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ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

Written by: Katie Goar
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About this listen

 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 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    Jared explains why millions of homes are missing from the market, how outdated zoning laws slowed growth for decades, and how new legislation is opening the door for everyday developers to build again.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
  • Episode 144: Morgan Mansa, Director of Housing Affordability, Wake County, NC

    Episode 144: Morgan Mansa, Director of Housing Affordability, Wake County, NC
    Mar 31 2026
    Housing affordability is one of the fastest growing challenges in America.

    In this episode of Changemakers with Katie Goar, Morgan Mansa breaks down what’s really happening behind the housing crisis, and why the solution is more complex than most people think.

    Morgan is the Director of Housing Affordability and Community Revitalization for Wake County, one of the fastest growing regions in the U.S. She has helped drive thousands of housing solutions by focusing on systems that move people from instability to long-term housing.

    In this conversation, she shares:

    Why building more housing alone will not solve affordability
    The importance of where housing is built, not just how much
    How thoughtful placement impacts opportunity, education, and mobility
    A real-world example of a mixed community that blends families, seniors, and artists
    Why the term “affordable housing” might be part of the problem

    This episode challenges the common narrative and offers a more practical look at how communities can create housing that works.
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    23 mins
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