From Campus to the Capitol: Students Confront Housing Costs and Homelessness Through Policy with Kate Rodgers

In this episode of WAHNcast, Angie Truitt teams up with co-hosts Megan Goyer and Britney Watson, Co-Chairs of the UNC Chapel Hill WAHN U Chapter, for a powerful conversation with Kate Rodgers, Co-Chair of the Student HOMES Coalition and recent UCLA graduate.

Kate shares how she helped launch a statewide student coalition after realizing that conversations around college affordability were leaving out one of the biggest costs students face: housing. She talks about leading advocacy campaigns as a student, building bridges across 16+ campuses, and why she believes student housing is not just a policy issue but a basic need and a human right.

Listeners will hear:

• Why housing costs are often the biggest barrier to higher education in California

• How students are driving real legislative change at the state level

• What it takes to build trust and collaboration across diverse groups—from student leaders to labor unions to universities

• Kate’s advice for emerging leaders: “If something feels a little scary or makes you feel out of your depth, that’s probably a sign you should go that direction—because that’s where you’ll learn the most.”

This is an energizing conversation about advocacy, leadership, and the next generation of housing changemakers.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Welcome to WAHNcast, the official podcast of the Women's Affordable Housing Network.
This is our space to connect, get real, and talk about what's really happening in housing.
From bold leadership to resident stories that ground us in purpose.
We're here to amplify voices, strengthen each other, and share the kind of conversations you'd have with a friend who gets it.

(00:21):
Because when our voices are amplified, our communities grow stronger, and so do we. 6 00:00:28,109.932 --> 00:00:39,559.932 I am Angie Truitt and on this episode of WAHNcast, I'm thrilled to be joined by my amazing co-host, Megan Goyer and Brittany Watson, co-chairs of the UNC Chapel Hill chapter of WAHN U.. 7 00:00:39,899.932 --> 00:00:48,29.932 Together we'll be talking to a very special guest, Kate Rogers, who's the co-chair of Student Homes Coalition and a recent graduate of UCLA. 8 00:00:49,469.932 --> 00:00:56,759.932 Kate is helping lead a powerful student movement to advance affordable housing solutions and equity on campuses across the country. 9 00:00:57,944.932 --> 00:01:06,734.932 Today we're gonna talk about what student leadership looks like in this space and why housing advocacy matters at every stage of a career, and how the next generation is shaping the future of housing. 10 00:01:07,584.932 --> 00:01:09,664.932 Kate, welcome to WAHNcast. 11 00:01:09,684.932 --> 00:01:12,414.932 Megan, do you wanna kick us off? Absolutely. 12 00:01:12,814.932 --> 00:01:22,694.932 Kate, could you start by telling us how the Student Homes Coalition came together, what the inspiration was behind organizing across campuses? Sure. 13 00:01:22,694.932 --> 00:01:24,314.932 So first of all, hi everyone. 14 00:01:24,314.932 --> 00:01:24,734.932 It's great. 15 00:01:24,734.932 --> 00:01:25,724.932 Great to be here. 16 00:01:26,64.932 --> 00:01:41,974.932 Yeah, so I'll say for the Student Homes Coalition right now mainly led by myself and then my co-chair, Ryan, and both of us got our start in policy work back in the higher education space when we were both in college. 17 00:01:42,214.932 --> 00:01:51,514.932 And we noticed that in the higher ed space, there's a lot of conversation around college affordability, but housing is almost entirely left out of that. 18 00:01:51,784.932 --> 00:01:57,99.932 And, issues like tuition assistance, grant programs, et cetera are incredibly important. 19 00:01:57,109.932 --> 00:02:01,189.932 And we were very supportive of all the work that the great folks in the higher ed space were doing there. 20 00:02:01,399.932 --> 00:02:08,269.932 But we also felt like there was a vacuum for a conversation about student housing and about college affordability. 21 00:02:08,489.932 --> 00:02:25,59.932 That included student housing costs in particular because as we know, at least in California, which is where the coalition is based and where it was founded housing costs are more than half the cost of attendance for higher education for a vast majority of students in the state. 22 00:02:25,59.932 --> 00:02:29,919.932 All of the students pretty much at our public institutions, so u uc, CSUs, and community colleges. 23 00:02:30,279.932 --> 00:02:47,829.932 So we really just brought together folks from the University of California, the California State University, and then the community colleges here as well, to all put our heads together across, various segments of higher education and see what we could do at the state level policy-wise to really make a dent in student homelessness. 24 00:02:50,394.932 --> 00:02:51,504.932 Oh, thank you. 25 00:02:51,934.932 --> 00:03:00,64.932 Could you say a bit more about what the coalition structure looks like and how decisions are made and what collaboration looks like within your coalition? Sure. 26 00:03:00,64.932 --> 00:03:04,84.932 So we have a lot of different moving parts, if I'm being totally honest over here. 27 00:03:04,444.932 --> 00:03:10,864.932 First I'll say we have the executive team, which is made up of, myself and then my co-chair and our fellows. 28 00:03:10,984.932 --> 00:03:14,434.932 So we have two to three fellows at any given time. 29 00:03:14,434.932 --> 00:03:20,284.932 They help us out with drafting policies, doing lobbying work, as well as general outreach and organizing. 30 00:03:20,554.932 --> 00:03:25,84.932 But then I think the heart and soul of the coalition is our campus based affiliates. 31 00:03:25,324.932 --> 00:03:28,354.932 So these are groups that are on different campuses all across the state. 32 00:03:28,354.932 --> 00:03:35,644.932 We have 16 and counting right now that basically are really from all over the political spectrum. 33 00:03:35,864.932 --> 00:03:41,324.932 Some are dem groups, social action clubs, basic needs groups, even some housing specific groups. 34 00:03:41,384.932 --> 00:03:47,64.932 And we all come together to collaborate on state and local advocacy. 35 00:03:47,454.932 --> 00:03:58,384.932 And yeah, honestly, a lot of our bill writing process is pretty ground up, so we meet with our affiliates every month and we really put our heads together on, on what we can do policy wise. 36 00:03:58,684.932 --> 00:04:07,864.932 And that's how we get our state legislation honestly, is just speaking from students on the ground and really building our policy based on that real life experience. 37 00:04:08,524.932 --> 00:04:11,284.932 Do you sleep ever, Kate? I'm curious. 38 00:04:12,944.932 --> 00:04:16,904.932 Not as much as I would like these days, but there's a lot to do. 39 00:04:16,904.932 --> 00:04:18,404.932 It's an important thing that you're doing. 40 00:04:18,404.932 --> 00:04:18,644.932 Yeah. 41 00:04:18,644.932 --> 00:04:38,289.932 But I appreciate the passion and, going back to why you started this, and I'm sure that it feels it's much closer to home for Megan and Brittany, but I wrote the checks for my daughter for her college and the cost of housing just here in Texas, which is obviously different than California, but it's exorbitant and it can be prohibitive to students. 42 00:04:38,289.932 --> 00:04:54,419.932 And so I, I really applaud you for taking this on for thinking obviously beyond your own situations, but also for finding the time because, I work a full-time job and my one job also is, takes a lot of my time, but I can't imagine doing all of that and going to school. 43 00:04:54,469.932 --> 00:04:57,439.932 So thank you very much for taking that stand. 44 00:04:57,814.932 --> 00:05:05,74.932 Yeah, no I'll say for myself and then, and I know my co-chair would say the same we've been so lucky to be able to do this. 45 00:05:05,74.932 --> 00:05:11,134.932 I think one of the wonderful things about the California political system is it is so open. 46 00:05:11,404.932 --> 00:05:21,904.932 I feel like there aren't many states in the country and certainly not many countries in the world where you can have a real impact on state policy at, 19 was when I got started, for example. 47 00:05:22,154.932 --> 00:05:29,534.932 And now I am, I'm 22 and I've had full four full legislative sessions working on policies here in California. 48 00:05:29,584.932 --> 00:05:38,329.932 So grateful for all the folks like the legislators and then other advocacy folks that have f taken us in under their wing and brought us along with them. 49 00:05:38,419.932 --> 00:05:42,509.932 And I'll just say to your point too about the cost of housing. 50 00:05:43,329.932 --> 00:05:47,479.932 For something that I think most people don't realize about California. 51 00:05:47,729.932 --> 00:05:49,459.932 Certainly the housing crisis here. 52 00:05:50,134.932 --> 00:05:56,104.932 Very hot button issue, but people don't realize how much it directly impacts students. 53 00:05:56,344.932 --> 00:06:00,514.932 So in California, 8% of uc students are homeless. 54 00:06:00,514.932 --> 00:06:02,554.932 11% of CSU students are homeless. 55 00:06:02,554.932 --> 00:06:07,504.932 And 24% of community college students experience homelessness all within one year. 56 00:06:07,894.932 --> 00:06:12,149.932 So the numbers and I'll say our community college student system here is massive. 57 00:06:12,394.932 --> 00:06:15,84.932 It has I think somewhere around 2 million students, maybe more. 58 00:06:15,84.932 --> 00:06:23,794.932 So we're talking about like about 500,000 students are spending at least some amount of time every year sleeping in their cars, in shelters, couch surfing, et cetera. 59 00:06:24,94.932 --> 00:06:36,244.932 And not only is that just like a humanitarian crisis of sorts, it's also totally prohibitive to these students being able to pursue their education and actually set themselves up for future success. 60 00:06:36,244.932 --> 00:06:47,274.932 Homelessness in this time of life, which we call like the transitional age high school through to the career path is just incredibly, incredibly negatively impacts someone's, lifetime outlook. 61 00:06:47,284.932 --> 00:06:51,484.932 Yeah, that's part of why we think it's so important to pursue this issue specifically in California. 62 00:06:53,854.932 --> 00:06:55,924.932 I have a follow up question if I could. 63 00:06:55,924.932 --> 00:07:00,824.932 So you said you have campuses across just California or the us Yeah. 64 00:07:00,914.932 --> 00:07:03,584.932 So right now we're focused on just California. 65 00:07:03,584.932 --> 00:07:05,54.932 I'll say we were founded. 66 00:07:05,759.932 --> 00:07:07,829.932 Gosh, like maybe two years ago. 67 00:07:07,829.932 --> 00:07:10,839.932 We, we haven't had all that much time to look outwards. 68 00:07:10,839.932 --> 00:07:11,439.932 I know. 69 00:07:11,539.932 --> 00:07:37,719.932 We can talk more later about like growth or what the next steps we see for ourselves are, but we definitely wanna help export some of the policy wins that we've had here in California to other states, like finding students at other campuses or political pro housing groups even that might be willing to take some of the best practices that we've been able implement here in California and pursue them as state legislation in other states. 70 00:07:37,769.932 --> 00:07:45,904.932 And just looking beyond what we've been able to do here, although let me just say, we certainly have our work cut out for us here in California with a lot of work yet to be done. 71 00:07:47,134.932 --> 00:07:50,644.932 And you're doing so much of it and creating a toolkit for others to follow. 72 00:07:50,644.932 --> 00:07:55,444.932 And we're really excited at Juan to help promote what you guys are doing and share it with. 73 00:07:55,444.932 --> 00:08:04,574.932 We were in 37 states across the United States now, and growing and obviously growing on college campuses, which UNC is the first? Juan U Chapter. 74 00:08:04,574.932 --> 00:08:05,654.932 UN Unc, chapel Hill. 75 00:08:05,984.932 --> 00:08:20,579.932 And but we're, we've grown, I think we're at eight or nine campuses right now, so we started this initiative last year, and and we know a lot of people in Washington DC so we are happy to make those introductions and help you impact more students that are facing this crisis. 76 00:08:21,629.932 --> 00:08:22,424.932 Yeah, that would be great. 77 00:08:22,534.932 --> 00:08:26,439.932 We will, we never say no to help of any kind, so I'll take you up on that. 78 00:08:26,439.932 --> 00:08:29,649.932 It takes everybody, we've all got to come together to solve this crisis. 79 00:08:29,649.932 --> 00:08:31,629.932 So I'm glad you're shining a light on students. 80 00:08:33,639.932 --> 00:08:35,439.932 Which is a great segue to the next one. 81 00:08:35,949.932 --> 00:08:36,909.932 Thank you for that, Kate. 82 00:08:37,9.932 --> 00:08:45,489.932 And so going more into the framework of student homes I know you define student housing as a basic need and a human right. 83 00:08:45,489.932 --> 00:08:49,479.932 Can you talk about how that guides your advocacy work? Of course. 84 00:08:49,479.932 --> 00:08:49,719.932 Yeah. 85 00:08:49,719.932 --> 00:08:51,519.932 So I would say. 86 00:08:52,734.932 --> 00:09:03,704.932 Maybe the best way to understand it is to break down the sort of approach that we have to the, that problem with three separate areas of policy advocacy that we do. 87 00:09:04,124.932 --> 00:09:14,474.932 The first is, the most straightforward, which is just building more housing and more affordable housing for students and honestly for everybody here in California. 88 00:09:14,784.932 --> 00:09:21,984.932 So unfortunately a lot of the laws around affordable housing in California prohibit students from accessing those units. 89 00:09:21,984.932 --> 00:09:28,644.932 So that is a huge thing we're trying to change here in California, at least through the specific bills that we run. 90 00:09:28,804.932 --> 00:09:39,724.932 We also understand that I have, been doing this for a couple years now and I've met plenty of students who have experienced homelessness throughout my time at the coalition. 91 00:09:39,784.932 --> 00:09:41,374.932 And one thing that I've. 92 00:09:42,169.932 --> 00:09:51,219.932 Honestly, shocked me was how many students ended up homeless, not because they couldn't pay their rent, which, affordability is a huge issue of course. 93 00:09:51,219.932 --> 00:09:55,989.932 But they actually ended up homeless because they just couldn't find a unit to sleep in. 94 00:09:56,299.932 --> 00:10:09,599.932 So I know of this is particularly a problem at uc, Santa Cruz, where students are just choosing the van life because they literally cannot find a, bedroom to sleep in to save their lives. 95 00:10:09,599.932 --> 00:10:16,49.932 And there was at one point that the university actually requested that professors, like house students, that's how desperate that it got. 96 00:10:16,49.932 --> 00:10:23,559.932 That's part of why I think we wanna pursue supply side solutions to the problem in terms of affordable housing and then also market rate housing. 97 00:10:24,39.932 --> 00:10:27,549.932 And then second area that we focus in is tenants rights. 98 00:10:27,789.932 --> 00:10:45,269.932 So a lot of or I don't know what the situation is around chapel Hill, but at least in, in California around most of our campuses, the sort of radius that is walkable from the campus like half a mile ish is just incredibly competitive. 99 00:10:45,539.932 --> 00:10:49,409.932 I remember, like I signed my lease in October for the following. 100 00:10:49,739.932 --> 00:10:54,69.932 Yeah, I see Brittany nodding her head for the following September, I think. 101 00:10:54,369.932 --> 00:10:57,39.932 So it's really just honestly ridiculous. 102 00:10:57,39.932 --> 00:11:03,249.932 And I remember like the place that I ended up in was ridiculously expensive out of budget. 103 00:11:03,579.932 --> 00:11:05,679.932 I didn't really have time to even read the lease. 104 00:11:05,679.932 --> 00:11:07,539.932 I was just like, oh my God, I found a unit. 105 00:11:07,539.932 --> 00:11:11,589.932 Somebody gimme a pen, like I need to get this secured and. 106 00:11:12,339.932 --> 00:11:20,49.932 Turns out there was a lot of clauses, even just in my personal lease that were 100% illegal under California law. 107 00:11:20,49.932 --> 00:11:26,379.932 But I would've had no way of knowing that if I wasn't literally a housing policy advocate like that. 108 00:11:26,409.932 --> 00:11:32,299.932 There's no way that the average student has the resources to understand their rights as a tenant. 109 00:11:32,629.932 --> 00:11:40,469.932 So a big part of what we do is ensuring that when students can find housing, they're not taken advantage of or exploited in those situations. 110 00:11:40,709.932 --> 00:11:48,699.932 And then the third area that we focus in is basic needs and then wraparound services for students experiencing homelessness. 111 00:11:48,779.932 --> 00:11:57,689.932 We understand that the long-term solution to the student housing crisis might mean building more units, building more affordable units, but that's going to take a while. 112 00:11:57,689.932 --> 00:12:11,9.932 And there are, as we talked about, hundreds of thousands of students who experience homelessness in California today, and building a unit in two, three years isn't going to help alleviate the immediate part of the crisis. 113 00:12:11,9.932 --> 00:12:28,689.932 So that's why we have done a lot of budget advocacy here at the state level with the legislature as well as local advocacy to get campuses or local governments to institute student specific policies that help alleviate the immediate concerns. 114 00:12:28,689.932 --> 00:12:43,949.932 Like a lot of community colleges, especially in Los Angeles, have like rent assistance programs or they have rapid rehousing or safe parking or any of these other sort of basket of wraparound services that can be offered to students who are in really acute need of housing. 115 00:12:48,359.932 --> 00:12:54,879.932 Yeah, I the place I live now, I signed my lease I think in September of the year. 116 00:12:55,629.932 --> 00:12:58,119.932 September, and then I moved in the following August. 117 00:12:58,119.932 --> 00:13:06,279.932 So almost like a year in advance, because if you don't sign something by like October, November, it feels like it's hard to find something. 118 00:13:06,279.932 --> 00:13:08,989.932 It's Van Life, right? Yeah. 119 00:13:08,989.932 --> 00:13:09,274.932 Or life, yeah. 120 00:13:09,279.932 --> 00:13:09,609.932 Literally. 121 00:13:09,609.932 --> 00:13:09,999.932 Yeah. 122 00:13:10,4.932 --> 00:13:10,449.932 Private life. 123 00:13:10,499.932 --> 00:13:11,819.932 It's not ideal at all. 124 00:13:11,919.932 --> 00:13:20,829.932 But I wanted to ask what kind of research and key topics are informing this advocacy work and policy work that you're doing? Sure. 125 00:13:20,829.932 --> 00:13:26,844.932 So as I mentioned, we have a lot of our research that is almost like grassroots in the sense that we have. 126 00:13:27,429.932 --> 00:13:33,579.932 Folks like our affiliates go and talk to their communities, figure out what the issues are, and then bring that to us. 127 00:13:33,669.932 --> 00:13:36,939.932 But then we also have more quantitative research. 128 00:13:37,179.932 --> 00:13:44,149.932 And I'll be honest with you guys, like we, we released our first sort of land use study I think maybe eight months ago now. 129 00:13:44,439.932 --> 00:13:52,59.932 And the reason why we even conducted that study was because we thought the data would be available already, but no one had even looked into it. 130 00:13:52,59.932 --> 00:13:57,189.932 So then we were like I guess we gotta do this study ourselves if no one else is going to do it. 131 00:13:57,239.932 --> 00:14:10,799.932 What we're looking at with our research at this point is more sort of systemic policy choices that are leading to the lack of housing and the lack of affordability around campuses. 132 00:14:11,69.932 --> 00:14:18,659.932 So in the study that we've done thus far, we looked at specifically land use policy around universities. 133 00:14:18,659.932 --> 00:14:21,949.932 So these are for take the uc for example. 134 00:14:22,519.932 --> 00:14:25,819.932 Like UCLA has over 40,000 students. 135 00:14:25,819.932 --> 00:14:32,839.932 These are massive campuses, and yet it's located in Bel Air, which is the most expensive part of la. 136 00:14:32,839.932 --> 00:14:36,199.932 I'm also from LA originally, so I know this all too well. 137 00:14:36,509.932 --> 00:14:48,359.932 And so it doesn't really make sense to have this huge campus with a lot of young people and faculty and staff researchers, and it's just surrounded by some of the most expensive homes in the entire state. 138 00:14:48,699.932 --> 00:14:53,739.932 So we wanted to really look at this problem, not just anecdotally, but also quantitatively. 139 00:14:54,69.932 --> 00:15:08,89.932 And we took a sampling of the four largest colleges from all the segments in California and did a painstaking review of their land use policy looking at how the land was zoned the allowable density. 140 00:15:08,389.932 --> 00:15:09,889.932 And all sorts of things like that. 141 00:15:09,889.932 --> 00:15:12,949.932 And then compared that to affordability of different campuses. 142 00:15:12,949.932 --> 00:15:17,959.932 So looking at off-campus housing prices and on-campus housing prices, and then comparing that to the land use. 143 00:15:18,319.932 --> 00:15:31,489.932 And what we found was that just 15% of land around our campuses here in California is zoned for multifamily, just 15% when you have literally hundreds of thousands of students trying to live in these areas. 144 00:15:31,709.932 --> 00:15:35,9.932 And 50% is multifamily zoning currently. 145 00:15:35,279.932 --> 00:15:42,179.932 So that is what kind of informed one of our bills this year, which is AB 8 9 3, which I'm happy to talk a little bit more about in the future. 146 00:15:42,479.932 --> 00:15:52,499.932 But that bill basically creates streamlined review for mixed income, so partially affordable, partially market rate housing on all commercial land within a half a mile. 147 00:15:52,769.932 --> 00:15:54,29.932 Of campuses. 148 00:15:54,29.932 --> 00:16:11,699.932 So basically taking that chunk of land around campuses that is zoned for commercial and saying, okay, now you can build affordable housing on this land, and you can do so quickly by streamlining that review to make it what is called BuyRight, which essentially allows you to get around some of those local approval processes. 149 00:16:11,889.932 --> 00:16:13,29.932 But that's all super wonky. 150 00:16:13,29.932 --> 00:16:13,899.932 I'll pause there. 151 00:16:13,899.932 --> 00:16:17,289.932 But yeah, that's a little bit on how our research informs our policy. 152 00:16:18,384.932 --> 00:16:19,764.932 No, that's great to hear about. 153 00:16:19,764.932 --> 00:16:26,514.932 Brittany and I are both city and regional planning master's students, so everything you're saying really aligns with, okay cool. 154 00:16:26,564.932 --> 00:16:30,704.932 But that's a really cool approach to your like legislative advocacy. 155 00:16:30,864.932 --> 00:16:35,34.932 And I know you mentioned AB 8 93 and that was actually gonna be my next question. 156 00:16:35,284.932 --> 00:16:42,444.932 I was wondering if you could talk about that one and some of the other bills that your team has been prioritizing. 157 00:16:42,774.932 --> 00:16:45,804.932 I know AB 3 57 and 6 48. 158 00:16:46,54.932 --> 00:16:47,399.932 Just wondering if you could talk about those a little bit. 159 00:16:48,334.932 --> 00:16:48,754.932 Sure. 160 00:16:48,754.932 --> 00:16:57,124.932 Yeah, I, there's honestly nothing that I love more than talking about our bills, so more than happy to do yeah, ran through 8, 9 3 a little bit already. 161 00:16:57,124.932 --> 00:17:06,334.932 This bill is, like I said, mixed use, mixed income on commercial land around universities and applies to uc, CSUs, and community colleges. 162 00:17:06,334.932 --> 00:17:08,344.932 Really a lot of land covered. 163 00:17:08,344.932 --> 00:17:11,384.932 We do have 10 ucs, 22 or something. 164 00:17:11,384.932 --> 00:17:15,84.932 Don't quote me CSUs and then 116 community colleges. 165 00:17:15,84.932 --> 00:17:20,854.932 So we're really looking forward to getting a lot of acreage covered by this policy. 166 00:17:21,194.932 --> 00:17:26,354.932 And then AB 3 57 is maybe even more in the weeds and wonky than 8, 9 3. 167 00:17:26,354.932 --> 00:17:27,314.932 So try and. 168 00:17:27,734.932 --> 00:17:30,854.932 I'll try and explain it in a way that makes some sort of sense. 169 00:17:30,904.932 --> 00:17:34,44.932 AB 3 57 is a pretty niche policy here. 170 00:17:34,44.932 --> 00:17:38,244.932 It's mainly focused on our schools that are in the California Coastal Zone. 171 00:17:38,514.932 --> 00:17:43,864.932 So the coastal zone here is regulated by the California Coastal Commission. 172 00:17:43,864.932 --> 00:17:50,794.932 They have final say over literally everything that gets built in the Coastal Commission and the universities have. 173 00:17:51,154.932 --> 00:17:59,164.932 Honestly, a bit of a tough time getting student housing approved by the Coastal Commission, or at least there's always quite a long back and forth. 174 00:17:59,164.932 --> 00:18:03,894.932 We've seen extensive delays, really high price tags being put on projects. 175 00:18:04,314.932 --> 00:18:11,154.932 And the issue with that is if you delay a private development that loses the developer a lot of money. 176 00:18:11,304.932 --> 00:18:14,964.932 It delays units, which is of course never a good thing. 177 00:18:15,204.932 --> 00:18:28,764.932 But if you delay a student housing project and the university has been required by the state legislature to grow its population by 10 or whatever, 5%, 2%, then you have an entire new class of incoming freshmen that now don't have housing. 178 00:18:28,974.932 --> 00:18:38,64.932 So it's really an incredibly, acute problem at particularly our coastal campuses, so uc, Santa Barbara, uc, San Diego, parts of Santa Cruz, and parts of Irvine. 179 00:18:38,574.932 --> 00:18:46,914.932 And what AB 3 57 does is allows the university's more flexibility on determining their own path for development. 180 00:18:47,214.932 --> 00:18:54,364.932 So creates basically a streamlined review through the Coastal Act for student housing and. 181 00:18:54,754.932 --> 00:19:04,234.932 The reason why we feel comfortable doing this is that the universities here in California are constitutionally required to conduct multiple levels of environmental review. 182 00:19:04,474.932 --> 00:19:15,994.932 So the Coastal Commission Review is often around sort of aesthetic concerns like building color and I know they they've taken issue with the type of landscaping that will go on a property as well. 183 00:19:15,994.932 --> 00:19:22,764.932 So not real concerns around coastal resources, which we a hundred percent wanna protect as well. 184 00:19:22,884.932 --> 00:19:35,914.932 And so what this bill will do is ensure that the Coastal Commission still has able to look at these projects and make sure we're not creating any negative environmental impacts while allowing these projects to move through at a much, much quicker rate. 185 00:19:36,244.932 --> 00:19:38,914.932 Basically to ensure the university can get these. 186 00:19:39,349.932 --> 00:19:40,609.932 Built in time. 187 00:19:40,759.932 --> 00:19:55,59.932 And then we'll also save, a lot of money in terms of reducing compliance costs, reducing uncertainty and allowing the university to determine their own key financiability elements of these projects, like parking ratios, for example. 188 00:19:55,149.932 --> 00:19:57,609.932 So happy to go into more detail on any of that. 189 00:19:57,624.932 --> 00:20:02,524.932 I know quite wonky, but any questions? I don't know. 190 00:20:03,964.932 --> 00:20:05,14.932 No, I think it made sense. 191 00:20:05,14.932 --> 00:20:13,324.932 It seems like the bill is helping the university develop more housing without going through as many hoops specifically in the coastal areas because of that. 192 00:20:13,324.932 --> 00:20:13,384.932 Yeah. 193 00:20:13,534.932 --> 00:20:13,714.932 Okay. 194 00:20:13,714.932 --> 00:20:14,14.932 Yeah. 195 00:20:14,474.932 --> 00:20:15,584.932 I'm glad I made sense. 196 00:20:15,764.932 --> 00:20:16,364.932 It's perfect. 197 00:20:16,414.932 --> 00:20:20,704.932 I'll just flag really quickly, two more bills that we're working on this year. 198 00:20:21,4.932 --> 00:20:23,114.932 So AB 6 48 is, I am. 199 00:20:23,599.932 --> 00:20:24,559.932 It's one of my favorites. 200 00:20:24,559.932 --> 00:20:25,129.932 I love them all. 201 00:20:25,129.932 --> 00:20:27,589.932 They're all like my children, but really love 6, 4 8. 202 00:20:27,859.932 --> 00:20:33,709.932 This is allowing community colleges to build with the same land use authority that ucs and CSUs have. 203 00:20:33,709.932 --> 00:20:44,919.932 So for anyone who's listening who maybe isn't familiar, land use authority is something that we have here in California and in many states that allows state agencies to build basically whatever they want on their own land. 204 00:20:44,919.932 --> 00:20:52,309.932 So they're not really subject to the same sort of local zoning and local approval processes that may be a private developer might be. 205 00:20:52,459.932 --> 00:21:01,144.932 And here in California, the ucs and the CSUs both have land use authority to build student housing, academic buildings, hospitals, whatever it may be. 206 00:21:01,619.932 --> 00:21:03,659.932 But the community colleges have historically been. 207 00:21:03,884.932 --> 00:21:10,34.932 Left out of that because they're seen here as commuter student or commuter schools, I should say. 208 00:21:10,364.932 --> 00:21:13,864.932 Which, we talked about that 24% homelessness rate earlier. 209 00:21:13,864.932 --> 00:21:24,184.932 So it's pretty clear at this point in 2025 that there is a real need for student housing on community college campuses, which maybe wasn't true when this was first decided upon. 210 00:21:24,184.932 --> 00:21:36,364.932 So what this bill is doing will do is extend land use authority to community colleges, specifically for the purpose of streamlining the development of student housing and workforce housing on their campuses. 211 00:21:36,674.932 --> 00:21:38,204.932 So really excited about that one. 212 00:21:38,204.932 --> 00:21:51,224.932 And then last bill here is SB 6 85, which would have, or which will hopefully it is now two yeard, which essentially means we're gonna delay moving the bill through committee here another year. 213 00:21:51,224.932 --> 00:21:52,369.932 So hopefully by 2020. 214 00:21:53,144.932 --> 00:21:54,344.932 Six, it will be signed. 215 00:21:54,344.932 --> 00:22:01,424.932 But this bill will create a pilot program at CSUs to provide last dollar financial assistance for students that have experienced homelessness. 216 00:22:01,494.932 --> 00:22:07,614.932 So anyway, the o the first three that I spoke about there are moving through, they're on the Senate floor right now. 217 00:22:07,774.932 --> 00:22:09,304.932 We hope they'll get signed by the governor. 218 00:22:09,304.932 --> 00:22:12,64.932 Maybe by the time you hear this, they'll be signed by the governor. 219 00:22:12,64.932 --> 00:22:12,994.932 Looking forward to that. 220 00:22:12,994.932 --> 00:22:21,574.932 And then SB 6 85, hopefully 2026, we'll be out in California for the National One Summit in San Diego in 2026. 221 00:22:21,574.932 --> 00:22:23,824.932 So maybe we can celebrate your win then. 222 00:22:24,694.932 --> 00:22:26,134.932 Yeah, that would be incredible. 223 00:22:27,274.932 --> 00:22:28,174.932 Don't wanna jinx it. 224 00:22:28,794.932 --> 00:22:29,814.932 That's very exciting. 225 00:22:29,814.932 --> 00:22:39,84.932 I know you're saying your bills are like your children, so I can tell you're very passionate about this and that these have been very like monumental like moments for you. 226 00:22:39,114.932 --> 00:23:01,914.932 But I'm curious if there was one certain policy moment that's been a game changer for student advocacy as a whole for you in or the coalition Man, I know, I don't wanna, again, don't wanna jinx it, but I'm gonna say 8, 9, 3 because we have had such an incredible base of support on this bill. 227 00:23:01,914.932 --> 00:23:02,484.932 I think. 228 00:23:03,684.932 --> 00:23:11,814.932 For a long time, the coalition has been trying to broaden the base of support for pro-housing, pro affordability policies. 229 00:23:12,84.932 --> 00:23:14,184.932 We've been trying to get students involved. 230 00:23:14,184.932 --> 00:23:17,614.932 We've been trying to get higher education, labor unions involved. 231 00:23:17,614.932 --> 00:23:24,184.932 We've been trying to get housing groups involved and really just anybody who wants to come along with us and solve this problem. 232 00:23:24,574.932 --> 00:23:36,314.932 And on 8 9 3, we've been able to have support from pro housing groups, from student groups, from the higher education unions so CSEA and CFT here in California. 233 00:23:36,684.932 --> 00:24:00,834.932 But then I think the big thing that really to me solidifies this bill as a turning point for policy here in California is that all three of the university administration, so the University of California, including all 10 campuses all the 116 campus or DIS community college, districts and campuses as well as the CSU system, all came on board to support it as well. 234 00:24:01,54.932 --> 00:24:12,634.932 These entities are quite, big players here in California, politically and historically I think they haven't gotten too involved in housing policy that doesn't pertain to like on campus housing. 235 00:24:12,634.932 --> 00:24:16,234.932 I think, and 8, 9 3, is about the area surrounding the campus. 236 00:24:16,234.932 --> 00:24:29,414.932 But we're just incredibly grateful and excited about the prospect that the university is looking at how it can really better its community, not just their land and sort of their territory. 237 00:24:29,444.932 --> 00:24:48,24.932 They're really taking an outward look on benefiting their students, not just in the context of their on-campus life and their academic life, but also just taking a holistic approach and as well as just our futures right here in a lot of us in California, we can't afford to stay here after we graduate 'cause it's just so expensive. 238 00:24:48,304.932 --> 00:24:54,184.932 And it's really has been really incredible to see the university come and support us in that goal. 239 00:24:54,424.932 --> 00:24:58,144.932 And honestly just have all the folks I mentioned come together. 240 00:24:58,334.932 --> 00:25:00,674.932 So yeah, again, the bill has not passed yet. 241 00:25:00,674.932 --> 00:25:03,264.932 I do not wanna jinx it, but hoping. 242 00:25:03,699.932 --> 00:25:09,159.932 Hoping that we'll move off the Senate floor here within the next week, and then we'll be good to go. 243 00:25:10,309.932 --> 00:25:28,489.932 I really loved hearing that because like I am generally interested in how universities are doing things to like really invest in their communities and not only their students, like while they're there, but just after and like having longevity besides the university's standing. 244 00:25:28,489.932 --> 00:25:35,629.932 So I love hearing how you explain that and why it's a good thing and why that bill is such an important moment for housing advocacy. 245 00:25:36,289.932 --> 00:25:40,29.932 And I wanna ask you were emphasizing that this collaboration is important. 246 00:25:40,29.932 --> 00:25:56,574.932 So I wanted to ask about how have you successfully built these bridges across the California University, California, I'm sorry I'm not super familiar with California school systems, but how have you successfully built these bridges across these different campuses? No you're so good. 247 00:25:56,574.932 --> 00:25:57,234.932 California. 248 00:25:57,234.932 --> 00:26:02,224.932 We have a million different acronyms going on with our higher ed system here. 249 00:26:02,224.932 --> 00:26:04,624.932 I'm from here and I've always lived here and I barely get it. 250 00:26:04,724.932 --> 00:26:07,694.932 So that's a really good question. 251 00:26:07,694.932 --> 00:26:10,724.932 I think honestly, it takes time. 252 00:26:11,144.932 --> 00:26:18,974.932 It takes time and it takes a willingness to reach out and take the first step towards collaboration. 253 00:26:18,974.932 --> 00:26:25,934.932 I think in politics we can get tribal and we said I'm not gonna help you if you're not gonna help me. 254 00:26:26,274.932 --> 00:26:30,54.932 And that just doesn't work, it's, it, especially not in housing. 255 00:26:30,54.932 --> 00:26:40,704.932 So I think as a coalition we've put in a lot of time into demonstrating to other stakeholders and our community members that we are going to show up. 256 00:26:41,319.932 --> 00:26:45,789.932 For them, whether or not they want to engage with us in that. 257 00:26:46,149.932 --> 00:27:01,279.932 And I think that has created a lot of trust between us and our partners and really just allowed us to create a space for everyone to come and engage how they feel is best for them. 258 00:27:01,679.932 --> 00:27:02,939.932 No, no strings attached. 259 00:27:02,939.932 --> 00:27:12,269.932 We just wanna hear everyone's ideas and really pursue the best policies we can via getting as many opinions as we can quite frankly. 260 00:27:12,719.932 --> 00:27:14,629.932 And then I'll say as well, just. 261 00:27:15,124.932 --> 00:27:23,844.932 From a sort of personal perspective, like coming from higher education where I specialized in Title IX and then identity equity related work. 262 00:27:24,144.932 --> 00:27:31,374.932 Through that I built a lot of relationships just personally as well that I was able to bring over into the housing space. 263 00:27:31,374.932 --> 00:27:40,504.932 And then, we've had a lot of folks welcome us with open arms and then, just be incredibly excited, honestly, about what we're trying to do. 264 00:27:40,704.932 --> 00:27:41,364.932 Yeah, I don't know. 265 00:27:41,364.932 --> 00:27:50,314.932 I like to think it's a two-way street, but someone has to take the first step and yeah, I just think that's part of how we've built trust with folks from all across the spectrum. 266 00:27:51,304.932 --> 00:27:52,624.932 That's super inspiring. 267 00:27:52,624.932 --> 00:27:53,884.932 It's great to hear that. 268 00:27:54,319.932 --> 00:27:57,739.932 Those bridges have been built and fingers crossed on the bill. 269 00:27:57,989.932 --> 00:28:01,919.932 The other side of the coin with the policy wins question. 270 00:28:01,999.932 --> 00:28:11,894.932 What are some of the toughest like barriers you've encountered, whether they're regulatory, political, cultural and how did your team navigate them? Sure. 271 00:28:12,39.932 --> 00:28:17,359.932 I think in California I alluded to this earlier, we do have an incredibly open political system. 272 00:28:17,359.932 --> 00:28:26,329.932 Do definitely want before, before I continue to give, like a huge thanks to everybody here in California just for even letting us into the room. 273 00:28:26,599.932 --> 00:28:30,19.932 I think, like I said, in a lot of other. 274 00:28:30,634.932 --> 00:28:36,524.932 States, a 19-year-old coming with a bill idea would've been shone the door almost immediately. 275 00:28:36,524.932 --> 00:28:47,504.932 And here in California we have, at least in my old organization, which was Generation Up, we have students as young as 16 working on bills and bringing their ideas to legislators. 276 00:28:47,539.932 --> 00:28:58,109.932 I know that's not a barrier, that's not what you asked, but I would just to put that out there, that, we've also had a remarkable lack of barriers at times, but I'll say there, there certainly have been challenges and barriers as well. 277 00:28:58,119.932 --> 00:29:11,509.932 I think honestly, like the Student Homes Coalition operates in a really unique space in the housing world which I think has allowed us, as I've talked about, to bring a lot of people together. 278 00:29:11,809.932 --> 00:29:20,29.932 But it's also, it also means that we never really fully agree with almost anyone we work with, to be totally honest with you. 279 00:29:20,389.932 --> 00:29:37,99.932 Like we have this broad approach to solving the housing crisis that includes tenants rights, supply side policies, wraparound services, and a lot of groups are mostly in these niches, right? They only focus on one of those areas. 280 00:29:37,189.932 --> 00:29:38,299.932 And so maybe. 281 00:29:38,399.932 --> 00:29:44,549.932 For a pro housing or a pro development group, we might agree with them on development, but they might not love everything we wanna do on tenants rights. 282 00:29:44,839.932 --> 00:29:52,79.932 Or, vice versa who really knows, right? So I think there's a lot of different different potential tension that can pop up. 283 00:29:52,79.932 --> 00:30:01,49.932 But I'll say I think we've had a lot of success just trying to approach people as openly and honestly as we can. 284 00:30:01,49.932 --> 00:30:17,469.932 And I think we've been able to develop relationships where even if we don't agree, we have such a foundation of trust and professional trust with our partners that they know and I know about them, that they're coming from the place of trying to do the right thing and so are we. 285 00:30:17,679.932 --> 00:30:20,889.932 So I think that allows us to collaborate and then refine our policies. 286 00:30:20,889.932 --> 00:30:28,459.932 But I would say that's just like one sort of unique difficulty to how we exist in the political space in California. 287 00:30:29,29.932 --> 00:30:38,769.932 And then, personally no to, to the YIMBYs listening I apologize in advance for what I'm about to say, but I think the ybi space is like pretty historically male dominated. 288 00:30:39,179.932 --> 00:30:46,559.932 And it's definitely something that I have experienced in my time just working in housing. 289 00:30:46,919.932 --> 00:31:00,719.932 And I think sometimes it feels and I know everybody else on this call is probably familiar with this, but it's like you have to be twice as good to get half the recognition and think what I've done is I've just tried to be twice as good. 290 00:31:00,719.932 --> 00:31:05,404.932 Which, it's a little bit tiresome at times, but I think, yeah, I don't know. 291 00:31:05,454.932 --> 00:31:07,194.932 I could go on forever about that. 292 00:31:07,274.932 --> 00:31:14,979.932 But I think honestly just trying to make sure that at student homes, we don't perpetuate that at all in anything that we do. 293 00:31:15,199.932 --> 00:31:27,709.932 And I know there's like this thing, I don't know if you guys, maybe when you first started getting interested in housing experience something similar where people will just throw around all this jargon and I'm like, I don't know what you're saying. 294 00:31:27,709.932 --> 00:31:29,329.932 I literally don't know what you're talking about. 295 00:31:29,329.932 --> 00:31:31,159.932 I can't participate in this conversation. 296 00:31:31,159.932 --> 00:31:32,269.932 I'm not learning anything. 297 00:31:32,269.932 --> 00:31:36,979.932 I feel stupid because nobody's, everyone's talking about things I don't understand. 298 00:31:37,339.932 --> 00:31:46,939.932 And I think what I try and do when I approach people who are new to the movement is like really check that instinct in myself now that I'm that person that's been around for a while. 299 00:31:46,939.932 --> 00:31:55,489.932 I'm like, okay, go back to when you were a sophomore in college, didn't know anything about housing policy and talk from that perspective. 300 00:31:55,549.932 --> 00:31:58,399.932 And I think that's just something we can all do as. 301 00:31:58,729.932 --> 00:32:05,599.932 Policy experts or implementation experts to make our communities feel a little bit more welcoming to new folks. 302 00:32:05,849.932 --> 00:32:11,509.932 Which in turn allows for different perspectives and just I think more vibrant conversation. 303 00:32:11,789.932 --> 00:32:13,199.932 So it's, honestly, it's good. 304 00:32:13,259.932 --> 00:32:14,339.932 Good for everyone in involved. 305 00:32:14,339.932 --> 00:32:25,69.932 I think, Kate, it's funny, the one of the most popular sessions we had at Won Summit this past year was called, so you think, L Tech, and it was taught from the perspective. 306 00:32:25,69.932 --> 00:32:27,409.932 Actually, mark Shelburn was one of the presenters. 307 00:32:27,659.932 --> 00:32:33,639.932 And he's the UNC, chapel Hill faculty chair or faculty sponsor. 308 00:32:33,689.932 --> 00:32:45,689.932 People in practice and have been in practice for a long time have experienced that same thing with the never ending list of acronyms and housing and not wanting to speak up and say, I don't exactly understand how that works. 309 00:32:45,719.932 --> 00:32:54,899.932 Or from the perspective of, maybe you've been an asset management, maybe you haven't understood from the planning side and the development side, you know how all these things come together. 310 00:32:54,899.932 --> 00:33:00,689.932 And so that was so successful because people felt comfortable asking the questions. 311 00:33:00,689.932 --> 00:33:07,419.932 And so I love that you've come in with this dis disarming approach saying None of us. 312 00:33:07,419.932 --> 00:33:14,519.932 And it's funny that too, you're 22 and you're like, just think back to a few years ago when, and I love it, I feel ancient sometimes. 313 00:33:14,519.932 --> 00:33:14,819.932 No. 314 00:33:14,819.932 --> 00:33:17,454.932 And there are people in their forties and fifties who went to that. 315 00:33:18,239.932 --> 00:33:25,349.932 A session that we had at Summit and said it was the best session that they've been to because they felt so I haven't asked the question by now. 316 00:33:25,409.932 --> 00:33:26,939.932 I'll be really stupid if I ask it. 317 00:33:26,939.932 --> 00:33:30,489.932 Me, I'm just over here because I'm in a different kind of sector of the industry. 318 00:33:30,764.932 --> 00:33:34,4.932 I Google everything, or I ask chat GBT to explain things to me. 319 00:33:34,4.932 --> 00:33:44,504.932 When I don't get it, I'm always writing down things, but it is it does make people feel like maybe they're not welcome and maybe if you can't speak at this level, you're not part of the conversation when it's the opposite. 320 00:33:44,504.932 --> 00:33:48,314.932 We need everybody's voices and everybody's ideas to solve the crisis. 321 00:33:49,184.932 --> 00:33:50,354.932 A hundred percent agree with that. 322 00:33:50,774.932 --> 00:33:50,984.932 Yeah. 323 00:33:50,984.932 --> 00:34:07,784.932 I wanna jump in and second that just because, like beyond like the challenges that you're facing with collaboration in these universities and outside of yourself and your own organization, the interpersonal and having the confidence to ask what you don't know and to say what you don't know is. 324 00:34:08,309.932 --> 00:34:12,749.932 Extremely difficult and I feel like it's a lot more difficult than I hear people talking about. 325 00:34:13,49.932 --> 00:34:21,699.932 And I think I, Megan and I were talking about the acronyms earlier today actually, but it's hard to speak up in housing and I don't think that would be something I'd have an issue with. 326 00:34:21,699.932 --> 00:34:23,349.932 'cause I tend to be an outspoken person. 327 00:34:23,349.932 --> 00:34:30,39.932 But it is really, there's a lot of things that are assumed and that is a hard challenge to get things done and feel confident while you're doing those things. 328 00:34:30,759.932 --> 00:34:31,119.932 Yeah. 329 00:34:31,119.932 --> 00:34:45,209.932 And I think it really interacts with, honestly being a woman or just anyone who isn't the typical white male EMB bro with the button up and the glasses who's a city planner or something. 330 00:34:45,229.932 --> 00:34:49,789.932 If you're not that, I think there can at times be. 331 00:34:50,344.932 --> 00:34:53,704.932 A little bit of difficulty engaging to start with. 332 00:34:54,64.932 --> 00:34:59,914.932 And then I feel like when you already feel a little insecure and then you feel like, oh my gosh, I have to ask a question. 333 00:35:00,244.932 --> 00:35:01,474.932 I don't know what's going on. 334 00:35:01,474.932 --> 00:35:07,564.932 I need help, I need clarity, then that just feels even more scary because you already feel left out at times. 335 00:35:07,599.932 --> 00:35:09,384.932 So I totally agree with what you're saying. 336 00:35:09,384.932 --> 00:35:12,574.932 And I've a hundred percent like that is where I was. 337 00:35:12,574.932 --> 00:35:25,254.932 I can't even tell you how many conversations when I first started working with the Homes Coalition on housing policy, where I just smiled and nodded my way through conversations because I just didn't really know what we were talking about. 338 00:35:25,624.932 --> 00:35:36,784.932 And yeah, it's I wish too, I like saying Brittany, I fully thought that I would've not been that, that person, but then I got in that situation and it was just so much harder for me than I thought. 339 00:35:37,234.932 --> 00:35:42,844.932 And yeah, so I, I guess I, now that I am the person with. 340 00:35:43,609.932 --> 00:35:52,519.932 The knowledge at, certainly I'm in plenty of conversations now where I'm not the most knowledgeable on housing policy because I haven't been around too long. 341 00:35:52,519.932 --> 00:36:12,599.932 But when I'm talking to like our students or our partners in higher ed or labor who aren't housing policy people I just try as hard as I can not to perpetuate that situation and put other people in that space where they feel like they can't ask questions or can't be confused or can't have a learning curve. 342 00:36:12,879.932 --> 00:36:14,199.932 So yeah, definitely agree. 343 00:36:15,109.932 --> 00:36:18,554.932 I think one thing me and Brittany have been talking about is trying to make sure I. 344 00:36:19,114.932 --> 00:36:32,664.932 That our UNC one chapter can be somewhere where folks who maybe aren't already housing experts, but maybe just as we like to say, housing curious can come and not be overwhelmed by all of the acronyms. 345 00:36:32,994.932 --> 00:36:34,884.932 And just get to learn with us. 346 00:36:35,124.932 --> 00:36:44,874.932 And so one thing that we wanted to ask you about was how WAHN U can partner with student homes to help build this momentum that you have going around student housing. 347 00:36:46,254.932 --> 00:36:46,764.932 My gosh. 348 00:36:46,814.932 --> 00:36:48,344.932 So many possible ways. 349 00:36:48,344.932 --> 00:37:00,284.932 I think we, first of all, I just I love what you all are doing and I think it's so needed to create a space that just feels welcoming and getting folks involved in housing because I feel like. 350 00:37:00,689.932 --> 00:37:13,119.932 There's a ton of energy on all of our campuses around getting involved in housing policy, housing providing, the development side of things, affordable housing, nonprofit space, whatever it may be. 351 00:37:13,539.932 --> 00:37:15,519.932 But there just aren't that many pathways. 352 00:37:15,729.932 --> 00:37:24,579.932 So I think what we can do together and try and work collaboratively and then also side by side on, is like building those pathways for people especially. 353 00:37:24,829.932 --> 00:37:25,44.932 I don't. 354 00:37:26,69.932 --> 00:37:26,279.932 No. 355 00:37:26,279.932 --> 00:37:31,769.932 Hate on men here, but especially for women because I think there aren't, there really just aren't too many options. 356 00:37:31,769.932 --> 00:37:37,799.932 And I was lucky enough to have some YIMBY bros trust me, and to bring me in. 357 00:37:37,799.932 --> 00:37:40,539.932 But if that never happened, I wouldn't be here today. 358 00:37:40,589.932 --> 00:37:47,389.932 And I think, yeah, I mean we, we should all be lifting each other up and creating opportunities for each other. 359 00:37:47,639.932 --> 00:37:53,919.932 And as if you guys are looking to expand to California, would love to work with you guys on that. 360 00:37:53,919.932 --> 00:37:56,619.932 Finding folks to be in a chapter, start of chapter. 361 00:37:56,619.932 --> 00:38:05,229.932 I know we have plenty of people here who are super excited about the housing work and are just ready to be set on the path. 362 00:38:05,229.932 --> 00:38:06,249.932 So Yeah. 363 00:38:06,309.932 --> 00:38:09,449.932 And we've got, and it's funny the MB Bros is cracking me up. 364 00:38:09,449.932 --> 00:38:10,799.932 I feel like that needs to be a t-shirt. 365 00:38:10,799.932 --> 00:38:13,119.932 But the we have really strong allies. 366 00:38:13,119.932 --> 00:38:17,499.932 So Juan is definitely not a male hating organization at all. 367 00:38:17,499.932 --> 00:38:21,599.932 In fact, professor Mark Shelburn is Ally epitomized. 368 00:38:21,599.932 --> 00:38:31,319.932 If you look that up in the definition, there'd be Mark Shelburn there and he would hate to be in that spotlight, but he practices active allyship for women in housing every single day. 369 00:38:31,769.932 --> 00:38:35,999.932 And so he was our first chair of our ally committee. 370 00:38:36,179.932 --> 00:38:39,749.932 He's passed the baton over to some very talented guys who've taken it up. 371 00:38:39,749.932 --> 00:38:54,679.932 But one of the things, just a very simple example at our Wants Summit and registration for that opens on Tuesday, but we're releasing our little video, our little commercial, and you'll see that the people working the registration desk at Juan Summit are our allies. 372 00:38:55,149.932 --> 00:38:59,229.932 Mark's idea was put men where the women usually are. 373 00:39:00,149.932 --> 00:39:02,759.932 So that women can see that and appreciate it. 374 00:39:02,759.932 --> 00:39:13,959.932 And I have another great mark story that I love to tell as our first one Summit in Atlanta two years ago was in a smaller hotel space and won our sessions. 375 00:39:14,379.932 --> 00:39:18,489.932 Break, of course, women wanted use the restroom check, whatever. 376 00:39:18,829.932 --> 00:39:21,369.932 And the women's restroom in that space was really small. 377 00:39:21,369.932 --> 00:39:30,369.932 Mark immediately went in and checked the male restroom, and then he stood outside and told all the women to use the male restroom on the break. 378 00:39:30,369.932 --> 00:39:36,819.932 And then he went and organized with the hotel to change the sign so that both of them would be for women. 379 00:39:36,849.932 --> 00:39:40,299.932 And then going forward in Denver, we had that set up from the start. 380 00:39:40,659.932 --> 00:39:43,899.932 So it's just ways that our male allies show up for us. 381 00:39:43,899.932 --> 00:39:46,689.932 But we are super excited to partner with you guys. 382 00:39:46,689.932 --> 00:39:51,39.932 We have three chapters in California San Diego, la, and NorCal. 383 00:39:51,69.932 --> 00:39:59,319.932 And the goal for us is to give you guys an off ramp from Juan U directly into a Juan chapter. 384 00:39:59,319.932 --> 00:40:01,959.932 So you're continuing those great conversations. 385 00:40:01,959.932 --> 00:40:02,769.932 The learning. 386 00:40:03,24.932 --> 00:40:16,494.932 The networking, the mentorship, right? So you can continue to progress in your career and have those conversations that maybe you didn't feel like you had the opportunity to have with MBI Bros or however, and whatever it looked like, like on the academic side. 387 00:40:16,494.932 --> 00:40:19,584.932 But just to give you that off ramp right into Juan to continue to grow. 388 00:40:20,724.932 --> 00:40:21,84.932 Yeah. 389 00:40:21,134.932 --> 00:40:21,974.932 That's incredible. 390 00:40:22,64.932 --> 00:40:34,204.932 And we have folks SDSU, uc, San Diego uc, Santa Barbara, UCLA, and then, NorCal Berkeley folks really everywhere, honestly. 391 00:40:34,204.932 --> 00:40:35,134.932 San Jose State. 392 00:40:35,344.932 --> 00:40:51,634.932 And I know like any opportunities that you guys have that you think college age women who are interested in housing or college age, anybody who is interested in housing would wanna engage with, definitely send them our way because would love to, to push that out to our folks as well. 393 00:40:52,849.932 --> 00:40:53,719.932 No, for sure. 394 00:40:53,719.932 --> 00:40:57,459.932 And membership is free students are always on a budget, but it's free at all levels. 395 00:41:00,909.932 --> 00:41:10,749.932 Kate what advice would you give to emerging student leaders entering housing spaces? That's a, there's a lot there. 396 00:41:10,749.932 --> 00:41:22,929.932 Honestly, I think I'll speak maybe mostly to folks looking at getting involved in housing policy specifically, because that is where my expertise is. 397 00:41:23,319.932 --> 00:41:31,779.932 I say first and foremost, just try and get involved any opportunity you have, take it. 398 00:41:32,199.932 --> 00:41:38,109.932 Because I think the hardest thing is getting your foot in the door and getting experience, getting connections. 399 00:41:38,109.932 --> 00:41:39,729.932 Folks that are willing to help you. 400 00:41:40,89.932 --> 00:41:41,124.932 And I think. 401 00:41:42,444.932 --> 00:41:43,284.932 Just be bold. 402 00:41:43,284.932 --> 00:41:43,824.932 I don't know. 403 00:41:43,824.932 --> 00:41:47,904.932 Just if you think you're unqualified, you think you won't know what you're doing, you're scared. 404 00:41:48,234.932 --> 00:41:57,774.932 That's probably a sign that you should go that direction because something in that opportunity is challenging you and that means that it's gonna be something you're gonna learn from. 405 00:41:58,24.932 --> 00:42:02,14.932 So I'll say like when I started doing ed policy in California, I. 406 00:42:02,659.932 --> 00:42:08,269.932 Was so out of my depth, I hardly knew what people meant when they would say AB 6, 4 8. 407 00:42:08,269.932 --> 00:42:20,139.932 I was like, what is ab it's assembly bill? Which of course I know that now, but at the time, even something as basic as how you explain a bill or what the name of the bill is, I didn't even know that. 408 00:42:20,189.932 --> 00:42:30,259.932 And for every, anybody listening, I was, that was my level of experience and I was also working in policy and I learned on the job and just trust yourself. 409 00:42:30,259.932 --> 00:42:32,59.932 You can learn on the job. 410 00:42:32,449.932 --> 00:42:35,699.932 And so yeah, I would say just take those opportunities. 411 00:42:35,749.932 --> 00:42:42,549.932 Don't let the fact that something is a little bit scary or makes you feel out of your depth, prevent you from trying. 412 00:42:42,549.932 --> 00:42:45,69.932 That would be I think my main advice. 413 00:42:45,69.932 --> 00:42:49,619.932 And then just for more practical things there are some really great. 414 00:42:49,849.932 --> 00:43:01,689.932 Organizations and opportunities in California, like there's the Merit Scholarship where they will provide scholarships to students just to go to school who are interested in pursuing a career in affordable housing. 415 00:43:01,929.932 --> 00:43:05,259.932 That is merit scholarship for anybody who wants to look that up. 416 00:43:05,259.932 --> 00:43:10,509.932 If you want a little bit of tuition assistance and you wanna work in housing, I would a hundred percent apply. 417 00:43:10,789.932 --> 00:43:12,559.932 And get involved with their team. 418 00:43:12,559.932 --> 00:43:19,829.932 And they have great mentorship opportunities with people that are already working in affordable housing. 419 00:43:20,159.932 --> 00:43:21,449.932 I think there's a lot of. 420 00:43:21,454.932 --> 00:43:23,714.932 F great community stuff as well. 421 00:43:23,714.932 --> 00:43:31,644.932 Here in California we have something called She Shares, which is a sort of network of women in Sacramento, in politics who all come together. 422 00:43:31,644.932 --> 00:43:34,554.932 There's mentorship programs, there's speaking events. 423 00:43:34,554.932 --> 00:43:41,344.932 I was just at something the other week with Assemblywoman Aggie r Curry, who's our majority leader here in California. 424 00:43:41,644.932 --> 00:43:46,384.932 And Senator Murray Alvarado Gill, who's actually in the Republican Women's Senate. 425 00:43:46,574.932 --> 00:43:52,314.932 Just having a conversation talking about how to overcome barriers that we face as women in politics. 426 00:43:52,614.932 --> 00:43:57,564.932 So I think there's a lot of opportunities and if something comes on your radar that seems interesting, just go for it. 427 00:43:57,594.932 --> 00:44:00,994.932 That's honestly my main advice and that's gonna look different for everyone. 428 00:44:01,274.932 --> 00:44:08,924.932 But I think making those decisions consistently over the course of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years, that's how you end up where you wanna be. 429 00:44:13,824.932 --> 00:44:13,944.932 Yeah. 430 00:44:13,999.932 --> 00:44:15,249.932 Yeah, I really like that. 431 00:44:16,139.932 --> 00:44:26,79.932 I think it's cool to hear about you guys coming together and talking about ways to make that space more comfortable and allowing to help more women to enter that. 432 00:44:26,809.932 --> 00:44:33,544.932 Where do you see the coalition 12 months from now? Or what's your long-term vision for the coalition? Okay. 433 00:44:33,544.932 --> 00:44:34,354.932 Good question. 434 00:44:34,354.932 --> 00:44:39,34.932 And if my co-chair is listening, hopefully I don't say anything we disagree about. 435 00:44:39,344.932 --> 00:44:49,494.932 But I'll say in a year from now, I would like to be, I would like to have all of our bills for 2026 on the governor's desk. 436 00:44:49,494.932 --> 00:44:50,394.932 That is my goal. 437 00:44:50,674.932 --> 00:45:01,54.932 As of right now, we have five or six policies that we are sure we want to pursue next year, and then we have an additional 2, 3, 4 that are just vaguely floating around there. 438 00:45:01,54.932 --> 00:45:01,144.932 And. 439 00:45:01,654.932 --> 00:45:12,514.932 And I hope that by next year, this time all of those bills will have been introduced to the legislature, moved through committee, hopefully with no issues, and onto the governor's desk ready to be signed. 440 00:45:12,884.932 --> 00:45:18,144.932 I'm such a policy wonk and I'm so policy focused that's like the, literally the main thing that comes to my mind. 441 00:45:18,504.932 --> 00:45:19,704.932 But I think. 442 00:45:20,149.932 --> 00:45:27,219.932 Outside of the policy space, I really wanna continue to develop our other elements of the coalition's work. 443 00:45:27,269.932 --> 00:45:30,509.932 My co-chair, Ryan, is our organizing director as well. 444 00:45:30,509.932 --> 00:45:37,469.932 He's done such a great job of doing a lot of outreach, building our connections at campuses all across the state. 445 00:45:37,769.932 --> 00:45:45,569.932 We are so happy to be working with every single uc campus, and I really wanna continue that growth into the CSUs and the community colleges. 446 00:45:45,939.932 --> 00:45:51,159.932 I would also love to facilitate folks getting more involved in local policy. 447 00:45:51,159.932 --> 00:46:06,89.932 I think there's a lot that we can do at the state level here in California, but we can also maybe make boulder changes in some of our pro housing cities and get more students really involved in kind of the. 448 00:46:06,529.932 --> 00:46:09,829.932 The nuts and bolts of the policymaking process at the local level. 449 00:46:10,129.932 --> 00:46:12,559.932 And then also just expanding our education. 450 00:46:12,559.932 --> 00:46:36,109.932 One of our, one of our big goals for the coming year is to work with professors at our universities and colleges here in California to increase public policy in public policy and political science departments, increase accessibility of housing courses, talk about housing policy, talk about affordable housing and what the barriers are and how, what we can do to fix it and also how people can get involved. 451 00:46:36,159.932 --> 00:46:37,779.932 Really excited about that as well. 452 00:46:37,999.932 --> 00:46:38,719.932 So I hope. 453 00:46:39,889.932 --> 00:46:41,239.932 To really answer the question directly. 454 00:46:41,239.932 --> 00:46:44,389.932 I hope we've made progress on all of those goals. 455 00:46:44,519.932 --> 00:46:48,479.932 I'm feeling optimistic, but yeah, 12 months crossing my fingers. 456 00:46:48,479.932 --> 00:47:06,339.932 And then in the future hopefully we'll transition out as co-chair and have another student or recent grad come into our positions and I'm excited to see what they do with the coalition whoever that is, I don't know if anyone's interested, hit me up. 457 00:47:06,699.932 --> 00:47:17,829.932 And yeah, just continue to work on the policies here and hopefully we will be able to get that, student homelessness down to a functional zero here in California. 458 00:47:18,39.932 --> 00:47:22,769.932 It's gonna take a lot of work many years, but we're in it for the long haul, so yeah. 459 00:47:22,769.932 --> 00:47:23,609.932 Whatever we can do. 460 00:47:25,19.932 --> 00:47:28,949.932 Any thoughts about taking your organization national? Oh my God. 461 00:47:28,949.932 --> 00:47:29,549.932 Of course. 462 00:47:29,599.932 --> 00:47:47,744.932 We hopped onto a call recently with one of our new partners and they called themselves an international coalition, and then our ears perked up and we were like, can we be an international coalition? So yeah we're looking across the us We're maybe Canada, just so we can say we're international. 463 00:47:47,774.932 --> 00:47:49,94.932 'cause that sounds cool. 464 00:47:49,664.932 --> 00:47:51,164.932 We, we've got all sorts of ideas. 465 00:47:51,164.932 --> 00:48:06,509.932 I think a lot of the policy and political climate on the West Coast would maybe be where we would wanna start, but worked with folks or know folks over at University of Michigan who are engaging in housing policy and Yukon and there's folks everywhere. 466 00:48:06,509.932 --> 00:48:15,219.932 And we just need to find them honestly and would love to help export some of our policy ideas to other states. 467 00:48:15,279.932 --> 00:48:29,269.932 And yeah I think I mentioned earlier, provide a framework or a guide for folks, whether they're affiliated with student homes or not to be pursuing these same issue areas in other states or cities in, in other states or whatever it might look like. 468 00:48:31,609.932 --> 00:48:32,299.932 Absolutely. 469 00:48:32,299.932 --> 00:48:38,189.932 And so obviously we're in the midst of a very steep housing crisis. 470 00:48:38,239.932 --> 00:48:46,774.932 So what drives you personally to keep pushing through all of the craziness? Man, this is, I get this, I get asked this a lot. 471 00:48:46,854.932 --> 00:48:51,144.932 And I think when I can answer it in two ways. 472 00:48:51,144.932 --> 00:49:03,244.932 So looking at like housing as a specific issue I mean I'm quite lucky when you look at the statistics here in California to have not really ever struggled with housing insecurity. 473 00:49:03,634.932 --> 00:49:09,294.932 But I have a lot of friends who have a lot of our coalition, members have. 474 00:49:09,714.932 --> 00:49:14,554.932 And I don't know, it's just, it's so heartbreaking and I'll be honest like I've. 475 00:49:15,274.932 --> 00:49:17,104.932 Been quite well off. 476 00:49:17,104.932 --> 00:49:18,994.932 I've been incredibly fortunate in my life. 477 00:49:19,24.932 --> 00:49:23,544.932 And even with the setup that I've had for my parents, I still think about home ownership. 478 00:49:23,544.932 --> 00:49:25,164.932 And I'm like, that's just not possible for me. 479 00:49:25,164.932 --> 00:49:29,754.932 There's no way I'm ever gonna make that much money, and I'm a very fortunate person. 480 00:49:30,24.932 --> 00:49:38,224.932 So the idea that housing has become so out of reach for people, that it's really just this tiny fraction that can access. 481 00:49:38,584.932 --> 00:49:44,524.932 I know maybe in the country we call it the California Dream or the American Dream, but here in California it's the California dream. 482 00:49:44,854.932 --> 00:49:46,119.932 And I don't know. 483 00:49:46,169.932 --> 00:49:47,219.932 I wanna stay here. 484 00:49:47,219.932 --> 00:49:48,629.932 I wanna raise my family here. 485 00:49:48,629.932 --> 00:49:50,129.932 I want my friends to stay here. 486 00:49:50,129.932 --> 00:49:58,899.932 I don't want everybody, to have to leave and to break apart the community that we call California and I think housing is really the key piece of that. 487 00:49:58,899.932 --> 00:50:03,259.932 I also think housing is a key element of solving the climate crisis as well. 488 00:50:03,259.932 --> 00:50:11,779.932 I know that driving private transit cars contribute quite a lot to pollution to negative environmental impacts. 489 00:50:11,779.932 --> 00:50:19,549.932 And the way that we can really solve that is by coupling housing and transit and building densely walkable affordably. 490 00:50:20,159.932 --> 00:50:23,39.932 And so I think we can really tackle the problem from two angles. 491 00:50:23,149.932 --> 00:50:25,619.932 So that's the sort of housing specific answer. 492 00:50:25,919.932 --> 00:50:32,609.932 And then the sort of political answer is that I just honestly love my job so much. 493 00:50:32,659.932 --> 00:50:42,689.932 I love the day to day work in a way that I think makes me sort of a freak, but I'm like willing to acknowledge that I'm not scared to say. 494 00:50:43,234.932 --> 00:50:50,314.932 And it really, it just makes it so much easier, honestly, that I'm most of the time having a good time and just enjoying myself. 495 00:50:50,314.932 --> 00:51:09,84.932 And even if we don't win, even if a bill gets killed or voted down, or we have to take some amendments on a policy that we don't wanna take, I can still like sleep well at night knowing that I tried my hardest and I was incredibly lucky to even have the opportunity. 496 00:51:09,84.932 --> 00:51:10,674.932 And I enjoyed myself along the way. 497 00:51:10,674.932 --> 00:51:18,784.932 So it's really easy to keep going when I don't know, it's like your favorite thing ever to do, to be honest is maybe the most honest answer I can give. 498 00:51:20,284.932 --> 00:51:22,504.932 I love all of the energy and all of the passion. 499 00:51:22,504.932 --> 00:51:24,914.932 And I'm a bit older than you ladies. 500 00:51:24,914.932 --> 00:51:27,944.932 I graduated 30 years ago from college. 501 00:51:28,224.932 --> 00:51:29,304.932 Don't call me a boomer though. 502 00:51:29,304.932 --> 00:51:32,424.932 I'm solidly Gen X and my rent. 503 00:51:32,664.932 --> 00:51:34,194.932 You even wanna guess what it was. 504 00:51:34,894.932 --> 00:51:36,4.932 Just throw a number out. 505 00:51:36,224.932 --> 00:51:42,404.932 My rent, like 600, $232 a month, my senior year of college. 506 00:51:42,584.932 --> 00:51:43,484.932 That is insane. 507 00:51:43,484.932 --> 00:51:56,944.932 It reminds me of, I was in front of the Judiciary committee here in California testifying for that one of our tenancy bills, a deposit bill AB 28 0 1 with the wonderful Laura Friedman, who's now in Congress. 508 00:51:57,64.932 --> 00:52:04,574.932 But anyway, I was testifying for the bill 'cause we were sponsoring the bill in front of this assembly judiciary or a Senate judiciary committee. 509 00:52:04,934.932 --> 00:52:11,84.932 And I said that I was UCLA student and I explained, my experience and where our idea for the bill came from and everything. 510 00:52:11,474.932 --> 00:52:16,584.932 And Senator Berg, who was the chair of the committee and Senator Berg is wonderful. 511 00:52:16,734.932 --> 00:52:29,684.932 So he was just making a joke, but he asked me, he was like, can I ask the witness? Is rent around UCLA still $67 like it was when I went there And I was like, oh my God, no. 512 00:52:30,524.932 --> 00:52:32,474.932 Like $6,000 now. 513 00:52:32,474.932 --> 00:52:34,214.932 Maybe $67 a minute. 514 00:52:35,294.932 --> 00:52:39,839.932 Yeah, no I just thought, I, he, Senator Berg is, he is so funny. 515 00:52:39,839.932 --> 00:52:50,519.932 Like he always brings levity to his committee, but I feel like that conversation just really showed how much things have changed and how much progress we need to make on the issue. 516 00:52:51,599.932 --> 00:52:52,739.932 Yes, absolutely. 517 00:52:54,329.932 --> 00:52:54,839.932 Yeah. 518 00:52:54,839.932 --> 00:52:56,159.932 That is crazy. 519 00:52:56,399.932 --> 00:52:58,679.932 200 is also crazy. 520 00:52:58,679.932 --> 00:53:03,104.932 67 won, and I won't even tell you that college per year was $2,500. 521 00:53:04,409.932 --> 00:53:05,129.932 I didn't even hear that. 522 00:53:05,129.932 --> 00:53:06,284.932 I know you guys like yeah. 523 00:53:06,464.932 --> 00:53:07,394.932 I didn't hear that at all. 524 00:53:07,394.932 --> 00:53:07,934.932 I'm sorry. 525 00:53:07,934.932 --> 00:53:08,474.932 I'm sorry. 526 00:53:08,474.932 --> 00:53:12,574.932 It sometimes it benefits you to be a little old, but no, I get that. 527 00:53:12,604.932 --> 00:53:24,144.932 It just points to why it's such a crisis now because my generation clearly did not come out saddled with the debt and, we could pay that, like we could have jobs and pay for it ourselves, which I did. 528 00:53:24,144.932 --> 00:53:31,644.932 I worked full-time in the last two years of college and came out with no debt and people just don't have that option anymore. 529 00:53:31,644.932 --> 00:53:31,704.932 Yeah. 530 00:53:31,824.932 --> 00:53:38,684.932 So with housing being as expensive as it is and tuition in the same spot, yeah, I don't know what people do. 531 00:53:38,684.932 --> 00:53:39,824.932 It's a really tough choice. 532 00:53:39,824.932 --> 00:53:44,244.932 So I'm really grateful for Kate, for your organization and others that are fighting this battle. 533 00:53:44,244.932 --> 00:53:45,684.932 But anyway, didn't mean to cut you off, Brittany. 534 00:53:46,44.932 --> 00:53:46,344.932 No. 535 00:53:46,344.932 --> 00:53:47,34.932 All good. 536 00:53:47,144.932 --> 00:54:00,944.932 Yeah, I was just gonna ask is there any story or mentor or student organization that you've been a part of that's shaped the way you've approached your leadership and your work in the coalition? Oh my gosh. 537 00:54:00,944.932 --> 00:54:01,814.932 There's so many. 538 00:54:01,814.932 --> 00:54:06,674.932 There's so many people that I would love to highlight and think. 539 00:54:07,14.932 --> 00:54:13,44.932 But I think I'll have to say that probably the biggest factor. 540 00:54:13,594.932 --> 00:54:18,364.932 In my path into politics was my time at Generation Up. 541 00:54:18,364.932 --> 00:54:20,374.932 So Gen Up is the org. 542 00:54:20,374.932 --> 00:54:34,714.932 I used to work for doing higher education policy in California, and specifically, I will shout out the former chief of staff, Allison Chan, because her and I went to UCLA together, she was the chief of staff at the time of Gen Up. 543 00:54:34,924.932 --> 00:54:43,614.932 And I lived, I don't know, maybe eight doors down from her in the, Olympic Hall at UCLA for anyone who's at UCLA listening. 544 00:54:44,124.932 --> 00:54:48,534.932 And she was like, I was a physics major at the time. 545 00:54:48,534.932 --> 00:54:50,724.932 I was on a totally different path in life. 546 00:54:51,204.932 --> 00:54:56,184.932 And she was like, Hey, you're really interested in politics. 547 00:54:56,334.932 --> 00:54:58,554.932 We need a new policy director. 548 00:54:58,764.932 --> 00:55:03,24.932 Why don't you apply? And I was like, I don't know anything about state politics. 549 00:55:03,24.932 --> 00:55:03,504.932 I don't know. 550 00:55:03,504.932 --> 00:55:05,964.932 I've only ever done a tiny bit of organizing work. 551 00:55:05,964.932 --> 00:55:09,324.932 I wasn't really super familiar with politics. 552 00:55:10,44.932 --> 00:55:11,874.932 She was like, don't worry, I got you. 553 00:55:11,874.932 --> 00:55:13,44.932 I'll flag your resume. 554 00:55:13,44.932 --> 00:55:13,944.932 We'll make it work. 555 00:55:14,244.932 --> 00:55:14,754.932 And. 556 00:55:15,834.932 --> 00:55:22,164.932 I got involved in Gen Up and I just fell in love with policy and policy making here in California. 557 00:55:22,524.932 --> 00:55:25,314.932 And I did that for a couple years at Gen Up. 558 00:55:25,374.932 --> 00:55:41,574.932 Got a lot of experience learned from my peers, including my current co-chair who was with me at Gen Up at the time and made just so many incredible connections with other folks that in Gen Up, who are some of my best friends to this day, who are just so inspiring. 559 00:55:41,884.932 --> 00:55:42,724.932 We all were. 560 00:55:42,804.932 --> 00:55:44,334.932 We all were in the thick of it together. 561 00:55:44,334.932 --> 00:55:45,684.932 We were volunteering. 562 00:55:45,934.932 --> 00:55:53,404.932 We would lose money on traveling to Sacramento because we had literally $0 to fund any of our work. 563 00:55:53,464.932 --> 00:56:00,964.932 I would come up here and we'd pack like sardines into a car and drive up and stay in the cheapest, shittiest motel we could possibly find. 564 00:56:01,244.932 --> 00:56:08,64.932 It was just like we were roughing it a little bit, but we were all doing it because we were inspired by each other and we loved the work that we were doing. 565 00:56:08,124.932 --> 00:56:09,654.932 And I still feel that way. 566 00:56:09,744.932 --> 00:56:19,324.932 And if it wasn't for Allie and for all the folks at Gen Up really lighting the political fire in me, I guarantee you I would not be here today. 567 00:56:19,324.932 --> 00:56:20,824.932 I wouldn't be in student homes. 568 00:56:21,154.932 --> 00:56:22,924.932 I might be a physicist. 569 00:56:22,984.932 --> 00:56:23,614.932 I don't know. 570 00:56:23,614.932 --> 00:56:25,684.932 That would be crazy to even think about. 571 00:56:25,734.932 --> 00:56:33,934.932 Yeah, definitely big shout out to everybody who is over at Gen Up and of course, Allie for getting me involved, dragging me into this. 572 00:56:33,934.932 --> 00:56:36,154.932 I could not ever thank her enough for that. 573 00:56:36,389.932 --> 00:56:37,649.932 So that's what, yeah. 574 00:56:39,344.932 --> 00:56:50,264.932 Kate, I know we're over time, but it's been so great talking to you and I'm sure we could all could just keep talking to you 'cause you have so many great things to say and your energy is just unmatched and it gives me great hope. 575 00:56:50,424.932 --> 00:56:58,984.932 As with, Megan and Brittany as well, just seeing this next generation of leaders and housing advocacy and for somebody who, like most of the people I know. 576 00:56:59,74.932 --> 00:57:00,304.932 Stumbled into housing. 577 00:57:00,574.932 --> 00:57:01,774.932 We didn't start out there. 578 00:57:01,774.932 --> 00:57:03,334.932 It wasn't an intentional choice. 579 00:57:03,334.932 --> 00:57:04,894.932 It was just somewhere we ended up. 580 00:57:04,894.932 --> 00:57:09,214.932 And I love to see this intentionality with your generation focusing on this. 581 00:57:09,214.932 --> 00:57:09,934.932 And I know why. 582 00:57:09,934.932 --> 00:57:15,154.932 Because you don't wanna live in a van and you don't want your friends to have to live in a van, right? It's a huge issue. 583 00:57:15,304.932 --> 00:57:18,694.932 Your rent's not $232 a month, like it's exorbitant. 584 00:57:18,724.932 --> 00:57:23,824.932 And the fact that you've put so much time and energy into it it just makes me so proud. 585 00:57:23,874.932 --> 00:57:27,684.932 Anything in closing that you'd like to say that we didn't cover? Yeah. 586 00:57:27,684.932 --> 00:57:29,359.932 No I really appreciate that. 587 00:57:29,359.932 --> 00:57:51,509.932 And I'll just say I feel like we've covered so much ground today, so I don't have, I don't have too much more to add, but just that if anybody wants to get involved in housing policy or even just have a conversation about how to get involved I can, I can't say, I can offer you much help if you're not in California, but if you are in California, please feel free to email me. 588 00:57:51,509.932 --> 00:57:54,149.932 It's on our website, student homes coalition.org. 589 00:57:54,459.932 --> 00:57:56,499.932 We'd love to hear from you, honestly. 590 00:57:56,799.932 --> 00:58:00,189.932 Anybody, if you have a bill idea, hit me up as well. 591 00:58:00,189.932 --> 00:58:03,519.932 We are in the process of making our package for next year. 592 00:58:03,519.932 --> 00:58:10,659.932 If you feel like, I don't know, even if you think it's just a twinkle in your eye, you don't know, let's just have a conversation. 593 00:58:10,659.932 --> 00:58:12,759.932 I, I love nothing more than just. 594 00:58:13,329.932 --> 00:58:14,709.932 Having chats, honestly. 595 00:58:14,739.932 --> 00:58:20,949.932 Yeah, honestly, that's all I would say is just please to anybody listening who wants to get in touch or get involved, absolutely. 596 00:58:21,129.932 --> 00:58:29,939.932 I will be a resource as much as I can before anyone who wants to do but yeah, I know it's been incredible to meet you guys and yeah, I've had such a great time. 597 00:58:29,939.932 --> 00:58:39,844.932 So thank you so much, Brittany, Megan any final thoughts? Any additional questions? It's been a great conversation. 598 00:58:39,844.932 --> 00:58:46,504.932 You're incredibly admirable and like even we're in North Carolina, so very far, very different context. 599 00:58:46,504.932 --> 00:58:54,934.932 But honestly, I would be interested in even just like hearing you like chat again and just for the sake of talking and hearing, having others hear you talk. 600 00:58:55,334.932 --> 00:58:57,584.932 It was very nice meeting and this was a lovely conversation. 601 00:58:58,709.932 --> 00:58:59,369.932 Thank you so much. 602 00:58:59,369.932 --> 00:59:10,389.932 It's definitely got my brain trying to work out like how student homes would apply to North Carolina, because North Carolina has some crazy state laws in a bad way. 603 00:59:10,389.932 --> 00:59:11,469.932 I could imagine. 604 00:59:11,709.932 --> 00:59:12,279.932 Yeah. 605 00:59:12,609.932 --> 00:59:19,939.932 But we have some, like overlaps, obviously not on the level of California with some of the student homelessness. 606 00:59:19,989.932 --> 00:59:32,469.932 But some of the same constraints being put on the campus where like the UNC campus is being required to grow it's class size with no additional housing yet. 607 00:59:32,529.932 --> 00:59:38,974.932 And so it's like what's the plan there? So definitely got my brain working and thanks for all you're doing. 608 00:59:38,974.932 --> 00:59:40,804.932 It's so I inspiring. 609 00:59:42,94.932 --> 00:59:42,634.932 Yes, absolutely. 610 00:59:42,634.932 --> 00:59:43,504.932 Thank you guys. 611 00:59:44,164.932 --> 00:59:44,524.932 We'll drop. 612 00:59:44,524.932 --> 00:59:46,414.932 I would love to talk to either of you. 613 00:59:46,724.932 --> 00:59:49,154.932 I'm always, and sorry Angie for cutting you off. 614 00:59:49,544.932 --> 00:59:50,84.932 Oh no, you're good. 615 00:59:50,84.932 --> 00:59:50,444.932 You're good. 616 00:59:50,574.932 --> 00:59:54,714.932 Always wanna hear more too about specific issues in other parts of the country. 617 00:59:54,954.932 --> 00:59:59,904.932 I've literally never not lived in California, so I'm a little bit in a bubble. 618 00:59:59,904.932 --> 01:00:03,414.932 So happy to have either of you burst my bubble at any time. 619 01:00:06,594.932 --> 01:00:13,734.932 I appreciate your time, Kate, and like I said, I can't wait to make introductions and help you really grow in whatever direction you wanna grow. 620 01:00:13,734.932 --> 01:00:16,824.932 But Juan knows a lot of people and we wanna get you involved. 621 01:00:16,824.932 --> 01:00:23,994.932 We want to support your work and let everybody know, hey, you guys are putting together this incredible roadmap and why don't we take it. 622 01:00:24,369.932 --> 01:00:28,209.932 National, help you take it national and introduce you to people that can make that happen. 623 01:00:28,519.932 --> 01:00:30,979.932 And then maybe someday Kate Rogers for president. 624 01:00:30,979.932 --> 01:00:34,154.932 I'm already feeling it, so We'll we'll stay in touch. 625 01:00:34,154.932 --> 01:00:37,94.932 Who knows? We can say we know her, we knew her when. 626 01:00:37,424.932 --> 01:00:39,594.932 But and then hope to see you at Summit too. 627 01:00:39,594.932 --> 01:00:41,34.932 So we'll talk about that offline. 628 01:00:41,34.932 --> 01:00:44,244.932 But thank you, all three of you for this conversation. 629 01:00:44,244.932 --> 01:00:52,114.932 Thank you for all the hard work you're doing and for being committed to housing and for opportunities for women in housing and in housing advocacy. 630 01:00:52,414.932 --> 01:00:54,844.932 On that note, we can say it's a wrap. 631 01:00:56,464.932 --> 01:00:56,704.932 Okay. 632 01:00:56,704.932 --> 01:00:57,424.932 It's a wrap. 633 01:00:57,424.932 --> 01:00:57,964.932 All good. 634 01:00:58,234.932 --> 01:00:59,554.932 Thank you guys so much. 635 01:01:00,964.932 --> 01:01:06,334.932 Thanks for being here with us on W Cast, the official podcast of the Women's Affordable Housing Network. 636 01:01:06,724.932 --> 01:01:14,944.932 Every guest, every story, every listen, helps us keep this space real rooted and resonant, and we're so glad you're a part of it. 637 01:01:15,364.932 --> 01:01:18,244.932 Big thanks to our guests for sharing their time and knowledge with us. 638 01:01:18,679.932 --> 01:01:26,449.932 To our sponsors for making this platform possible and to you for tuning in, sharing and helping us keep this conversation going. 639 01:01:27,139.932 --> 01:01:32,569.932 Be sure to follow rate and share MCAST wherever you listen and bring a friend next time we save them a seat. 640 01:01:33,544.932 --> 01:01:33,664.932 I.