In preparation for next month’s CSG West 76th Annual Meeting, we take this opportunity to highlight some of the fantastic speakers presenting at this year’s event. Addressing critical topics from artificial intelligence (AI) to the US-China relationship, CSG West has a dynamic lineup for those attending. We kick it off below with a spotlight on speakers Shane Phillips and Ben Eikey.

Spotlight: Shane Phillips

Housing Initiative Project Manager, UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies

Housing Affordability & Homelessness in the Rapidly Growing West

Hosted by the Housing Committee

Tuesday, November 14

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

CSG West is pleased to have Shane Phillips lead this timely discussion to address one of state policymakers’ most complex challenges – the current housing crisis. Shane is a researcher and consultant on housing policy and affordability. He manages the Housing Initiative within the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies and co-hosts the UCLA Housing Voice Podcast, a biweekly interview show that translates emerging research for a non-academic audience. Shane is author of the book The Affordable City and has written for publications including The Atlantic and the Los Angeles Times, taught at the University of Southern California, and worked with government and non-profit organizations on identifying context-specific solutions to their housing challenges.



During this session, participants session will assess the persisting barriers of initiatives to address housing affordability, availability, and stability. Key areas of discussion will include topics often framed as contradictory to one another – such as increased housing production “versus” stronger tenant protections – and the diverse coalitions that may be needed to meet these challenges effectively.

Spotlight: Ben Eikey

Manager of State Training and Development, Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy

Trends in Government Accountability, Transparency, and Oversight

Hosted by the Legislative Oversight Committee

Monday, November 13

10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Ben Eikey is the Manager of State Training and Development at the Levin Center for Oversight and Democracy. His primary responsibilities include helping build the State Oversight Academy by developing quality programming for state legislators and the public. He does this through state legislative oversight workshops for a national audience, short podcasts on specific oversight topics called FAST Classes, and state-specific content, including workshops at state capitols across the country.

Ben helps equip legislators with the tools and best practices needed for bipartisan fact-finding, and to empower legislators to see differences in perspective as an advantage when seeking facts together. Whether it is how to ask better questions in a hearing, how to leverage a department budget to secure a reporting requirement for a government program or service, or how to build an oversight plan when approaching a long-term investigation, Ben is ready to assist legislators through the State Oversight Academy to help fulfill the legislature’s role as the “eyes and ears” of the people.

Upcoming Events

CSG West is excited to host the upcoming Legislative Council on River Governance (LCRG), which will convene October 16-19 in Whitefish, Montana. Established in 1998, LCRG is a cooperative, bipartisan program comprised of state legislators from Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Through collaborative efforts, members can exchange information and identify solutions to address the challenges and opportunities along the Columbia and Snake River basins.

Focal points at this year’s event will include:

• Columbia River Treaty Modernization Negotiation

• Columbia River Basin State Perspectives, Insights, and Priorities for the Columbia Treaty

• Aquatic Invasive Species Prevention and Mitigation: A Four State Perspective

• Northwest Power Planning and Conservation

• Policy tours of the Flathead Lake Biological Station, Lake Koocanusa, and Libby Dam

For questions, please contact Jackie Tinetti at jtinetti@csg.org. CSG West looks forward to seeing you in Whitefish!