DCA and HMFA Announce Keynote Speaker for 2015 NJ Governor’s Conference on Housing and Economic Development

Pete Earley, Pulitzer Prize Finalist & Mental Health Advocate, Headlines Conference

Trenton, NJ – New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) Commissioner Charles A. Richman today announced that Pete Earley, a sought after speaker and award winning author on mental health reform, will headline the 2015 NJ Governor’s Conference for Housing and Economic Development. The conference is slated for Tuesday, October 27 and Wednesday, October 28 at the Waterfront Conference Center at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.

“Earley has been sought out and featured by numerous media outlets such as CNN, NPR, the Today Show and USA Today. We are honored to have him as the keynote speaker and look forward to hearing his compelling stories on this serious issue,” said Commissioner Richman.

The theme of the 2015 NJ Governor’s Conference for Housing and Economic Development is “New Jersey… Look at us Now.” In an effort to engage participants in innovative approaches to create and sustain housing resources and supportive housing for populations with special needs and homeless veterans, conference organizers turned to Pete Earley, Earley is a storyteller who has penned 13 books including the New York Times bestseller The Hot House and the 2007 Pulitzer Prize finalist Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness.

After a 14-year career in journalism, including six years at The Washington Post, he became a full-time author with a commitment to expose the stories that entertain and surprise. His honest reporting and compelling writing helped him garner success as one of the few authors with “the power to introduce new ideas and give them currency,” according to Washingtonian magazine.

Pete has traveled to 48 different states and multiple countries around the globe where he delivers speeches to rally against the troubled mental health systems and for the mentally ill.

Aside from Earley’s keynote address, the conference features 25 sessions led by some of the state’s most distinguished business, economic development and housing professionals. There will be an Atlantic City-Brigantine Trolley Tour on October 27 where participants will see first-hand how the City of Brigantine is recovering post-Sandy and continues to raise homes and make meaningful investments to protect the island community from powerful forces of nature. The tour will also highlight Atlantic City’s continued economic growth, from the boardwalk to commercial areas downtown, to beautiful residential areas, and the thriving hidden treasures tucked away in Gardner’s Basin.

The conference will also host an Excellence in Housing and Economic Development Awards Luncheon on October 28 where the NJ Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and New Jersey Economic Development Authority will honor organizations and individuals for outstanding housing and economic development.

Other conference highlights include a networking reception and a trade show featuring products and services from businesses and organizations that serve the housing and property management community.

The NJ Governor’s Conference for Housing and Economic Development is hosted by the Department of Community Affairs, the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. The conference is self-sustaining, funded entirely through sponsorship opportunities and registration fees.

Registration is now open for the 2015 Governor’s Conference for Housing and Economic Development. For more information or to register, log on to http://www.state.nj.us/dca/hmfa/home/conference/index.htm.

CONTACT:
Tammori Petty
or Emike Omogbai
(609) 292-6055