On May 20, 2002, a National Forum was held to develop and advocate for a comprehensive housing policy for the nation. A group of mayors and public and private sector housing leaders called for housing to be made a national priority. The Forum participants reaffirmed the importance of housing to the vitality and stability of our nation's cities and agreed that housing is intricately linked to national priorities, such as education, public safety and healthcare. There was a call for a comprehensive national housing policy that addresses the variety of housing challenges in our urban communities including homeownership, rental housing, public housing, special needs housing and homelessness issues.