The sixth annual forum on affordable housing and ending homelessness on the North Olympic Peninsula is set for Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 7 Cedars Casino in Blyn.

The forum brings together housing specialists, advocates and elected officials from Clallam and Jefferson counties to brainstorm solutions to current housing and homelessness needs in the region.

Forum registration opens at 9:30 a.m. with a light breakfast. The free forum runs from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and is open to the public. This promises to be a busy and idea filled forum, event organizers say. A lunch break is scheduled for noon; to ensure adequate food, RSVPs are requested to Laura Jorgensen at OlyCAP by email at lmjorgensen@olycap.org.

Agenda items include: “Ending Homelessness When There is Too Little Housing,” “The Challenging Process of Acquiring Funding to Develop Housing,” “A New Funding Option: HB 2263 — Local Option Housing Levels,” “Housing Levies in Washington State: Bellingham, Seattle, Clark County,” followed by a round table discussion, “Coming Up with Money to Build Housing and Operate Housing Programs.”

Speakers include: Dave Finlay, past executive director, Whatcom County Opportunity Council; Kate Baber, Homelessness Policy and Advocacy specialist, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance; Dale Wilson, executive director Olympic Community Action Programs; Kay Kassinger, executive director Peninsula Housing Authority; Wendy Lawrence, Washington Housing Finance Commission and executive director, Makah Housing Authority, and Kathy Morgan, Housing Program director, Olympic Community Action Programs.

The event is sponsored by Olympic Community Action Programs, Shelter Providers Network of Clallam County, Housing Action Plan Network of Jefferson County, Serenity House of Clallam County and Peninsula Housing Authority, and is hosted by the Jamestown S’Klallam tribe.