Charles Marohn to Keynote 2026 Housing Matters Symposium

The Polk County Housing Trust Fund (PCHTF) has announced that Charles Marohn, the founder of the nonprofit organization Strong Towns, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Housing Matters Symposium. The event is scheduled for April 30, 2026, from 8 a.m. To 11:30 a.m. In the Junior Ballroom of the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines.

This year’s symposium is titled Yes in My Neighborhood and focuses on community-scale solutions designed to expand housing choices and strengthen neighborhoods. The half-day event aims to bring together local and national perspectives to address housing solutions specifically for Central Iowa.

Focus on Housing Policy and Small-Scale Development

During the symposium, Marohn will discuss his book, Escaping the Housing Trap: The Strong Towns Response to the Housing Crisis. The text examines pro-housing policy choices in an era where homes serve as essential investments for owners but have become increasingly unaffordable for a large portion of the population.

Strong Towns, the organization founded by Marohn and headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, advocates for the creation of financially resilient, safe and walkabout communities. The organization was established in 2008 and identifies six specific policy choices that local communities can implement to become Housing-Ready Cities.

A central component of the Strong Towns approach is the support of local small-scale developers. This objective aligns with the PCHTF’s own initiatives, specifically through its Develop the Developer Launchpad program.

Symposium Agenda and Objectives

Beyond the keynote address, the 2026 Housing Matters Symposium will explore nontraditional sites for potential housing developments. The event will also showcase developers who are utilizing innovative strategies to construct new homes.

The PCHTF stated that it will announce additional speakers in the future to provide examples of how these national housing ideas can be applied within the Central Iowa region.

Event Logistics and Support

The symposium is presented with support from the Des Moines Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) and AARP Iowa, both of whom serve as presenting sponsors.

Attendance for the event is free, although registration is required. The Junior Ballroom venue is located on the 100 level of the EMC Expo Center, a space formerly known as the Iowa Hall of Pride.

For attendees arriving by vehicle, parking is available in a surface lot located between the Iowa Events Center and Interstate 235, with entrances on 3rd and 7th Streets. Access to this parking is via exit 8A from Interstate 235, with a cost of $13 for cars, and trucks. The Iowa Events Center operates as a cashless facility.