HUD Holds Conference on Place-making and Food Systems in Ithaca

HUD Regional Administrator Holly Leicht Addresses the Conference Attendees.

On July 12th the HUD Buffalo Field Office, in partnership with Cornell University's Community and Regional Development Institute (CaRDI) and the City of Ithaca, hosted its 2016 All Grantee Conference at Cornell University. The day was designed to encourage new ideas about how to utilize HUD and other funding and encourage a more vibrant relationship between HUD and its grantees. 180 people participated in the conference.

"Sustainable Communities: Place-making and Food Systems" featured panelists and speakers from local government, not-for-profits and academia. CPD Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary Harriet Tregoning was the featured lunchtime speaker, and Holly Leicht, HUD Region II Administrator, presented the morning's keynote address.

The conference opened the door to a new and productive partnership between Buffalo CPD and Cornell University through its Community and Regional Development Institute. This collaboration holds future benefit for HUD grantees across the state who can also access the expertise found at CaRDI.

Ithaca Mayor Svante L. Myrick energized the attendees at the start of the day with his opening remarks. He spoke of the impact that creative projects can have on the community and its residents and described how he and his community have expanded their way of thinking about placemaking and food security.

The City of Ithaca organized a walking tour of its newly renovated Ithaca Commons, a public space in the center of downtown created in the '70s and updated so it could be used more effectively for public events, and also for public safety. To learn more about HUD's sustainability and resilience efforts, visit hud.gov/resilience.

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