Historic buildings can become a powerful part of a community’s future.

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Katie sits down with Marie Cervay Hickle, Vice President at PNC, to explain how historic tax credits and new markets tax credits help bring aging buildings back to life.

Marie has more than 15 years of experience in community development finance. She has helped originate and close more than $450 million in tax credit equity across the country.

The conversation explores how developers can turn vacant mills, overlooked landmarks, former schools, and other underused properties into housing and community spaces. Marie breaks down how historic tax credits work, why experienced financing partners matter, and how new markets tax credits can support projects that bring healthcare, education, jobs, and social services into low-income communities.

Katie and Marie also discuss the renovation of Cleveland’s West Side Market and a 125-year-old South Carolina denim mill that became a 205-unit apartment community with lofts, a fitness center, coworking space, and modern amenities.

You’ll learn:
• How historic tax credits help fill gaps in a development capital stack
• Which buildings can qualify for historic tax credits
• How new markets tax credits support community development
• Why adaptive reuse can strengthen neighborhoods
• How banks evaluate community development projects
• Why redevelopment can create challenges around gentrification
• How developers can begin the tax credit process

Learn more about Katie Goar and Quadel at quadel.com.

Chapters

00:00 How historic buildings can shape the future of communities
01:14 Meet Marie Cervay Hickle of PNC
01:44 Marie’s path from engineering to community development finance
03:52 The Cleveland hotel renovation that shaped Marie’s career
05:00 Why new markets tax credits matter for low-income communities
06:31 Historic tax credits explained
09:53 Do historic tax credits make renovations more attractive?
12:40 Restoring Cleveland’s West Side Market
15:31 How developers can begin the historic tax credit process
19:54 New markets tax credits explained
22:30 Which projects can qualify for new markets tax credits?
24:29 How PNC evaluates community development investments
27:05 Can redevelopment transform an entire neighborhood?
28:38 The difficult balance between revitalization and gentrification
30:55 PNC’s priority markets for community investment
32:15 How a 125-year-old denim mill became 205 apartments
34:15 Final thoughts

California’s housing crisis has pushed families, investors, and homeowners to rethink what housing can look like.

In this episode of ChangeMakers, Katie Goar sits down with Whitney Hill, co-founder and CEO of SnapADU, to explore how accessory dwelling units, better known as ADUs, are changing the housing landscape across San Diego and beyond.

Whitney shares how SnapADU launched during the 2020 shutdown, why California’s regulatory changes created a massive opportunity, and how her company has now completed more than 100 detached ADU builds.

The conversation covers:
• The real drivers behind ADU demand
• Why families are embracing multi-generational living
• How homeowners are using ADUs for wealth building
• The biggest bottlenecks slowing housing development
• Why permitting and utility regulations remain a challenge
• The future of affordable housing in California
• What most people misunderstand about ADUs

Whitney also explains why the most successful ADU projects focus on quality of life, thoughtful design, and long-term planning instead of simply maximizing density.

If you’re interested in affordable housing, real estate investing, urban development, entrepreneurship, or the future of housing policy, this episode delivers practical insight into one of the fastest-growing housing trends in America.

Subscribe for more conversations with leaders creating real-world solutions in housing, healthcare, business, and community development.

Topics Covered / What You’ll Learn

• What an ADU actually is
• Why California changed ADU laws
• How Snap ADU grew during COVID
• The economics behind ADU investing
• Why multi-generational housing is growing
• The biggest construction and permitting bottlenecks
• How homeowners use ADUs to offset mortgage costs
• The future of housing density in California
• Why San Diego became a hotspot for ADUs
• How thoughtful housing design improves quality of life
• The hidden complexity behind “simple” ADU builds
• How Whitney Hill built a niche construction company

Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:12 Meet Whitney Hill of Snap ADU
01:00 How California’s ADU law changes created opportunity
02:40 The story behind the name Snap ADU
03:30 Why San Diego became an ADU hotspot
05:10 Who is building ADUs today?
06:30 Community concerns around density and parking
08:25 Housing demand and city capacity
09:45 Why California has embraced ADUs
11:00 ADUs as a wealth-building tool
12:15 Multi-generational living success stories
14:20 The realities of running an ADU construction company
16:20 The biggest bottlenecks slowing housing growth
17:45 ADU design trends and creative layouts
19:15 Whitney Hill on leadership and entrepreneurship
21:00 Yale, NYU, and finding her professional niche
22:40 Snap ADU’s future growth strategy
24:30 Can ADUs help affordable housing?
26:20 Closing thoughts

Affordable housing is one of the biggest challenges facing communities today. But how does it actually get funded?

In this episode of ChangeMakers, Katie Goar sits down with Jason Blain, Senior Commercial Banker at Independent Bank*, to break down how banks, developers, and public programs work together to create affordable housing.

Jason shares a behind-the-scenes look at the real financial tools driving housing development, including tax credits, rate buydowns, and community partnerships. He also explains why homeownership still plays a critical role in building long-term wealth and stability.

This conversation goes beyond theory. You’ll hear how affordable housing projects come together, what slows them down, and what needs to change to scale solutions.

*Independent Bank is a Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

The information provided here is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or investment advice. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultation with qualified financial or legal professionals. Banking products, terms, rates, and regulations may vary and are subject to change. Please consult your financial institution or a licensed advisor before making any financial decisions.

🎯 What You’ll Learn:

• How banks fund affordable housing projects
• The role of low-income housing tax credits
• Why affordable housing takes years to develop
• How rate buydown programs reduce costs
• The difference between rental housing and homeownership
• Why small housing projects still create life-changing impact
• What needs to change to increase housing supply

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Intro: The affordable housing challenge
01:10 – Jason Blain’s background and early influence
03:14 – What a regional bank actually does
06:24 – When banks enter housing projects
08:25 – Federal Home Loan Bank explained
10:22 – Rate buydown programs (in simple terms)
13:53 – Why tax credits matter
17:47 – Policy changes that could unlock more housing
19:15 – The Ability Way project (real-world impact)
23:28 – Why some housing projects feel “risky”
25:41 – Homeownership vs rental housing
29:47 – Recognition and community impact
35:51 – Why small housing projects matter

What happens when housing authorities stop pushing paper and start moving people into homes faster?

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Shaina Fite, Public Housing Manager at Yardi, breaks down how outdated systems are slowing down affordable housing and how technology is starting to change that. Shaina shares her journey from growing up in public housing to helping distribute over $200 million in rental assistance, offering a perspective shaped by both lived experience and industry expertise.

The conversation explores why paper-based systems create delays and risk, how automation speeds up housing placement, and what artificial intelligence will change in the next 12 to 24 months. You will also hear how transparency improves trust for residents and agencies, and why the demand for affordable housing continues to rise.

This episode moves beyond policy and gets into the real systems behind housing access and what needs to change to serve people faster and more effectively.

⏱️ Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 Intro
00:13 Meet Shaina Fite
01:25 How she got into affordable housing
03:31 Growing up in public housing
06:01 How lived experience shapes leadership
10:49 What Yardi does and why it matters
12:29 Why paper systems slow everything down
14:49 How automation speeds up housing
16:36 Transparency for residents and agencies
19:13 Real-time data and decision making
19:57 The role of AI in housing
22:45 How AI frees up human work
24:30 Why agencies resist technology
26:10 The “bootcamp” of software implementation
27:39 Getting teams to adopt new systems
30:22 Why “we’ve always done it this way” is dangerous
32:28 The real cost of outdated systems
34:00 What Yardi does better
36:17 The future of AI in housing
37:41 Will AI replace jobs?
39:31 The growing need for affordable housing
42:18 Final thoughts

America doesn’t have a housing construction problem. It has a rules problem.

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Jared Jones, co-founder of Middle Housing Partners, breaks down how microfill housing, ADUs, duplexes, and small multi-unit developments are reshaping affordability.

Jared explains why millions of homes are missing from the market, how outdated zoning laws slowed growth for decades, and how new legislation is opening the door for everyday developers to build again.

You’ll hear why nurses, teachers, and working families are priced out of their own communities, and how small-scale housing projects are bringing them back.

If you care about housing, policy, or the future of your community, this conversation lays out a clear path forward.

00:00 Intro
00:13 Meet Jared Jones and Middle Housing Partners
01:10 From mortgage industry to housing developer
02:32 What is microfill housing?
03:51 How new laws changed development
06:36 Why zoning reform matters
09:30 How neighborhoods react to new housing
12:25 The real scale of the housing shortage
14:18 Why building takes too long
16:12 Why Wall Street dominates housing
18:40 SB9 and new housing laws explained
21:44 Why current solutions aren’t enough
23:07 The “starter home” solution
25:40 Workforce housing crisis explained
26:38 Why nurses can’t afford homes
31:02 Real community impact of housing shortages
34:50 The Middle Housing Revolution book
37:10 Fixing the broken system
41:21 What’s next: scaling the solution

Most solutions to homelessness focus on policy. Beth Silverman is taking a different approach.

On this episode of ChangeMakers, Katie Goar sits down with Beth Silverman, co-founder and executive director of the Lotus Campaign, to break down how private sector partnerships are creating real housing solutions.

Beth explains how her model connects landlords, developers, and social services to reduce risk, remove barriers, and create access to housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

You’ll hear why homelessness is often misunderstood, how small financial gaps keep people out of housing, and what it takes to build a system that actually works at scale.

If you care about affordable housing, real estate, or social impact, this conversation gives you a clear look at what works.

⏱️ CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Beth Silverman
00:45 How Lotus Campaign started
03:00 The real problem behind homelessness
05:20 Why the private sector is missing from the solution
08:00 The Lotus model explained
11:30 Breaking myths about homelessness
15:00 How to get landlords to say yes
18:30 Risk, incentives, and real estate alignment
22:00 Tools that help people access housing
26:00 Real success stories (Mario’s journey)
30:00 Scaling the model across cities
34:00 Final thoughts on solving homelessness

Housing affordability is one of the fastest growing challenges in America. 

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Morgan Mansa breaks down what’s really happening behind the housing crisis, and why the solution is more complex than most people think. 

Morgan is the Director of Housing Affordability and Community Revitalization for Wake County, one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S. She has helped drive thousands of housing solutions by focusing on systems that move people from instability to long-term housing. 

In this conversation, she shares: 

Why building more housing alone will not solve affordability 
The importance of where housing is built, not just how much 
How thoughtful placement impacts opportunity, education, and mobility 
A real-world example of a mixed community that blends families, seniors, and artists 
Why the term “affordable housing” might be part of the problem

This episode challenges the common narrative and offers a more practical look at how communities can create housing that works.

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Katie sits down with Dontrelle Young Foster, President and CEO of the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, to explore what it takes to transform communities from the inside out. Drawing on 25 years of leadership and service, Foster shares how HABD’s 90 year legacy is evolving through bold redevelopment, public private partnerships, and a long term strategy called Thrive 2035 aimed at revitalizing 12 communities and thousands of housing units.

Foster reflects on her journey from finance analyst to CEO, her early connection with residents, and how housing work moves far beyond bricks and mortar to create pathways for education, workforce mobility, and generational wealth. She addresses the tension between providing support and promoting self sufficiency, highlights the impact of Family Self Sufficiency programs, and explains why affordable housing is a “hand up” that stabilizes families one day away from homelessness.

Raised in Selma and shaped by its civil rights history, Foster brings faith, humility, and lived experience to her leadership. From expanding daycare access to addressing long waiting lists and funding gaps, she outlines a clear vision for economic mobility and homeownership across Birmingham. 

For housing professionals and emerging leaders, this conversation delivers practical wisdom on resilience, partnership building, and leading with mission at scale.

On this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Katie sits down with Family Scholar House President and CEO Cathe Dykstra for a bold conversation about what affordable housing should really accomplish. 

Cathe leads one of the nation’s most comprehensive models linking housing, education, and long-term economic mobility. Serving more than 106,000 households across 48 states, Family Scholar House helps single parents and young adults not only secure stable housing but earn college degrees, build careers, and move permanently off government assistance. 

This episode challenges the “bootstrap” myth and reframes affordable housing as a pathway out of poverty, not a lifetime in it. Cathe shares powerful stories of resilience, explains the economic cost of trauma, and reveals how wraparound services, data tracking across 250 household metrics, and cross-sector partnerships are transforming families and influencing policy. 

If you care about housing, workforce development, trauma recovery, or scalable solutions to poverty, this conversation delivers both heart and hard data.

In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Katie sits down with Marcia Davis, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers, for a powerful conversation about leadership, resilience, and the future of affordable housing in Southwest Florida. Marcia shares how growing up in public housing shaped her career and why she chose to spend more than two decades working inside the system to create stability and opportunity for families. From her early work as a child welfare investigator to leading one of Florida’s most ambitious housing redevelopment efforts, her story shows how lived experience drives policy, planning, and people first leadership The conversation also covers the impact of Hurricane Ian and how disaster recovery funds allowed Fort Myers to preserve and rebuild housing at a scale never before possible. Marcia walks through how more than eighty million dollars in recovery funding now supports new construction, major rehabilitation, and hurricane resistant senior housing designed to protect residents during future storms This episode offers a clear look at what modern housing authority leadership looks like when strategy, community, and compassion align.