Unger to host mtg. on growth Affordable housing, eminent domain to be discussed Monday LONG BRANCH - City Councilman Brian Unger is scheduled to host a forum titled, "Toward a Sustainable Long Branch: A Dialogue on Community Equity and Smart Growth" on Monday. The forum is planned to be held at city hall on Broadway from 6-9:15 p.m. "Community equity" refers to public and private partnerships, planning, and investments that generate long-term economic and social growth for existing communities, according to a press release from Unger. "The overall focus of the conference is to explore issues and opportunities to make sure Long Branch keeps and grows its affordable housing stock, creates good jobs, and ensures we maintain community diversity for future generations," Unger said. The keynote speakers at the event will be Carlos Rodriguez, vice president and New Jersey director of the regional plan association, and N.J. Deputy Public Advocate Brian Weeks. Steven Anderson of Virginia-based Castle Coalition will discuss the results of a landmark economic impacts study on eminent domain released earlier this year, according to the release. There will be three panels at the meeting to discuss redevelopment affordable housing and eminent domain. The first panel includes experts on the subject of recreation, historic preservation, housing, diversity and sustainably designed communities, with speakers William Rosenblatt of Surfrider Foundation; Harold Creacy, CEO of Ocean-Monmouth Legal Services; Frank Esposito, an historian at Kean University; and Joe Acerra, a journeyman carpenter with the United Brotherhood of Carpenters. The panel moderator is Jeff Tittel, executive director of the N.J. Sierra Club. The second panel is on affordable housing and community equity. Speakers include Donna Rose Blaize of the Affordable Housing Alliance; Lorenzo "Bill" Dangler, president of the Greater Long Branch NAACP; Darcy Dobens, executive director of the Long Branch Concordance; Connie Pascale of the N.J. Legal Services; and William Nordahl of the Concerned Citizens Coalition. The third panel will focus on eminent domain policy going forward, economic development issues and features Weeks, Anderson, Paul Fernicola of Bowe & Fernicola; Professor Donald Moliver of Monmouth University's Kislak Real Estate Institute; and Denise Hoagland of the MTOTSA Alliance. The panel moderator is Jeffrey Ross Williams, a public policy consultant based in Washington, D.C. For more information or to get a copy of the proposed agenda for the forum, visit to www.smartgrowthlongbranch. com.