We are sad to announce that we will be canceling the upcoming Learning Session, which was slated for April 14-16, 2020, and rescheduling Cities for Zero, the convening co-hosted with The Rockefeller Foundation.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, we know that it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of you, your team, our partners, and staff across the country. Due to the risk of transmission presented by large gatherings, we consulted with public health experts and community leaders and reviewed guidance from the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With what we have learned, we believe that canceling the Learning Session and rescheduling the convening are the most responsible ways forward. 

• Next Steps on the Learning Session. We understand how critical Learning Sessions are to your work and this movement. With that in mind, our team is currently working to figure out how to best support you in its absence. In the meantime, please know that the next Learning Session will take place in October 2020. 
• Next steps on The Rockefeller Convening. We are working with our partners at The Rockefeller Foundation to find a new time for this event this year, and hope to be in contact very soon. We have updated your elected and municipal leaders as well. 

We also want to acknowledge that many of you and your teams have invested time and resources to join us. 

• If you booked a room at the Learning Session hotel, Hyatt Regency Crystal City at Reagan National Airport, please cancel your reservation with them directly.
• If you will be seeking reimbursements for flights, please find a letter here that you can share with airlines. 
• If the cancellation of the Learning Session presents other financial hardships, please fill out this form to apply for support from our team. 

Finally, we know that many of you and your communities are responding to the dangers that this health emergency poses to people experiencing homelessness. We are committed to learning from you and sharing that knowledge across the collaborative so we can better support one another. 

We are grateful to be in community with you all, and sorry that we will not be together in April. Please stay safe, and don’t hesitate to reach out to Starr Simpson at ssimpson@community.solutions if you have any concerns. 

Sincerely,

Beth Sandor, Jake Maguire, and the Built for Zero Team