The Building Beat

Shelby County Department of Housing Administrator Scott Walkup returns as a guest host to talk with his longtime department colleague Israel Henry about their department's Down Payment Assistance Program. Israel shares how homebuyers can gain access to up to $6,000 to help cover their down payment and closing costs during their homebuying process.

More information about the Shelby County Department of Housing's Down Payment Assistance Program can be found on their Housing Programs website: www.develop901.com/housing-programs

If you have any questions for Israel or Scott, email them to [email protected].

In this special episode, staff members from departments across the Division of Planning and Development share their personal stories of service—why they chose public service, what brought them to Memphis and Shelby County, and what inspires them to support the division's core mission. Hear firsthand the passion and purpose behind the people working every day to prepare Memphis and Shelby County for a stronger, better future.

The staff featured in this episode include Alexis Longstreet, Brett Ragsdale, Dana Sjostrom, Isaac Bacon, John Storms, Kate Horton, Katrina Redmond, Keiaron Randle, Kendra Cobbs, Margot Payne, Mario Moton, Nidia Logan-Robinson, Pragati Srivasta, and Rita Anderson.

This episode is the last for Season 1 of The Building Beat. Season 2 will premiere in September 2026.

If you have any questions about this episode, email them to [email protected].

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with Sustainability Planner Robin Richardson to explore the 2025 Heat Watch Campaign and the massive community effort behind its large-scale heat‑mapping event. Robin explains how the project began, the local organizations and institutions that joined forces, how the initiative was funded, and the training volunteers received to collect accurate temperature data. She also breaks down what the heat map revealed about which areas of Memphis and Shelby County experience the most extreme temperatures. This collaborative project now provides valuable insights to guide future cooling strategies, inform potential community projects, and even help identify ideal locations for cooling centers during the hottest months of the year.


The resulting data from this project is available to review on the Office of Sustainability and Resilience's website: https://www.shelbycountyosr.com/heatwatch2025

Have questions for Nicholas or Robin? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode

Producer Breana Miller interviews Sustainability Planner Logan Landry about her role within the Office of Sustainability and Resilience, how her previous internship with the department made way for her current role, what types of projects she works on with her colleagues, and how data measurement and tracking are essential to providing informed recommendations and suggestions within government.

Have any questions for Logan? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews zoning consultants Arista Strungys and Chris Jennette of Camiros about their collaborative work with division staff planners for the Unified Development Code (UDC) update. They bring their collective decades of experience working with other planning departments across the country to informing recomendations on changes in written zoning guidance and explanations here in Memphis and Shelby County. Arista and Chris share how they find satisfaction in helping municipalities simplify zoning for their residents and prepare for future development and growth.

This episode is the second part in a two-part series about the Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.

Have questions for Nicholas, Arista, or Chris? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup sits down with the Division’s new Director, Brett Ragsdale, for a wide‑ranging conversation about his vision for the Division and what’s ahead for the team. Drawing on his experience as Zoning Administrator, Brett talks about the opportunities he sees in this next chapter and highlights how each department’s work supports our shared mission of people-centered, community-focused public service. Together, they offer an inside look at the Division’s priorities, upcoming initiatives, and the ongoing effort to strengthen neighborhoods across Memphis and Shelby County.

Have questions for Brett or Nicholas? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Comprehensive Planning Administrator Christina Edingbourgh and Project Manager Isaac Bacon about infusing community voice into land use planning in Memphis and the upcoming Unified Development Code update affecting Shelby County. They discuss the differences between the future land use map and the zoning map and how their work is considering the future of Memphis and Shebly County.

This episode is the first part in a two-part series about the upcoming Unified Development Code (UDC) update and adoption process.

Have questions for Nicholas, Christina, or Issac? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Memphis 3.0 website: www.memphis3point0.com

Unified Development Code (UDC) Update website: https://www.901udcupdate.com/

Host Nicholas Wardroup interviews Office of Sustainability & Resilience (OSR) Administrator Leigh Huffman Moyer and Shelby County Department of Housing Planning and Programs Manager Dana Sjostrom about recent improvements made to parks in Memphis and Millington that were heavily affected by the historic regional flooding in 2011.

Updating park infrastructure involved working with community and government stakeholders on engineering and design, having publich outreach for project input, and applying for and managing federal disaster recovery grant funds. But the sum of this work continues to be evident in scenic parks with amenities that are prepared for future flooding issues.

Have questions for Nicholas, Leigh, or Dana? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

Land Use Planner Nicholas Wardroup interviews Preservation Planners Ayse Penzes and Margot Payne about the role of the Memphis Landmarks Commission and the purpose of locally recognized historic district designations for residents in those districts. Ayse and Margot also share how the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA) approval process works and what residents can do to become more involved in their historic districts.

Have questions for Nicholas, Ayse, or Margot? Email them to [email protected], and you'll get an answer on a future episode.

For the conclusion of this two-part series on tiny homes, Building Official Rita Anderson interviews Land Use and Development Services Manager Lucas Skinner to discuss zoning compliance and historic district guidelines as they apply to tiny homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes.

This episode complements part one in the series focused on local, state, and federal building code compliance related to modular and manufactured homes.

Have questions for Rita or Lucas? Or maybe you have a request for a multiple-part episode series? Email them to [email protected]!