On Saturday (Dec. 7), the University of Notre Dame’s School of Architecture will host its second annual summit for the 100-Mile Coalition. Created by the school’s Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative, the coalition comprises community leaders from cities within a 100-mile radius of the University.

The 100-Mile Coalition seeks to bring together city and nonprofit organization leaders who are working toward solutions related to housing shortages, disinvested communities, failed infrastructure and stagnant economic growth, as well as talent and workforce retention.

“We are living in a unique time where cities with place-based visions are able to unlock millions of dollars in grant funding,” said Stefanos Polyzoides, the Francis and Kathleen Rooney Dean of the School of Architecture. “The goal of this event is to assist communities in learning how to implement projects that drive catalytic development, attract investment and serve as models of positive growth.”

The School of Architecture launched the coalition last year with participants from the cities of South Bend, Gary and La Porte in Indiana, as well as representatives from the Health Foundation of La Porte, the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County and the city of Kalamazoo, Michigan. The summit has expanded this year to include representatives of regional housing nonprofits, community foundations and county representatives.

“The coalition has formed a network to share knowledge and solutions for common planning and development issues,” said Marianne Cusato, director of the Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative. “The case studies and research generated will offer support to communities both nationally and globally.”

The Housing and Community Regeneration Initiative began in 2021 and has since conducted eight Dean’s Charrettes throughout northern Indiana and southwest Michigan. It seeks to provide ideas and opportunities for partnership among participating municipalities. Each charrette comprises a series of community listening sessions followed by a weeklong public planning and design session. It results in a final report with recommendations and action items for community leaders to begin to rebuild and revitalize their city’s downtown and neighborhoods.

With the goal of growing the network of participants, the summit will include keynote addresses and roundtable discussions post-charrette on key topics that include next steps, creating action plans, overcoming barriers and economic and physical changes.

Contact: Carrie Gates, associate director of media relations, 574-993-9220 or c.gates@nd.edu