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2026 Disability-Forward Housing Futures Summit

Wed, Dec 02
Ed Roberts Campus
A group of people with and without disabilities on a tour in The Kelsey Civic Center’s courtyard. They are gathered in a loose circle, with one person gesturing and talking. One tour member gazes up at the balconies surrounding the courtyard, and other tour members hold coffee cups and The Kelsey folders.
December
02

Time & Location

Dec 02, 2026, 9:00 AM–5:00 PM PT

Ed Roberts Campus
3075 Adeline St
Berkeley, CA 94703

Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Keah Brown, Author.” Keah, a black woman, smiles to camera, wearing a grey shirt and black glasses. Her hair is black and just passed her shoulders. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Dom Kelly, Co-Founder, President and CEO of New Disabled South and New Disabled South Rising.” Dom Kelly, a white man with short dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a brown beard is pictured wearing black pants and a dark grey vest with exposed tattooed arms. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Valerie Novack, Senior Manager, Building Code and Land Use, The Kelsey.” Valerie Novack, a Black and Latina person with long black and copper locks in her hair, is pictured. She has large black glasses and a black top. She is smiling. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Michelle Uzeta, Executive Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF).” Michelle Uzeta, a bi-racial and middle-aged woman with curly, dark-brown hair wearing turtle shell glasses, a black blazer, and gold earrings is pictured. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, John Ryan, Regional Vice President of Property Operations, Mercy Property Management.” John Ryan, an African-American male smiling wearing a red sweater, is pictured. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Katelyn Reed, Author, Public Speaker, Teacher’s Assistant.” Katelyn Reed, a young adult with dark hair in a navy blue dress, is pictured smiling. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Ryan Manriquez, Disability Justice Advocate, Public Servant.” Ryan is seated in a power wheelchair, wearing a light green button-down shirt, tan pants, and brown dress shoes. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Margot Greenlee, Executive Director of OSG (formerly Our Stomping Ground).” Margot, a white woman in a black jacket, is pictured smiling. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Elizabeth Bioteau, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships, Rhode Island Housing.” Elizabeth, a white woman with long hair and a yellow shirt smiling, is pictured. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Susie Criscimagna, Vice President of Real Estate Development, Eden Housing.” Susie Criscimagna, a woman in a black blouse, is pictured smiling. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Beth Foraker, Director of the UC Davis Redwood SEED (Supported Education to Elevate Diversity) Scholars Program “ Beth Foraker, a white woman who has brown hair, is pictured smiling. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Steven A. Isaacson, LMSW, Community Life Manager, Patuxent Commons.” Steven A. Isaacson, a man in his early-30s, is picttured smiling. He is wearing glasses and a white lined shirt with a plaid tie. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Nicole Jorwic, Chief Program Officer, Caring Across Generations.” A white woman with brown hair and blue eyes, smiling at the camera, wearing a white cardigan and a yellow shirt, is pictured. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Tina Pinedo, Communications and Operations Director, Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.” Tina, a mixed-race, mostly Asian-presenting woman in her 30s with long brown hair and a black top on, is pictured. Text on image reads “Featured Presenter, Deborah Thrope, Chief Program Officer of the National Housing Law Project.” Deborah, a white woman with long dark hair wearing a black suit jacket, is pictured.

Returning for its second year, the Disability-Forward Housing Futures Summit, hosted by The Kelsey, will build on the momentum of last year’s convening. Designed as a single-room experience, the Summit will educate and build power through collective learning and collaboration. Rooted in the core tenets of disability-forward housing, the Summit will focus on affordable, accessible, and inclusive housing. The day is divided into a three-part journey:

  • Ground: The day begins with a “grounding” to establish a shared foundation, looking clearly at the current state of housing for disabled people. For new attendees, this provides necessary context; for returning participants, it’s a check-in on how the work has evolved. By defining both the progress made and the barriers that remain, we set the stage for the sessions ahead.
  • Deep Dive: Next, we move into the “how” of the work. We will explore real-world examples of disability-forward housing and the partnerships that make them possible. This section connects theory with lived experience to show how disability-forward housing works in practice. We will explore complex issues and strategies for navigating common roadblocks.
  • Mobilize: The day will conclude by building power to support collective action for disability-forward housing. We transition from learning to doing, providing attendees with the advocacy tools and collaborative frameworks required to drive systemic change.

Click here to view the full agenda.

Welcome Gathering & The Kelsey Civic Center Tours: Join us at The Kelsey Civic Center the afternoon of Tuesday, December 1st, for a welcome gathering and exclusive tour of the community. It’s the perfect opportunity to connect with summit attendees and see a disability-forward housing model firsthand before we dive into Wednesday’s sessions.

Tickets

We offer a tiered ticket structure to ensure the Summit is both accessible and sustainable. 

Scholarship opportunities are available (see details below in the FAQs section). Scholarship applications are due 8/30/2026.

If you would like support with registration, please email Ari at ari@thekelsey.org.

Early-Bird Ticket

Early-Bird Pricing is available until 8/31/26. Enjoy 20% off all tiers (excluding the Access tier).

In-Person Ticket

In-Person Access Tier pricing is flexible. We ask that you choose a price of $25.00, $50.00, $75.00, or $100.00 for your in-person Access ticket. These are limited, highly discounted tickets intended for students, disabled community members, and other participants for whom cost is a barrier. Click here to purchase an Access ticket.

Virtual Ticket

Virtual Access Tier pricing is flexible. We ask that you choose a price of $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, or $25.00 for your virtual Access ticket. These are highly discounted tickets intended for students, disabled community members, and other participants for whom cost is a barrier. Click here to purchase an Access ticket.

Venue Details

We’re proud to host the Disability Forward Housing Futures Summit at the internationally renowned Ed Roberts Campus (ERC), a space dedicated to disability rights and universal access. Holding the Summit at ERC underscores our commitment to — and celebration of — disability culture, advocacy, design, and access. 

The Ed Roberts Campus commemorates the life and work of Edward V. Roberts, an early leader in the independent living movement of persons with disabilities. Ed believed in the strength of collaborative efforts: He called it “working toward our preferred future.”

Learn more about Ed Roberts Campus in this brief video.

FAQs

Will the Summit be accessible?

For the in-person event, the venue will include wheelchair-accessible facilities and sensory-friendly options. To learn more about ERC’s accessibility features, click here. There will be American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and CART (live captioning). There will be outdoor seating options for lunch and for breaks. Food will be clearly labeled with all ingredients, and we plan to provide vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options. We are also happy to accommodate additional dietary needs or allergies if requested. There are accessible bathrooms and gender neutral bathrooms on the same floor as the summit. Additionally, we ask that all in-person attendees refrain from wearing scented products to the summit. 

The disability community is an incredibly diverse community, made up of people who have a diverse variety of access needs. In order to protect immunocompromised and chronically ill community members, we strongly encourage in-person attendees to wear a mask during the event if able. We will also have COVID/Flu tests and masks available at the venue. If you are sick on the day of the event, we ask that you please reach out to Ari at ari@thekelsey.org, and we can support you to join via Zoom if you would like.

For the virtual event, there will also be American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and CART (live captioning). 

For both the in-person and virtual events, if you have additional access needs beyond what has been mentioned above, please share them when you register, and we will do our best to accommodate them. You may also reach out directly to Ari at ari@thekelsey.org with any questions or concerns about event accessibility.

Are scholarships available?

Yes! Scholarships are available for those who cannot afford the cost of a ticket and/or the cost of travel. Please note that there are limited in-person and travel scholarships available. If you would like to apply for a scholarship, click here for more information. Scholarship applications are due on August 30, 2026.

Are there hotel blocks or recommendations?

Yes! We have secured discounted room blocks at two accessible partner hotels:

  1. Oakland Marriott City Center: $149.00 USD/night (Best for direct BART subway access to Wednesday’s Summit at the Ed Roberts Campus)
  2. Holiday Inn San Francisco – Golden Gateway: $129.00 USD/night (Best for proximity to Tuesday’s Welcome Gathering at The Kelsey Civic Center)

How to Book Your Room:

To protect room block availability for attendees, you will receive the dedicated hotel booking links in your confirmation email once you purchase a ticket.

Please note that group rates and room blocks expire on November 3, 2026 (or until rooms sell out). We encourage you to purchase your ticket and reserve your lodging as early as possible.

What are the transportation options?

BART: Ed Roberts Campus is located above the Ashby BART Station. Ashby Station is served by the Red Line (Richmond/Millbrae) and the Orange Line (Richmond/Berryessa). An elevator and underground walkway connect the BART concourse directly to the building’s lobby.  

Bus: AC Transit line 7, and the Transbay F bus stop directly outside the campus. AC Transit lines 12, 18, 27, and 800 all stop one to two blocks away from the Campus. 

Ride-Share, Paratransit & Parking: Passenger drop-offs are located in front of the building on Adeline Street. For parking, there is limited neighborhood street parking (please read all parking signs), and paid parking at the adjacent Ashby BART Station.

What is The Kelsey?

The Kelsey is a national nonprofit that advances disability-forward housing solutions that open doors to homes and opportunities for everyone. Co-led by people with and without disabilities, we both co-develop affordable, accessible, inclusive housing and lead advocacy and field-building efforts to create market conditions so inclusive housing becomes the norm. In addition to our own housing communities, we support projects, advocates, and public agencies to advance disability-forward housing solutions through technical assistance, open-source resources, and advocacy.

Event Sponsors

The logo for the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF). The letters "DREDF" in bright red with a trail of brown dots progressively growing larger in a half loop from the bottom of the "R" to the mid-point of the "F" alongside it. Brown text below the logo reads, “Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund.”