December 22, 2023 — Collier County Public Schools (CCPS) will take part in an upcoming community forum addressing the need for workforce housing. Greater Naples Leadership (GNL) is organizing the event to be held on Wednesday, January 11th, 2023, from 3:00 PM – 5:30 PM at the Naples United Church of Christ, 5200 Crayton Road, Naples. (Note from organizers: the event has moved to a new location to accommodate greater than anticipated community response and registrants.) The forum is free, and all are encouraged to attend. Please register to attend at GNL Workforce Housing Forum.
GNL is partnering with other Collier County organizations — NCH Healthcare System, Collier Community Foundation, Justice Committee of Naples United Church of Christ, and the League of Women Voters of Collier County — and leaders to address this issue exacerbated by Hurricane Ian. The hope is to motivate citizens to encourage our local officials and private parties to take action to solve this crisis. Representatives from several local major employers are scheduled to speak, including CCPS Assistant Superintendent of Human Resource Valerie Wenrich. GNL President Kitty Keane said, “The lack of affordable housing in Collier County affects all of us. If we want to be treated at NCH, if we need to call for help from the police or fire departments, if we care about the quality of local education, then we need to find local places where the people who provide these services can afford to live.”
Scheduled speakers:
- Michael Boose - Senior Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development, Arthrex
- Darlyn Estes - Director, Management Services, Collier County Sheriff’s Office
- Paul Hiltz - CEO, NCH Healthcare System
- Dan Lavender - CEO, Moorings Park Communities
- Tony Ridgway - owner of Ridgway Bar & Grill, Tony’s off Third, Bayside Seafood Grill & Bar
- Joe Trachtenberg - Chair, Collier County Affordable Housing Advisory Committee
- Val Wenrich - Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Collier County Public Schools
- Michael Wynn - Chairman, Wynn Companies
