Tuesday: 10:45 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Presenters:
Doug Coward, Clean Energy Strategies 
Charles Pattison, 1000 Friends of Florida
Moderator: Jaimie Ross, 1000 Friends of Florida

State oversight put in place by the 1985 Growth Management Act was effectively dismantled by the 2011 Legislature. Development approval or disapproval now lies squarely in the hands of local government decision-makers. That means it is more important than ever to have your voice heard at the local level. That voice could be, for example: in support of housing for special needs populations that may face NIMBY opposition; in support of mixed income housing; in support of development that promotes smart growth or in opposition to development that promotes sprawl. This workshop will explain the specific changes that have been made by the 2011 Legislature to growth management and provide you with tools needed to effectively engage at the local level on any issue that comes before your city or county commission. Effective civic engagement is coalition building and it is powerful: It is a tool that housing advocates cannot afford to ignore.