Special Event

One-on-One with Angela Brooks

When

Wednesday, May 28, 2025

5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Where

Center for DesignPhiladelphia - 1218 Arch St

What

Join DAG for a special event as we host Angela Brooks, Philadelphia's new Chief Housing & Urban Development Officer and Immediate Past President of the American Planning Association (APA), for a one-on-one conversation that will touch on issues related to affordable and accessible housing and community development. In this newly-established role in Philadelphia's administration, Brooks will oversee the implementation of Mayor Parker's Housing Plan, which aims to achieve the goal of creating and preserving 30,000 units of housing. Leah Eppinger, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin and President of APA's Pennsylvania chapter, will moderate the discussion.

This event is a collaboration between DAG and APA Pennsylvania, and will be held at the Center for DesignPhiladelphia, 1218 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107.

Registration is not required for in-person events, however it is helpful for our planning. Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP

Previous DAG Special Events

Archived | 2025-04-17

Reading Terminal Market – Fresh into the Future

Archived | 2025-03-05

One on One with Jessie Lawrence

Archived | 2025-03-04

DAG Spotlight: Partnering to Protect Our Commercial Districts: Flood Mitigation, Preparedness, and Resilience in Manayunk + East Falls

Presenter

Angela D. Brooks

Angela D. Brooks, FAICP, serves as the Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer for the City of Philadelphia. Formerly, she served as the Director of the Illinois office of the Corporation for Supportive Housing and is the Immediate Past national president of the American Planning Association. With over two decades of experience in urban planning, affordable housing, and community development, Brooks has established herself as a leading voice in housing policy and zoning reform.

In her previous role at the Corporation for Supportive Housing, Brooks oversaw training, lending, technical assistance, and systems change work throughout Illinois, managing a $10M office budget and implementing racial equity frameworks through system change work. Her leadership was instrumental in implementing the Central Referral System for permanent supportive housing in Chicago, prioritizing services for the most vulnerable populations.

As the Chief Housing and Urban Development Officer for Philadelphia, she leverages her extensive experience to address the city's housing challenges and urban development needs.

Brooks previously served on influential boards and commissions, including the Chicago Board of Zoning Appeals, the Illinois Affordable Housing Advisory Commission, City of Seattle Planning Commission and King County Washington Boundary Review Board. She also served as the co-chair of the national Housing Supply Accelerator, working with communities nationwide to address housing needs. Her expertise in housing policy and zoning reform.

A native of Seattle, Brooks holds a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Jackson State University and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the University of New Orleans. She has dedicated her career to ensuring every human has a safe, decent, affordable place to not only call home, but to thrive. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Brooks is a kidney donor and passionate advocate working to increase minority organ donors.

Leah Eppinger

Leah Eppinger, AICP is the Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the County of Dauphin. The Authority runs both a Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Program and serves approximately 2000 households in the County. As the President of an affiliate non-profit, she continues to find creative solutions to the difficult housing environment by finding new, untapped funding sources. Additionally, Leah is the President of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association.