Unsheltered Conversations

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

For most young people, turning 18 doesn’t mean suddenly becoming completely independent.

There may still be parents to call, a bedroom to return to, help with tuition or a car repair, advice about a job, or simply someone who can say, “Come home.”

But what happens when that safety net isn’t there?

Salt Lake County Youth Services’ Milestone Transitional Living Program serves young adults ages 18–21 who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness, helping them build the stability, skills, relationships, and resources necessary to move toward independence.

HomeAid Utah recently partnered with Salt Lake County Youth Services, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Concord Homes, and dozens of trade partners to completely renovate a four-bedroom Milestone home in Sandy.

The result is more than a renovated house. It is a place where young adults can begin building their futures.

This conversation explores youth homelessness, the transition to adulthood, the importance of supportive services, the role of dignified housing, and what can happen when government, nonprofits, faith communities, and the building industry work together.

Guests:

• Lisa Wright — Executive Director, HomeAid Utah
• Mina Koplin — Section Manager, Salt Lake County Youth Services
• Nathan “Nate” Meinzer — Assistant Director of External Operations, Utah Office of Homelessness Services

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

Five years after the Caldor Fire devastated Grizzly Flats, some families were still living in RVs on the properties where their homes once stood.

Rebuilding after a disaster is far more complicated than simply replacing a house. Insurance gaps, escalating construction costs, building requirements, limited resources, and the loss of federal individual assistance left some longtime residents unable to return to permanent homes.

El Dorado County began looking for another solution.

That effort eventually brought together county government, HomeAid Sacramento, the building industry, nonprofit organizations, and the families themselves to create an innovative pathway home.

On August 17, 2026, five years to the day after the fire swept through Grizzly Flats, the first two families received the keys to their newly completed homes.

This episode explores what happened during those five years, why traditional systems weren’t enough for some families, how an unusual public-private-nonprofit partnership emerged, and what other communities can learn from Grizzly Flats.

At its heart, this is a conversation about what it really means to rebuild home.

Amber Robbins is Executive Director of HomeAid Sacramento.

Karen Garner is Director of Planning and Building for El Dorado County and has been deeply involved in finding solutions for Grizzly Flats residents trying to rebuild.

Christopher Brown is a longtime leader in the Sacramento homebuilding industry, Principal of NEXT New Homes Group and NEXT Crafted, and one of the building-industry leaders helping bring these homes to life.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

One of the beautiful things about HomeAid is that while we're known for building housing and shelter, sometimes one of the most meaningful things we can build is much simpler.

A bed.

For most of us, a bed is something we probably don't think twice about.

But for a child whose family is experiencing financial hardship, housing instability, displacement, or another crisis, having their own bed can represent so much more than a place to sleep.

Some of these children may be entering foster care or living with relatives through a kinship placement.

Others may be able to remain safely at home with parents who love and care deeply for them but are simply going through a season when their resources don't match their needs.

In either situation, a bed can represent:

Stability. Safety. Comfort. Dignity. Belonging.

And perhaps most importantly, it can tell a child: You matter. There is a place for you here.

Today, we're joined by three people who have come together to help make that possible.

• Scott Sheppard, Executive Director of HomeAid North Texas.
• Doniqua Lewis, Regional Faith-Based and Community Engagement Specialist with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
• Tony Childress, Owner and President of ChildressEngineering Services.

Together, we're going to talk about why these beds are needed, the children and families they serve, how the North Texas building industry has rallied around this effort, and what can happen when government, nonprofits, businesses, and volunteers come together around a very practical need.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

This July, more than 1,600 advocates, service providers, and policymakers gathered in Washington, D.C. for the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference — three days of hard conversations, urgent calls to action, and a rallying cry to "Fight Like Hell" to bring people home.

Today, Brenda Ketah joins us to share what she saw, heard, and felt while representing HomeAid America at the conference. From walking the halls of Congress on Capitol Hill Day, to sessions on the rising number of seniors experiencing homelessness, the growing intersection of housing and healthcare, and the innovative ways communities are working to prevent homelessness before it starts, Brenda brings back a national picture that is both sobering and full of hope.

We talk about the funding fights facing service providers, why storytelling matters in the halls of power, and where HomeAid — as builders, conveners, and partners — fits into the movement to end homelessness.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

Today's conversation is a little different.

Many of you know today's guest as one of the nation's leading housing economists. Ali Wolf has spent years helping us understand housing markets, affordability, demographics, and the economic forces shaping our communities.

But today we're not talking about mortgage rates, housing starts, or the economy.

Instead, we're talking about something much more personal.

Ali recently returned from Ethiopia, where she experienced a very different perspective on housing, poverty, community, and hope. Her reflections resonated with me because they reminded us that behind every statistic are real people, real families, and real stories.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

One of the recurring themes on this podcast is that homelessness is not a simple problem with a single solution. It is complex, interconnected, and deeply tied to housing, economics, public policy, health, and community.

But complexity cannot become an excuse for inaction.

Today’s guest has spent much of his career helping communities think differently about homelessness and how to solve it.

Joining me is Jeff Olivet, former Executive Director of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness and currently a consultant with the Urban Land Institute’s Homeless to Housed Initiative.

Jeff has helped shape ULI’s newly released 10 Principles for Addressing Homelessness, a powerful framework calling on the real estate and development industries to become active participants in ending homelessness.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

Today’s guest is legendary world surfing champion, entrepreneur, leadership speaker, and author Shaun Tomson. Shaun is one of the most influential surfers of all time and the author of Surfer’s Code: 12 Simple Lessons for Riding Through Life, now celebrating its 20th anniversary edition.

But this conversation is about far more than surfing.

It’s about fathers and sons.

About grief and purpose.

About the lessons we inherit and the ones we choose to pass on.

Many in the HomeAid family had the privilege of hearing Shaun speak at our NationalLeadership Conference in Utah last year, where he challenged us to think deeply about resilience, personal responsibility, and living intentionally. Shaun also spent time with the residents at The Other Side Academy, sharing his story and listening to theirs, a powerful reminder that every life includes wipeouts, recovery, and the courage to paddle back out again.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

Today's episode is a little different because we're talking about something that sits at the intersection of leadership, business, philanthropy, and purpose.

The homebuilding industry does more than build homes. At its best, it creates opportunities, strengthens communities, and helps address some of society's most pressing challenges.

One of the organizations helping lead that conversation is Shore Consulting. Through its "Partners with Purpose" initiative, Shore Consulting has intentionally aligned with three nonprofit organizations that are making a difference in unique ways: HomeAid, the She Built Foundation, and Homes for Hope.

Joining us today are Jeff Shore, Founder of Shore Consulting; Mollie Elkman, Founder and Chair of the She Built Foundation; and Matthew Baehr, President of Homes for Hope.

We'll discuss how these partnerships came together, why they matter, and how the upcoming Shore Consulting Sales & Marketing Leadership Summit in San Diego will help connect industry leaders with meaningful opportunities to serve.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

When we think about homelessness and housing insecurity, we often think about the need for shelter. But for many families, especially those living paycheck to paycheck, another challenge is happening simultaneously: food insecurity.

Across the country, millions of children rely on school not only for education, but often for consistent meals and support. When families struggle to make ends meet, schools frequently become the first place where needs are identified and assistance is provided.

Today's guests represent an inspiring example of how communities can come together to address those needs.

Joining me are Taylor Booth, Executive Director of HomeAid Southern Nevada, and Justin Zaricki of Tri Pointe Homes, who serves as Vice President of HomeAid Southern Nevada's Board of Directors and Chair of the Shelter Build Committee. Justin has been involved in every school pantry project HomeAid Southern Nevada has completed.

Together we'll discuss how these projects came to life, why they matter, and what happens when the building industry uses its expertise to support children and families beyond traditional housing projects.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America.

As summer approaches, many Americans look forward to longer days, vacations, and warmer weather. But in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas, extreme heat can quickly become deadly especially for people experiencing homelessness.

For individuals living unsheltered, temperatures well above 100 degrees are not just uncomfortable; they create serious medical emergencies involving dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and even death.

Today’s conversation is about preparedness, compassion, partnership, and action.

Joining me are two leaders deeply engaged in this work:

Cindy Quenneville, Executive Director of HomeAid Phoenix, and Amy Schwabenlender, CEO of Keys to Change, one of Arizona’s leading organizations serving individuals experiencing homelessness and operating key intake and coordinated response efforts throughout the region.

Together, we’ll discuss what extreme heat means on the front lines of homelessness, how communities prepare and respond, and what all of us including the building industry can do to help save lives.

Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠.