2026 Inclusive Housing Summit
It’s that time of year again! HOPE NC’s Fifth Annual Inclusive Housing Summit, From Policy to Place: Building Affordable, Accessible & Inclusive Communities, will take place on Monday, November 9, 2026 at the Friday Conference Center in Chapel Hill. Registration, the Exhibit Hall and breakfast begin at 8:00 am, with the summit program running from 9:00 am-4:00 pm.
This year’s summit will move us through the theme of Policy to Place. We will begin the morning with Policy, including a keynote conversation rooted in Governor Stein’s Executive Order No. 36, which aims to tackle North Carolina’s housing crisis. We are honored to welcome Janneke Ratcliffe, Senior Advisor for Housing Policy for the North Carolina Governor, and Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, Assistant Secretary of the Division of MHDDSUS at NCDHHS, as our opening plenary panel.The day will also include a panel from the I/DD Caucus to help ground the conversation in the needs and priorities of people with I/DD.
In the afternoon, we will move into Place, with breakout sessions focused on inclusive housing models and what they look like in practice. HOPE NC Community Facilitators and residents will host a session about our model and what inclusive housing looks like in daily life.
Our Exhibit Hall will feature community organizations working to improve the lives of adults with I/DD. We listened to feedback and there will be more time this year to visit with each organization!
Details
When:
November 9th, 2026, 8am - 4pm
Registration & Breakfast begin at 8am
Summit from 9am - 4pm
Where:
The Friday Conference Center in Chapel Hill
RegistrationIs Now Open
We hope you will join us for a day of learning, connection, and imagining what affordable, accessible, and inclusive communities can look like across North Carolina!
Advocate for ChangeBecome a Sponsor
We invite you to support HOPE NC's Annual Inclusive Housing Summit by becoming a sponsor or hosting a table in our Exhibit Hall. Your involvement strengthens our collective work toward inclusive housing and offers meaningful visibility and engagement with a diverse network of housing professionals and community leaders. sponsorship@hopenorthcarolina.org
Want to Learn More About Becoming a Sponsor?
Ready to Participate?
ExploreThe Summit Agenda
Moving through the theme of Policy to Place.
Click to read more detailed information on our Summit Sessions and Summit Speakers
Policy
8:00am: Registration Opens
8:00 - 9:00am: Coffee/Networking–Visit Exhibit Hall
9:00 - 9:05am: Welcome & Opening Remarks
9:05 - 9:35am: HOPE NC: Building Inclusive Communities
9:35 - 10:55am: Keynote Panel - How North Carolina can build affordable, inclusive communities in which people with I/DD are part of the broader housing system
Keynote Speakers
Janneke Ratcliffe, Housing Advisor to Gov Stein
Kelly Crosbie, Secretary of DMH/DD/SUS at DHHS
11:00am - 12:00pm: Networking/Visit Exhibit Hall
12:00 - 1:00pm: Lunch
1:00 - 2:00pm: General Assembly Legislative I/DD Caucus panel: What is the I/DD Caucus and how can it connect with efforts to increase inclusive housing options for adults with I/DD?
Panel Participants:
Senator Jim Burgin
Representative Zack Hawkins
Representative Sarah Crawford
Place
2:00 - 3:30pm: Breakout Sessions (choose 1)
Session A: Patuxent Commons: From Vision to Community — Developing and Launching an Inclusive Housing Model in Maryland
Session B: What is the Community Facilitator role and why is it needed? HOPE NC residents and Community Facilitators share their experiences
Session C: G House and L'Arche NC: How two NC organization are providing housing for people with higher needs while creating community ties
Session D: Self-direction: A powerful complement to community living
3:35 - 4:00pm: Closing session
Thank You
A special thank you to our Platinum Sponsor Alliance Health and all of our sponsors who made this event possible.
