Wednesday, October 19 at 2 p.m. EDT

This session was conducted using Microsoft's Live Meeting software. Click here to access it as streaming Web/audio.

KnowledgePlex and the National Association of Counties' Center for Sustainable Communities presented an online discussion about the challenges and opportunities for creating quality affordable housing and broadening access to homeownership . Angelo D. Kyle, NACo's immediate past president, championed the issue of affordable housing through a presidential initiative during his term.

Kyle was joined by a distinguished panel of housing experts, who addressed issues such as challenges for builders, regulatory impact, finance tools, and county leadership. The panelists were:

• Steven Nesmith, assistant secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Bobby Rayburn, 2004 president, National Association of Home Builders
• Gwen Thomas, consumer real estate lending sales executive, Bank of America
• Robert S. Weiner, councilman, New Castle County, Del.
• Sheila Maith, managing director, Fannie Mae Foundation (moderator)