April 29 is the last day to register
HARRISBURG, PA – April 22, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency today announced the keynote speakers for its 2011 Commonwealth Housing Forum set for May 5 and 6 in Harrisburg.
The keynote speakers for this year’s Housing Forum will be: Dr. G. Terry Madonna, a leading political commentator and pollster in Pennsylvania and a professor at Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster; Rick Sharga, a well-known expert in home foreclosures and real estate trends with RealtyTrac; and Dr. David Crowe, chief economist with the National Association of Home Builders.
Held biennially, the Commonwealth Housing Forum provides continuing education and opportunities for information sharing by people working in the state’s housing field. The Housing Forum complements the work of PHFA by promoting professional development for public and private sector executives and staff whose work expands affordable housing options for Pennsylvanians.
“Our speakers this year will be sharing information about home foreclosures, the status of the housing market in Pennsylvania and trends for the future – subjects of keen interest to the state’s housing professionals,” said Brian A. Hudson Sr., PHFA’s executive director and CEO.
Dr. G. Terry Madonna will be the Housing Forum’s kickoff keynote speaker. With his insightful political analysis frequently appearing in newspapers around the state, and with his own Sunday morning television interview show, he is widely recognized as one of the top political commentators and pollsters in the state. Since 2004, Madonna has been director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College.
Madonna will speak following breakfast on May 5, exploring the current political environment and its potential to affect the work of housing professionals in Pennsylvania.
Another keynote speaker, Rick Sharga, senior vice president with RealtyTrac of Irvine, Calif., will make a presentation about home foreclosures and their impact on the housing market in Pennsylvania and nationwide. Sharga is the luncheon keynote speaker on May 5.
Sharga is one of the country’s most frequently quoted experts on foreclosure, mortgage and real estate trends. He has appeared on NBC Nightly News, CNN, CBS, ABC World News, CNBC, MSNBC and NPR. Sharga has briefed government organizations such as the Federal Reserve and Senate Banking Committee, and corporations like JPMorgan Chase, Citibank and Deutsche Bank on foreclosure trends.
Dr. David Crowe, chief economist and senior vice president with the National Association of Home Builders, is the third keynote presenter and will speak about the state of the housing market in Pennsylvania and nationally. Crowe is the breakfast keynote speaker on May 6.
Crowe is responsible for NAHB’s forecast of housing and economic trends, survey research and analysis of the homebuilding industry and consumer preferences, as well as microeconomic analysis of government policies that affect housing. Crowe is responsible for the development and implementation of an innovative model of the local economic impact and fiscal cost of new home construction.
Forum attendees also will have a chance to hear from PHFA’s Executive Director and CEO Brian Hudson during a special question-and-answer session scheduled for the morning of May 6.
This year’s forum, which is being held at the Hilton Harrisburg, will run all day May 5 and the morning of May 6. Educational seminars will be featured both days. On the evening of May 5, the forum will include a Cinco de Mayo-themed networking event. Attendees are encouraged to register by April 29. However, a limited number of walk-in registrations can be accommodated.
Detailed information about the 2011 Commonwealth Housing Forum is available on the Web at http://housingforum.phfa.org. Additional biographical information about the keynote speakers is available on the Web site. People with questions about the conference and registration should contact conference organizer Susan Shermer at 
EDITOR’S NOTE: Reporters interested in interviews with any of these keynote speakers, before or during the conference, are asked to please contact PHFA Communications Director Scott Elliott.
About PHFA
The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency works to provide affordable homeownership and rental apartment options for older adults, lower- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs. Through its carefully managed mortgage programs and investments in multifamily housing developments, PHFA also promotes economic development across the state. Since its creation by the legislature in 1972, it has generated $10.1 billion of funding for nearly 144,000 single-family home mortgage loans and 83,000 rental units, while saving the homes of more than 45,600 families from foreclosure. PHFA programs and operations are funded primarily by the sale of securities with the exception of its Homeowners’ Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program, which it receives a state appropriation to administer. PHFA is governed by a 14-member board of directors.
Contact:
Scott Elliott
717-780-3916 (office)
717-649-6522 (cell)
