This is an archive of all Community Trailblazers content. It provides a historical perspective on the creation of housing and communities.
The Ivory Prize and Innovations in Affordable Housing Ep. 16 – Kent W. Colton is a sought-after voice in housing policy. As president of the Colton Housing Group and senior research fellow at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, he has a sweeping knowledge of the long effort to ensure all Americans have adequate and […]
Federal History of Segregation, Redlining and Civil Rights Ep. 37 – Stanley Newman recounts hearing Martin Luther King speak in Montgomery, Alabam, the civil rights act of 1964 and 1965, the redlining going on at FHA, and the segregation of public housing. He was director of HUD UDAG program and CEO of the New York
Time for Radical Change Ep. 13 – Joseph M. Ventrone, the Vice President of the National Association of REALTORS® Federal Policy and Industry Relations Team, feels that it is a time for radical change and believes that HUD and federal housing policy need a realignment. After over 40 years of industry experience in the private
Freddie Mac, Credit Ratings and Segregation Ep. 11 – Dr. Ann B. Schnare, the President of AB Schnare Associates LLC, a consulting firm specializing in housing and mortgage finance, says, “Discrimination, segregation, income inequality, and automation are among the serious structural challenges that today’s leaders must tackle.” Top Takeaways: The importance of credit scores introduction
A Historical Perspective on Housing and Communities Ep. 1 – Kent Watkins and Nan McKay bring the oral history of housing, culture and communities to life! They reflect on their decades of work in the affordable housing industry and analyze the many challenges on the horizon. Top Takeaways: Learn about the American Academy of Housing
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Mark-to-Market and REAC: HUD Innovations Ep. 36 – When Helen Dunlap started at HUD she quickly discovered that 25% of HUD’s multifamily portfolio was at risk for foreclosure. She was involved early-on in the innovations including mark-to-market and REAC, to save the program. Top Takeaways: The major problem of policymakers of creating the policy to
Banish the Blinders Ep. 14 – Joe Schiff, President of The Schiff Group which specializes in consulting with housing authorities on their problems and opportunities urges agencies to ‘take off the blinders’ and realize that excessive bureaucracy, duplication, and paperwork stifle efforts to help more people get housing. Top Takeaways: Why housing authorities need subsidies
Millennials! Power Up at the Local Level! Ep. 17 – Conrad Egan, directly involved in affordable housing for many years, says, “The future of housing must change.” Conrad urges millennials to take power with local governments and push back against resistance to new approaches and an outdated affinity for the single-family home. Top Takeaways: The
Transportation Links to Urbanism Ep. 15 – Emil H. Frankel weaves the history of rail and auto transit, and their influence on where cities sprung up and the downstream effects on how and where people lived. They were not always positive, as some housing projects warehoused families with little to no outdoor space. Top Takeaways:
Bridging A Partisan Divide Ep. 12 – Bill Gilmartin recounts the leaders who worked across the aisle to strengthen HUD and make every effort to help families with affordable housing. Over time, he has seen housing drop off the Congressional radar, lost in a dark cloud of partisanship that only seems to be growing. Top
