Commission Announces Ohio Field Hearing

Washington, D.C. The Commission on Affordable Housing and Health Facility Needs for Seniors in the 21st Century will hold its second field hearing at the Ohio Statehouse on September 24, 2001. The hearing is sponsored by the Association of Ohio Philanthropic Homes, Housing, and Services for the Aging and the Ohio Department of Aging. The hearing will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the House Finance Committee hearing room, room 313.

Commissioner Diana McIver of Diana McIver and Associates, Inc, of Austin, Texas, will chair, and the Commission's Financing Strategies task force will convene the hearing. Other task force members include John Erickson Chairman and CEO of Erickson Retirement Communities, Jane O'Dell Baumgarten, a board member of AARP, M'Liss Solove Houston, President and CEO of MSH Consulting, Inc., and James Swanson, Senior Vice President, Paragon Mortgage Corporation. They will be joined by Co-Chairs Ellen Feingold and Nancy Hooks and Commissioners Emanuel Cleaver, Henry Gugino, James Introne, Rita Poundstone, Steve Protulis, and Harry Thomas.

The field hearing will have an opening session, three witness panels, and a fourth open session:

Opening Session (8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.)

Panel I - Streamlining Housing and Services Financing (9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.)

Panel II - Public Financing (11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)

Panel III - Private Financing (1:15 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.)

Public Comment Session (3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

INVITATION TO THE PUBLIC:

The Commission encourages all interested parties to attend. Individuals will be permitted to give three-minute oral presentations to the commissioners as well as submit written testimony and proposals. Any interested parties are encouraged to submit their written testimony to the Commission via e-mail at shhc1@hud.gov. Issues are not limited to those addressed in the panel discussions. Those interested in participating at the open session should submit their names no later than 3:00 p.m. on the day of the event for the public comment session witness list and are welcome to submit their names via the above e-mail address to the Commission prior to the hearing.

For more information regarding the Columbus, Ohio hearing or the Seniors Commission, please contact Ken Trepeta at (202) 708-4302 Ext. 106 or e-mail him at Kenneth_Trepeta@hud.gov.

For further information on the Seniors Commission visit our website at: www.seniorscommission.gov