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ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

By: Katie Goar
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Affordable housing is the backbone of better opportunities for all. ChangeMakers with Katie Goar analyzes the issues and challenges being faced in affordable housing today. In each episode, Katie speaks with finance experts, thought leaders, and change-makers to explore innovative solutions that provide more affordable housing options across the country. Whether you want to learn more about economic development, government funding, why affordable housing makes good economic policy, and why the total community benefits from affordable housing, this is the podcast for you.Copyright Forbes Books Economics
Episodes
  • Episode 147: Shaina Fite, Public Housing Authority Manager, Yardi

    Episode 147: Shaina Fite, Public Housing Authority Manager, Yardi
    May 12 2026
    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    In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Shaina Fite, Public Housing Manager at Yardi, breaks down how outdated systems are slowing down affordable housing and how technology is starting to change that.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
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    43 mins
  • Episode 146: Jared Jones Co-Founder, Middle Housing Partners

    Episode 146: Jared Jones Co-Founder, Middle Housing Partners
    Apr 28 2026
    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
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    44 mins
  • Episode 145: Beth Silverman, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Lotus Campaign

    Episode 145: Beth Silverman, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Lotus Campaign
    Apr 14 2026
    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
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    35 mins
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