Community TrailBlazers

Leonard Zax is the CEO of the Hamilton Partnership, a nonprofit organization that led the effort to create the Paterson Great Falls National Park in his hometown of Paterson New Jersey. He has degrees in law and city planning from Harvard University and has worked for more than thirty years on community development projects across the country. In this episode, Leonard talks about his extensive role at HUD and his contribution to th...

David Engel shares his successes and challenges working in affordable housing for decades and the concern he still expresses for the industry. He has a unique perspective since he worked in research at HUD, not production. His thoughts on the impediments to affordable housing and what is needed for the future are important take-aways! Listen in to learn the importance of making workforce housing affordable to cater to workers who o...

As President and CEO of the International Economic Development Council, Jeff Finkle is a recognized leader and authority on economic development. In this episode, Jeff talks about his role as an assistant secretary at HUD in the mid-80s and his contribution to economic development. One of the many things you will learn in this interview is how to create a foundation which serves people in need. Jeffrey talks about his time at HUD, ...

Ep. 74 – Alison Gross weaves a fascinating story of handling global events in Monte Carlo to coordinating the Maccabi  games and a world sailing race in the U.S. She started a business during COVID and explains how the new normal will be different but will adapt. She then talks about adaptive reuse and how cities like New York will change. And she talks about the 5 reasons for optimism for 2021, thinking about which things will mak...

As senior vice president for affordable housing initiatives at the Mortgage Bankers Association, Steve O’Connor is rolling out affordable housing initiatives in several cities. Steve’s role in the association is to build partnerships to address affordable housing and create more homeownership opportunities for low income and minority consumers.

Key Takeaways:

• How to innovate and take responsible risks to find the hardest to re...

Stanley Marcuss explains the negative effects of the adverse consequences of international trade. Listen to his story on Adlai Stevenson and why foreign corruption is still rampant in international marketplaces.

Key Takeaways:

• The differences and similarities between government-led and private-led redevelopments
• How to harness the knowledge of other people to be able to work together and find solutions
• How to compromise to mai...

Top Takeaways:

• The importance of supporting your children’s passions which might become their lifelong careers
• The power of persistence and taking advantage of a moment that could change the trajectory of your life or career
• Why you should always be aware of your surroundings not to be left behind and also follow what you have an interest in
• The benefits of going after your passion with dedication, focus, and certainty

E...

Michael Moskow is a manager personified. Mike’s professional accomplishments include service in both the public and private sectors, as well as higher education. During the course of his career, he has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate for five positions in the federal government. Like Carla Hills, he has worked for HUD and been a U.S. Trade Ambassador. He covers a wide range of topics from a reconnaissance mission touring dangerou...

How do you turn around a dying town? What happens to small to medium-sized cities when their largest employer pulls out?  Shekar Narasimhan has been putting his plan in place in communities that have been left behind . . . and it's working!  Shekar also tells us how to address generational poverty, racial bias and gender inequities - and defines it. He is an advocate for housing as a right and tells us why. 

www.TrailBlazersImpact....

“Bill Lilley taught at Yale, worked for the federal government, worked at CBS in New York, and started a software company, which he sold,” said John Fox Sullivan, longtime friend and former Yale student.“ Meet William “Bill” Lilley III, an American Western History Buff, who taught at Yale where he received his Ph.D. for most of the 1960s with American history and American studies as his fields. He worked in the federal government i...

Meet Alfred Dellibovi, President and CEO of the Federal Home Bank of New York and a nationally recognized authority on banking, the lending industry, housing, and public finance. He was United States Deputy Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from 1989 until 1992 under Jack Kemp, having been appointed by President George H. W. Bush. In his podcast he tells us why the HUD Reform in the 1980's was necessary and what was done t...

Lynne Sagalyn, an expert in real estate development and finance, gives us the theory and thinking behind how and why cities exist as they do today. She has been an educator and scholar for over 40 years. She built an innovative and rigorous program of graduate studies in commercial real estate finance and investment strategy at Columbia business school. She explains how cities are built and redeveloped and endeavors to demystify th...

Antonio Santaella, a very famous flamenco dancer referred to as the international flamenco maestro whose culture influence qualifies him to be a Fellow of the American Academy of Housing and Communities. He started his long journey to Puerto Rico from Granada, Spain his birthplace and coming of age. He was discovered at a show in Paris by the famous Laura Toledo, who later invited him to join her company for a nationwide tour of th...

Robert Rozen, referred to as Bobby,  worked for many years in the U.S. Senate and was involved in the establishment of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program which is the primary means of financing affordable housing today. In the 30 years since enactment, nearly 3 million housing units have been built with LIHTC equity, 3.1 million jobs have been created and an industry has grown around it. But to understand how the LIHTC passe...

Is fair housing fair? What is disparate impact and how can housing authorities and landlords determine the application of it?  What is reasonable accommodation? How is HUD conducting market testing to determine racial discrimination? Amy M. Glassman is a partner with Ballard Spahr, a law firm with more than 650 attorneys and 15 offices. Amy has had extensive experience with HUD regulatory and statutory compliance issues including d...

Referred to as Bill Kelly, he is the developer of a co-creation model to bring social change to affordable housing. He was a special assistant and executive assistant to the secretary of HUD Carla Hills from 1975 to 1977. He was only 30 years old at the time but he and Carla clicked in style and substance. When he left HUD, he joined the law firm of Latham and Watkins where he worked for 25 years as a partner. He had experience wit...

Sarah Rosen Wartell: Elevate the Debate Ep. 60 - Sarah Rosen Wartell has articulated a strategy for Urban: elevate the debate. She is the public policy executive and housing markets expert who serves as president of the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan social and economic research and policy organization whose more than 550 researchers, experts, and other staff believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communit...

Meet Muriel Tillinghast, a human rights activist from the 1960’s to today! She takes us on a long but fascinating journey from the initial civil rights activities in the 1960’s through an extensive career in revenue generation and oversight to mediation and negotiation to educational teaching and administration. She describes her experiences in NAG and SNCC in both desegregation and tenant rights. She tells us about her advocacy wo...