrepreneur, Mrs. Forsythe is launching her own Public Speaking Coaching business this year. Bob Smith – Vice-Mayor, City of Bakersfield Bob has owned his own independent civil engineering and land planning business in Bakersfield for over 30 years. In addition to his service on the B.C.H.S. board, Bob is also the founder of Bike Bakersfield, a local non-profit that promotes bike safety for adults and youth, and advocates for safe routes throughout the Bakersfield area. Jacquie Sullivan – Councilmember, City of Bakersfield Jacquie was in the real estate business from 1979 to 2005, and she had the opportunity to invest in rental property. She now manages her own rental business. In 1995, Jacquie was first elected to the Bakersfield City Council. She feels privileged to have supported 20 years of the most quality growth and amenities in Bakersfield history. Andre Gonzales – Councilmember, City of Bakersfield Andrae was elected to Bakersfield City Council in November 2016. Prior to his service on the City Council, he served as a trustee on the Bakersfield City School Board for six years. He currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of a non-profit organization that helps seniors and disabled citizens manage their incomes. Lauren Skidmore – District Director, Office of Asm. Vince Fong Lauren is the current District Director for Assemblyman Vince Fong, representing the 34th Assembly district. She has earned a B.S. in Business Administration (Management) from California State University, Fresno, and a Master’s of Science in Community Development from Kansas State University. Prior to this position she served as the Director of Policy and Community Affairs for Kern Citizens for Sustainable Government from 2014 to 2017. Benjamin Stark – Legislative Analyst, Office of Sen. Jean Fuller As a Legislative Analyst, Benjamin Stark is deeply immersed in current policy debates at the state level. He handles pending legislation for the office of State Senator Jean Fuller.