Flint, Mich. – This fall, Communities First, Inc. (CFI), the Greater Flint Health Coalition (GFHC), and the Flint & Genesee County Continuum of Care (CoC) will cohost a Housing and Homelessness Convening, uniting community members, service providers, and policymakers to discuss how to truly end homelessness in Genesee County with a focus on addressing our housing stock. 

The convening will take place on Tuesday, October 14th, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the CFI Center (the former Baker College Technical Building – 1110 W. Bristol Rd., Flint, MI 48507). 

The event will feature keynote speaker Gregg Colburn, Associate Professor of Real Estate at the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments and author of the nationally renowned book Homelessness is a Housing Problem: How Structural Forces Explain U.S. Patterns. Colburn will bring evidence-based insights into proven strategies for addressing homelessness. 

Additional highlights include: 

  • Breakout sessions for collaborative learning. 
  • A panel of local and state leaders working to end homelessness. 
  • Interactive planning sessions to identify policy solutions and action steps for addressing the housing crisis. 

Lunch will be provided for all attendees. 

Additional event speakers are: 

  • Glenn Wilson, President and CEO of Communities First, Inc.  
  • Eric Hufnagel, CEO of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness 
  • Claudnyse Holloman, President and CEO of Voices for Children Advocacy Center and Chair of the Flint and Genesee County Continuum of Care 
  • Catherine Distelrath, Michigan Director at the Corporation for Supportive Housing 

“Safe, stable, and affordable housing is the foundation of thriving families and communities,” said Glenn Wilson, President & CEO of Communities First, Inc. “At Communities First, Inc., we are committed to creating affordable housing opportunities, and this convening marks an important step toward ensuring every resident has a place to call home. After hearing Gregg speak in Indiana, I knew we had to bring him to Flint. We are excited to welcome him and share his message with our community. We believe that by working together, we can end homelessness in our community, and this convening brings us closer to making that vision a reality.” 

Kristin Pollard, program director of Housing & Equity Initiatives at the Greater Flint Health Coalition, added, “We are working really hard to improve the Flint/Genesee County homeless response system to better serve our unhoused neighbors. We have an opportunity now, even in the midst of uncertainty around funding, to think outside the box about how we can better provide housing for the most vulnerable. This symposium is an exciting day for idea generating and learning to help us on the road to a better approach.” 

The event is free, but we do ask attendees to pre-register at tinyurl.com/GCHousingandHomelessness. 

For questions, please contact Joel Arnold at jarnold@communitiesfirstinc.org. 

About Communities First, Inc. (CFI)
Communities First, Inc. is a nonprofit Community Development Corporation headquartered in Flint. Serving over 35,000 individuals across Michigan and Indiana, CFI is dedicated to building healthy, vibrant communities through economic development, affordable housing, and innovative programming. Learn more at www.communitiesfirstinc.org.