FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – Registration is now open for the free 2026 Fair Housing Summit featuring the author of There is No Place for Us: Working and Homeless in America.
Written by journalist and author Brian Goldstone, There is No Place for Us was a finalist for the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction and was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2025 by The New York Times and The Atlantic. According to Goldstone’s website about his book:
“Through intimate, novelistic portraits, Goldstone reveals the human cost of this (working and homeless) crisis, following parents and their kids as they go to sleep in cars, or in squalid extended-stay hotel rooms, and head out to their jobs and schools the next morning. These are the nation’s hidden homeless—omitted from official statistics, and proof that overflowing shelters and street encampments are only the most visible manifestation of a far more pervasive problem.”
The City released the following:
The Summit is hosted by the City of Fort Wayne’s Metropolitan Human Relations Commission and the Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services and is set for April 22, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Conference Center, 4000 Parnell Ave. Lunch is provided, and, thanks to generous sponsors, there is no charge for the event.
“It’s important to educate ourselves and talk about how to ensure all residents are treated fairly, particularly in the area of housing,” said Nikki Quintana, executive director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission. “That’s why we have hosted the Fair Housing Summit for the past seven years and continue to have such a positive response to the event.”
“The 2026 Fair Housing Summit will highlight the challenge of homelessness, as well as other fair housing concerns,” said Kelly Lundberg, director of the Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services. “We hope the Summit can continue to inspire local leaders to learn about and help address the growing need for affordable and accessible housing in our community.”
Anyone interested in the event – CLICK HERE for more information and to register. Attendance is limited to the first 300 people. For the past seven years, the event has reached capacity and registrations had to be closed.
In addition to the keynote address from Brian Goldstine, the plenary address will be delivered by Joshua V. Barr, president of Raising the Barr, about artificial intelligence bias as it relates to fair housing. Workshops will be presented by representatives from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, the Fair Housing Center of Toledo, the National Association of Realtors and the City of Fort Wayne.
Sponsors for the event include: First Merchants, UPSTAR Alliance of REALTORS, WesBanco, 1st Source Bank, AARP, Old National Bank and Lake City Bank.
Fort Wayne Metro’s mission is to enforce civil rights laws and empower the citizens of Fort Wayne through education on diversity and discrimination issues. The City’s Office of Housing & Neighborhood Services, part of the Community Development Division, works to attract and support housing investment throughout the community and expand access to safe, quality, affordable housing. The department also partners with local non-profit organizations to address critical needs in the community.
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