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By Jimmy Lee Miller, Vincencia Adusei, Peter J. Wood
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44 ratings
The podcast currently has 15 episodes available.
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It is often said that where you find food insecurity, you will also find housing insecurity. Today’s conversation focuses on enhancing our communities' quality of life by examining the role housing plays in food security. We are joined by Khaatim Sherrer El, whose work is vital to today’s topic. He is the Executive Director of Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA), a non-profit community development corporation dedicated to revitalizing Newark’s Clinton Hill neighborhood. With over 20 years of experience leading place-based initiatives, managing strategic partnerships, and building organizational capacity, Khaatim brings a wealth of knowledge and an exceptional educational background to our discussion. Join us as we explore what inspired Khaatim to pursue community development and revitalization, the correlation between health disparities and housing conditions, the role of the city of Newark in CHCA's work, and the cultural impacts on health and food disparities within the communities they serve. Khaatim also shares his experience managing significant philanthropic investments and leaves listeners with compelling thoughts to reflect on. Thanks for tuning in.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Khaatim Sherrer El on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
How access to quality housing intersects with quality of life such as better health results. Joining us to explore this topic is Gillian Pressman, Managing Director at YIMBY Action. To kick off our conversation, Gillian shares how YIMBY Action is working to legalize housing and remove barriers to affordable housing. We discuss the far-reaching impact of quality housing which touches on education, youth empowerment, and health. Through the lens of her own experience, Gillian illustrates the importance of building housing in opportunity-rich areas so that young professionals don’t need to lower their standards in order to live close to work. Gillian offers actionable advice for those seeking to advocate for affordable housing, focusing on creating options in high-income areas. Join us as we explore fundraising, the relationship between health and housing, zoning, and more. Thanks for listening!
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Gillian Pressman on LinkedIn
Gillian Pressman on X
YIMBY Action
Peer Health Exchange
Generation Citizen
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
The housing and communities that people live in can influence nearly every aspect of their lives; from where they work to how they get there, the quality of the schools in their area, and even their longevity. Today, we take a deep dive into how zoning, land use policies, and efforts like NIMBYism affect affordability, equality in education, and economic mobility in our communities. Joining us to discuss this topic is Yonah Freemark, a Principal Research Associate at the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute. Yonah is the Research Director of the Land Use Lab at Urban where his research focuses on the intersection of land use, affordable housing, transportation, and governance. Tuning in, you’ll learn how the Urban Institute works toward using public policy to create a brighter future for all, what it looks like to close the Black-white wealth gap in America, the need to shift our focus from policy to the needs of the individual, the importance of allowing people access to the communities they want to live in and redirecting investments into the communities that need them most, and much more! You won’t want to miss this thought-provoking conversation.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Yonah Freemark
Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center
Urban Institute
Land Use Lab at Urban (LULU)
Yonah Freemark on X
Yonah Freemark on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
Bringing about positive public policy change requires knowledge, insight, and above all, commitment. Our guest today, Michele "Dr. Tiny" Williams, has had a varied career that spans the military, real estate, and public policy. While conducting research for her recent Ph.D. in Public Policy, she examined the relationship between health and housing, the results of which had a huge impact on the latter half of her career. After realizing the substantial role that geography played in health outcomes, Michele recognized that your zip code shouldn’t determine your lifespan. Her experience during a bike adventure that involved helping communities fix their homes further catalyzed Michele to become involved in housing and public policy. Since then, she has made it her mission to transform public housing and address the systemic inefficiencies that are putting countless people in a position where they face homelessness or risk making dire compromises. She is the chief visionary behind COBA US, a non-profit organization that seeks to establish policy development, with a focus on tiny house communities and affordable rentals. Michele is also the Executive Director of The Fuller Center of Housing in Delaware. In our conversation today, Michele delves into the many elements of her work, including the extensive policy work she’s done over the past few years, the benefits and drawbacks of tiny homes, and how to listen to the needs of the communities you work with before taking action. To learn more about Michele and how these organizations are challenging the status quo, be sure to tune in to this inspiring conversation!
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dirt to Keys website - Soon to launch
Michele A. Williams on LinkedIn
Michele A. Williams Email
The Tiny House Alliance USA
COBA US Info Sheet
The Habitat for Humanity
YIMBY Delaware
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
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Most of us assume that the case for reparations to address the inhumane legacy of slavery is primarily about financial compensation. But that’s not necessarily the case. In part two of our conversation with Valerie White, we take a closer look at systemic inequities in the US and the potential for reparations to begin to repair them. We discuss the role that slavery and segregation played in creating the massive racial wealth gap and how it continues to define modern America. Next, Valerie unpacks what reparations might look like beyond financial compensation, and why systemic change is needed in all sectors of government, from education to housing. She also confronts the polarized state of US politics and the hostility that some groups have toward equity and change. Despite the enduring injustices of the status quo and the glacial pace of systemic change, Valerie still finds reasons for hope in the small victories she comes across in her advocacy work. To hear more of Valerie’s insights, and the remainder of our conversation on disrupting systemic inequities, be sure to tune in today.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Valerie White on LinkedIn
Valerie Email
LISC NY
LISC on LinkedIn
LISC NY on LinkedIn
LISC on Facebook
LISC NY on Facebook
The U.S. Racial Wealth Gap, 1860–2020
The Color of Money
Ford Foundation
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
Founded in 1979, The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a non-profit organization that has played a pivotal role in growing community development initiatives across the country for over three decades. Joining us today to discuss LISC’s work, community advocacy, systemic inequities, and more, is Senior Executive Director at LISC NY Valerie White. We kick off Part I of our conversation with Valerie by talking about her upbringing and how her parents inspired her to become involved with advocacy work and public service. She goes on to describe her time at New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) and reflects on how it shaped her outlook as well as the important work the organization has done for marginalized communities. Valerie also provides a detailed breakdown of the initiatives at LISC NY, including their Developers of Color Program, and why it’s so important for creating greater access and opportunity for BIPOC individuals. She goes on to unpack what can be learned from rapidly developing cities across Africa and the lessons she came away with after her visits to countries like Kenya and Cote d'Ivoire. Join us today to learn about the important work LISC NY is doing to uplift underinvested communities and what to expect from them going forward.
Key Points From This Episode:
Join us in a few weeks for Part I of a can't-miss conversation!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Valerie White on LinkedIn
Valerie White on Twitter
Valerie Email
LISC NY
LISC on LinkedIn
LISC NY on LinkedIn
LISC on Facebook
LISC NY on Facebook
Ford Foundation
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
Send us a text
We are a country in crisis. Poverty, homelessness, and unfit housing continues to plague our society, along with issues of race and gender in America. During today’s conversation, leading economist Dr. Fred McKinney weighs in on the distinction between absolute and relative poverty; his belief is that while there will always be relative poor living among us, our focus should be on eradicating the presence of absolute poverty. Tune in to hear about the importance of government support, how the last six years have revealed that the country is in crisis, and why the poverty crisis cannot be separated from the problem of race and gender. Hear why Dr. Fred’s advice to listeners is that history, government, and activism are all important. He reminds listeners that nobody is going to save you, so you have to band together and get organized. Join the conversation today!
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dr. Fred McKinney on LinkedIn
Dr. Fred McKinney on Twitter
Dr. Fred McKinney on Email
BJM Solutions
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
America is in a housing crisis. Following the pandemic, inflation is on the rise leading to widespread housing issues. With rising rental prices and a plummeting home ownership market, homelessness and substandard housing are also on the rise. Today’s guest, Dr. Fred McKinney, is a leading economist working in higher education and consulting in business development, with a focus on corporate social responsibility and diversity training. During today’s conversation, Dr. Fred shares his insights on the critical role of affordable housing in supporting low and moderate-income citizens, the relationship between mental health and homelessness, and short and long term solutions to the homelessness and ill-housing problem. We touch on the gap between the myth of success and the reality of what it takes to get there, and how business participation in development can help create generational wealth. Dr. Fred shares what he has uncovered through surveying supplier diversity professionals, and reveals the pernicious effect of corporations masquerading as supporting minority-owned businesses. Join us today to hear his thoughts about policing this problem, increasing responsibility, prioritizing fairness and whistleblowing, and much more!
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Dr. Fred McKinney on LinkedIn
Dr. Fred McKinney on Twitter
BJM Solutions
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
Being an entrepreneur is challenging, but if you enter the journey with a willingness to stick through the tough times, you can go further than you ever thought possible. This is the story of today’s guest, Sadie Marshall, who founded Sadie’s Pro Cleaning at the end of 2018. When the pandemic hit and she lost all of her clients, but instead of giving up on her dreams, she pivoted from a commercial and residential cleaning business to a crime scene and hazard cleaning business. Over the past few years, Sadie's Pro Cleaning has grown from strength to strength. Join us today to hear how Sadie has flourished in a male-dominated industry, turning herself from an unemployed single mom into a successful business owner who is getting ready to buy her own house!
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Sadie’s Pro Cleaning Business Line — 183377SADIE
Sadie’s Pro Cleaning Business Line — 2033509464
Sadie’s Pro Cleaning
Sadie’s Pro Cleaning on Facebook
Sadie’s Pro Cleaning on Instagram
Sadie Marshall on Instagram
Dirty Rotten Cleaners
Dirty Rotten Cleaners Episode 3
Dirty Rotten Cleaners Episode 7
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Censere Consulting
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
Send us a text
Today, we are joined by Gregory Russ to talk about how NYCHA is reforming its approach to public housing in New York. Gregory was appointed Chair and CEO of the NYC Housing Authority in 2019. He is a seasoned housing professional with decades of management experience, who has helped to rebuild and strengthen public housing authorities across the country. Gregory begins by laying out the context of the issues New York is facing, where he describes a dysfunctional institutional structure combined with severely undercapitalized housing stock. He touches on the history of NYCHA’s recapitalization issues and the methods they are using to rectify this by reforming their approach in line with the HUD agreement. He breaks down NYCHA’s recent adoption of a property-first mentality, the role of partnerships with investors in growing support, and how programs such as RAD and PACT are being utilized as mechanisms for recapitalization and investment. What Gregory shares is encouraging in terms of the future for NYCHA and public housing in general, so be sure to join for today’s discussion.
Key Points From This Episode:
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Gregory Russ on LinkedIn
Gregory Russ on Twitter
NYC Housing Authority
Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn
Vincencia Adusei on Twitter
VASE Construction
Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn
Peter Wood on LinkedIn
YIMBY Nation Email
YIMBY Nation
The podcast currently has 15 episodes available.