CONVERSATIONS WITH MONTCO, PA COMMISSIONERS

On January 31, 2025, at the Conversations with Montgomery County Commissioners, the power of the people was at work. Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai and Roberta Brooks attended the Community Advocacy Network (CAN) of the Bucks-Mont Collaborative with Montgomery County Commissioners hosted by Health Sparks Foundation in Lansdale, PA. The meeting was attended by all three County Commissioners (Mr. Neil Makhija, Mrs. Jamila Winder, and Mr. Thomas DiBello) and about one hundred people from nonprofit organizations, businesses and members of the community. Two CEOs from nonprofit organizations (TLC for the People, and Your Way Home) and the HealthSpark Foundation CEO presented the escalating issues about Housing Insecurity and Homelessness in the County followed by response from each of the three MONTCO Commissioners. The three Commissioners shared the County’s initiatives following the Grants Pass Decision with the audience. The Commissioners also fielded questions from the audience, one of which was from Dr. Bernadine Ahonkhai, Founder & CEO of Coalition4Justice, Montgomery County, PA. (See Photo). Dr. Ahonkhai asked the Commissioners what was being done, if anything, about the housing insecurity and the homelessness situation in Norristown, the seat of Montgomery County government, and the bureaucratic and prohibitive borough zoning ordinance that prevents developers from building affordable houses in the borough. The meeting ended with a Norristown Police Officer, Robert Langdon, sharing his experience with our unhoused residents and making a passionate statement and plea about the urgency in addressing the critical issue of our unhoused county residents and the need for compassion and some understanding because not every individual without a legal house to sleep in is a drug addict. CAN is committed to stand tall and side by side with MONTCO Commissioners to address housing insecurity, homelessness, and mental health issues in our communities.