YIMBY Nation (Yes, In My Back Yard)

Send us a text In this episode, we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities of housing reform with our special guest, Burhan Azeem, Cambridge City Councillor. From tackling the housing crisis and improving affordability to exploring sustainable urban development, this episode explores how local policies can create fairer, more livable communities. Join Vee, Jimmy, Peter and Burhan as we discuss the realities of housing policy, the importance of innovation in urban planning, and what meaningful reform could look like for cities like Cambridge and beyond. Burhan Azeem is serving his second term on the Cambridge City Council as the youngest councillor in the City's history. A graduate of MIT, Burhan’s primary focuses are on housing affordability, street safety, and universal pre-K. In his first term as councillor, Burhan expanded zoning for 100% affordable housing projects, successfully removed costly parking minimums that limited housing development, and played a key role in establishing universal pre-K for all Cambridge residents. Now serving as co-chair of the Housing Committee, Burhan is focused on expanding housing in Cambridge. His main initiative centers on legalizing multifamily housing up to six stories throughout the city, ensuring that Cambridge remains an affordable and accessible place to live for all its residents. Burhan is also a strong supporter of the Grand Junction passenger rail and municipal broadband. Bio from Cambridge City Council https://www.cambridgema.gov/Departments/citycouncil/members/burhanazeem

Send us a text Housing is more than just shelter—it's a reflection of our values, policies, and priorities. In this episode, we dive into the intersection of racial justice, climate change, and housing equity. From discriminatory housing practices to the growing threat of climate displacement, we unpack how systemic challenges are shaping where and how people live today. In today's episode, we're excited to have guest Pete Harrison from the Regional Plan Association. Pete Harrison joined Regional Plan Association in February 2022 as the DesegregateCT Director, leading a statewide program to enact equitable and sustainable land use policies in Connecticut. In 2024 he became RPA’s director of Connecticut programs. Pete previously served for a year as Senior Policy Fellow for DesegregateCT crafting the 80-member coalition’s policy briefs, communications strategy, and local organizing campaigns and helped pass the first statewide zoning reform bill in over 30 years. Prior to joining DesegregateCT, Pete worked on the intersection of housing, climate, and land use policy as a research scholar for the Buell Center of Architecture at Columbia University. He co-authored a portion of the textbook Green Reconstruction: A Curricular Toolkit for the Built Environment laying out a framework for graduate-level planning, architecture, and preservation programs to center equity and sustainability in their practices. Before that he was the senior national housing advisor for the progressive think tank, Data for Progress, where he co-authored briefs and articles on federal housing and land use policy including the Homes for All report. He also advised on the presidential campaigns of Vice President Kamala Harris, Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, and former HUD Secretary Julian Castro. Biography from RPA https://rpa.org/about/staff/pete-harrison

Send us a text Connecticut is fast becoming the modern template for long-term growth and sustainability, particularly for its approach to gender, equality, diversity, and inclusion, and for how it plans to build the State by investing in innovation at all levels (not just big corporations and entities). Today, we are honored to welcome Connecticut's 109th Lieutenant Governor, Susan Bysiewicz. Susan developed a distinct work ethic while growing up on a farm, and she explains how this, her parents, and other life experiences shaped her passion for public service. She is passionate about helping young girls and women to see themselves becoming whoever they want to be, so after explaining how she motivates young women to pursue leadership positions in all fields, Susan walks us through the great work being done by Connecticut’s Governor’s Council on Women and Girls. We learn about the economic development opportunities in CT, what the State is doing for housing and affordability, how it approaches DEI, how it plans to improve healthcare, and what it has lined up for the fight against climate change. To end, Susan details an important and impressive notch in her legacy as a governor as we learn about the brilliance of Connecticut Paid Leave. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: LT Governor Susan Bysiewicz LT Governor Susan Bysiewicz on LinkedIn LT Governor Susan Bysiewicz X LT Governor Susan Bysiewicz on Instagram Ella: A Biography of Ella Grasso Governor’s Council on Women and Girls Connecticut Department of Economic & Community Development Connecticut Small Business Boost Fund Ignite: A WBDC Grant Program The Women’s Business Development Council Connecticut Paid Leave Connecticut Student Loan Repayment Program Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on X VASE Construction Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY

Send us a text It is often said that where you find food insecurity, you will also find housing insecurity. Today’s conversation focuses on enhancing our communities' quality of life by examining the role housing plays in food security. We are joined by Khaatim Sherrer El, whose work is vital to today’s topic. He is the Executive Director of Clinton Hill Community Action (CHCA), a non-profit community development corporation dedicated to revitalizing Newark’s Clinton Hill neighborhood. With over 20 years of experience leading place-based initiatives, managing strategic partnerships, and building organizational capacity, Khaatim brings a wealth of knowledge and an exceptional educational background to our discussion. Join us as we explore what inspired Khaatim to pursue community development and revitalization, the correlation between health disparities and housing conditions, the role of the city of Newark in CHCA's work, and the cultural impacts on health and food disparities within the communities they serve. Khaatim also shares his experience managing significant philanthropic investments and leaves listeners with compelling thoughts to reflect on. Thanks for tuning in. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Khaatim Sherrer El on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text How access to quality housing intersects with quality of life such as better health results. Joining us to explore this topic is Gillian Pressman, Managing Director at YIMBY Action. To kick off our conversation, Gillian shares how YIMBY Action is working to legalize housing and remove barriers to affordable housing. We discuss the far-reaching impact of quality housing which touches on education, youth empowerment, and health. Through the lens of her own experience, Gillian illustrates the importance of building housing in opportunity-rich areas so that young professionals don’t need to lower their standards in order to live close to work. Gillian offers actionable advice for those seeking to advocate for affordable housing, focusing on creating options in high-income areas. Join us as we explore fundraising, the relationship between health and housing, zoning, and more. Thanks for listening! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Gillian Pressman on LinkedIn Gillian Pressman on X YIMBY Action Peer Health Exchange Generation Citizen Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text The housing and communities that people live in can influence nearly every aspect of their lives; from where they work to how they get there, the quality of the schools in their area, and even their longevity. Today, we take a deep dive into how zoning, land use policies, and efforts like NIMBYism affect affordability, equality in education, and economic mobility in our communities. Joining us to discuss this topic is Yonah Freemark, a Principal Research Associate at the Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center at the Urban Institute. Yonah is the Research Director of the Land Use Lab at Urban where his research focuses on the intersection of land use, affordable housing, transportation, and governance. Tuning in, you’ll learn how the Urban Institute works toward using public policy to create a brighter future for all, what it looks like to close the Black-white wealth gap in America, the need to shift our focus from policy to the needs of the individual, the importance of allowing people access to the communities they want to live in and redirecting investments into the communities that need them most, and much more! You won’t want to miss this thought-provoking conversation. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Yonah Freemark Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center Urban Institute Land Use Lab at Urban (LULU) Yonah Freemark on X Yonah Freemark on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Bringing about positive public policy change requires knowledge, insight, and above all, commitment. Our guest today, Michele "Dr. Tiny" Williams, has had a varied career that spans the military, real estate, and public policy. While conducting research for her recent Ph.D. in Public Policy, she examined the relationship between health and housing, the results of which had a huge impact on the latter half of her career. After realizing the substantial role that geography played in health outcomes, Michele recognized that your zip code shouldn’t determine your lifespan. Her experience during a bike adventure that involved helping communities fix their homes further catalyzed Michele to become involved in housing and public policy. Since then, she has made it her mission to transform public housing and address the systemic inefficiencies that are putting countless people in a position where they face homelessness or risk making dire compromises. She is the chief visionary behind COBA US, a non-profit organization that seeks to establish policy development, with a focus on tiny house communities and affordable rentals. Michele is also the Executive Director of The Fuller Center of Housing in Delaware. In our conversation today, Michele delves into the many elements of her work, including the extensive policy work she’s done over the past few years, the benefits and drawbacks of tiny homes, and how to listen to the needs of the communities you work with before taking action. To learn more about Michele and how these organizations are challenging the status quo, be sure to tune in to this inspiring conversation! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dirt to Keys website - Soon to launch Michele A. Williams on LinkedIn Michele A. Williams Email The Tiny House Alliance USA COBA US Info Sheet The Habitat for Humanity YIMBY Delaware Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email

Send us a text Most of us assume that the case for reparations to address the inhumane legacy of slavery is primarily about financial compensation. But that’s not necessarily the case. In part two of our conversation with Valerie White, we take a closer look at systemic inequities in the US and the potential for reparations to begin to repair them. We discuss the role that slavery and segregation played in creating the massive racial wealth gap and how it continues to define modern America. Next, Valerie unpacks what reparations might look like beyond financial compensation, and why systemic change is needed in all sectors of government, from education to housing. She also confronts the polarized state of US politics and the hostility that some groups have toward equity and change. Despite the enduring injustices of the status quo and the glacial pace of systemic change, Valerie still finds reasons for hope in the small victories she comes across in her advocacy work. To hear more of Valerie’s insights, and the remainder of our conversation on disrupting systemic inequities, be sure to tune in today. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Valerie White on LinkedIn Valerie Email LISC NY LISC on LinkedIn LISC NY on LinkedIn LISC on Facebook LISC NY on Facebook The U.S. Racial Wealth Gap, 1860–2020 The Color of Money Ford Foundation Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Founded in 1979, The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is a non-profit organization that has played a pivotal role in growing community development initiatives across the country for over three decades. Joining us today to discuss LISC’s work, community advocacy, systemic inequities, and more, is Senior Executive Director at LISC NY Valerie White. We kick off Part I of our conversation with Valerie by talking about her upbringing and how her parents inspired her to become involved with advocacy work and public service. She goes on to describe her time at New York Housing Authority (NYCHA) and reflects on how it shaped her outlook as well as the important work the organization has done for marginalized communities. Valerie also provides a detailed breakdown of the initiatives at LISC NY, including their Developers of Color Program, and why it’s so important for creating greater access and opportunity for BIPOC individuals. She goes on to unpack what can be learned from rapidly developing cities across Africa and the lessons she came away with after her visits to countries like Kenya and Cote d'Ivoire. Join us today to learn about the important work LISC NY is doing to uplift underinvested communities and what to expect from them going forward. Key Points From This Episode: Join us in a few weeks for Part I of a can't-miss conversation! Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Valerie White on LinkedIn Valerie White on Twitter Valerie Email LISC NY LISC on LinkedIn LISC NY on LinkedIn LISC on Facebook LISC NY on Facebook Ford Foundation Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email

Send us a text We are a country in crisis. Poverty, homelessness, and unfit housing continues to plague our society, along with issues of race and gender in America. During today’s conversation, leading economist Dr. Fred McKinney weighs in on the distinction between absolute and relative poverty; his belief is that while there will always be relative poor living among us, our focus should be on eradicating the presence of absolute poverty. Tune in to hear about the importance of government support, how the last six years have revealed that the country is in crisis, and why the poverty crisis cannot be separated from the problem of race and gender. Hear why Dr. Fred’s advice to listeners is that history, government, and activism are all important. He reminds listeners that nobody is going to save you, so you have to band together and get organized. Join the conversation today! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Fred McKinney on LinkedIn Dr. Fred McKinney on Twitter Dr. Fred McKinney on Email BJM Solutions Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text America is in a housing crisis. Following the pandemic, inflation is on the rise leading to widespread housing issues. With rising rental prices and a plummeting home ownership market, homelessness and substandard housing are also on the rise. Today’s guest, Dr. Fred McKinney, is a leading economist working in higher education and consulting in business development, with a focus on corporate social responsibility and diversity training. During today’s conversation, Dr. Fred shares his insights on the critical role of affordable housing in supporting low and moderate-income citizens, the relationship between mental health and homelessness, and short and long term solutions to the homelessness and ill-housing problem. We touch on the gap between the myth of success and the reality of what it takes to get there, and how business participation in development can help create generational wealth. Dr. Fred shares what he has uncovered through surveying supplier diversity professionals, and reveals the pernicious effect of corporations masquerading as supporting minority-owned businesses. Join us today to hear his thoughts about policing this problem, increasing responsibility, prioritizing fairness and whistleblowing, and much more! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Dr. Fred McKinney on LinkedIn Dr. Fred McKinney on Twitter BJM Solutions Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Being an entrepreneur is challenging, but if you enter the journey with a willingness to stick through the tough times, you can go further than you ever thought possible. This is the story of today’s guest, Sadie Marshall, who founded Sadie’s Pro Cleaning at the end of 2018. When the pandemic hit and she lost all of her clients, but instead of giving up on her dreams, she pivoted from a commercial and residential cleaning business to a crime scene and hazard cleaning business. Over the past few years, Sadie's Pro Cleaning has grown from strength to strength. Join us today to hear how Sadie has flourished in a male-dominated industry, turning herself from an unemployed single mom into a successful business owner who is getting ready to buy her own house! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Sadie’s Pro Cleaning Business Line — 183377SADIE Sadie’s Pro Cleaning Business Line — 2033509464 Sadie’s Pro Cleaning Sadie’s Pro Cleaning on Facebook Sadie’s Pro Cleaning on Instagram Sadie Marshall on Instagram Dirty Rotten Cleaners Dirty Rotten Cleaners Episode 3 Dirty Rotten Cleaners Episode 7 Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Today, we are joined by Gregory Russ to talk about how NYCHA is reforming its approach to public housing in New York. Gregory was appointed Chair and CEO of the NYC Housing Authority in 2019. He is a seasoned housing professional with decades of management experience, who has helped to rebuild and strengthen public housing authorities across the country. Gregory begins by laying out the context of the issues New York is facing, where he describes a dysfunctional institutional structure combined with severely undercapitalized housing stock. He touches on the history of NYCHA’s recapitalization issues and the methods they are using to rectify this by reforming their approach in line with the HUD agreement. He breaks down NYCHA’s recent adoption of a property-first mentality, the role of partnerships with investors in growing support, and how programs such as RAD and PACT are being utilized as mechanisms for recapitalization and investment. What Gregory shares is encouraging in terms of the future for NYCHA and public housing in general, so be sure to join for today’s discussion. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Gregory Russ on LinkedIn Gregory Russ on Twitter NYC Housing Authority Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Welcome back to YIMBY Nation! Joining us in conversation today is Wade Rathke, from ACORN International, which fights for the basic rights of people – better security, health, housing, education, and employment conditions, and more responsive, truly representative government. You’ll hear about Wade’s long and groundbreaking history with the organization, starting with working to bring laws into policy to be able to enact change in the fight for affordable and livable housing worldwide. The hosts of YIMBY Nation and Wade delve into the current state of our world with stark realism, and a hopeful gaze at the future, as well as revealing how ACORN’s work differs in the US, Canada, Peru, Africa, India, and beyond. We hope you join us to hear all of this and more today. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Acorn International Wade Rathke on Twitter Wade Rathke on LinkedIn Wade's Website Wade Rathke on Email Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text On today’s show, we are pleased to welcome Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozum, President of Eight Paws NDN, a Native Gaming Consulting firm. Bruce was first elected to the Mohegan Tribal Council in 2004, where served for eight years as Chairman and helped to secure refinancing for Mohegan Sun. He was involved in the expansion of the Mohegan Sun brand into Pennsylvania, Atlantic City, Washington State, Massachusetts, and New York. In this episode, Bruce describes community development in the sovereign state of the Mohegan Tribe, including how its community is housed on the reservation, whether or not they are affected by the affordable housing crisis in Connecticut, and what we can learn from their community revenue sharing structure. We also touch on the perceptions of outsiders, what pushback the Mohegans receive from NIMBY locals as they look to expand, and how home and land ownership works on the reservation. Tune in today to learn more about the Mohegan approach to building a more resilient and equitable community! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Bruce "Two Dogs" Bozum on LinkedIn Mohegan Sun Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation

Send us a text Today’s guest on YIMBY Nation is Seila Mosquera-Bruno, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Housing (CDOH) and Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority (CHFA). Appointed by Governor Ned Lamont, Seila brings a wealth of knowledge to the Department of Housing. Prior to her appointment, she was the President and Chief Executive Officer of NeighborWorks New Horizons (NWNH), a non-profit organization dedicated to providing affordable housing opportunities to help build strong communities and revitalize neighborhoods, which expanded its operations beyond New Haven County to New London and Fairfield counties under her leadership. Seila holds a Master’s degree in Urban Studies from Southern Connecticut State University, a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Charter Oak College, and she completed the Community Development fellowship program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. She has also served on the National NeighborWorks Association board and is co-chair of their National Real Estate Development Advisory Council. In this episode, Seila shares her mission to increase access to quality housing opportunities in the State of Connecticut, the important role that education plays, and how individual communities can address housing inequalities by being proactive. We also touch on Seila’s advice for creating more diverse and equitable communities and the value of collaborative efforts between the state, organizations, and individual communities using the resources available. Tune in today to learn more! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Seila Mosquera-Bruno on LinkedIn Connecticut State Department of Housing Connecticut Housing Finance Authority Affordable Housing Plan and Process Guidebook UniteCT Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn

Send us a text Welcome to the first episode of Your In My Back Yard Nation, the podcast that looks at housing from a macro level to understand the aspects of life it impacts. In this episode, we invite Dr. Karen DuBois-Walton to help us address the COVID eviction crisis which disproportionately affects Black and Latinx renters in Connecticut. Dr. DuBois-Walton is the President of Elm City Communities, the largest public housing authority in the state of Connecticut. Before taking the helm of the ECC she served New Haven as Chief Operating Officer and Chief of Staff for former Mayor John DeStefano. She has also been named one of the 100 most influential Blacks in Connecticut and was awarded the Greater New Haven NAACP Community Service Award, so we cannot think of a better guest to kick off the show! Our conversation begins on the subject of the housing crisis and how it has been exacerbated by the pandemic. We then dig deeper into the issue of long-term housing segregation and poverty in communities of color which have sown the seeds for what we are experiencing today. Dr. Dubois-Walton weighs in on actions that have and can still be taken by federal, state, and local governments to help address the issue. She also talks about some of the advocacy she has headed up such as pulling together non-federal funds to cancel rent for an entire month. Tune in and hear more about how Dr. DuBois-Walton is helping to break cycles of poverty in Connecticut today. Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Karen DuBois-Walton Karen DuBois-Walton on Twitter Elm City Communities

Send us a text Today we are excited to introduce you to the YIMBY Nation podcast where we will be exploring US housing policies and pathways to building more equitable neighborhoods. YIMBY Nation will focus on the nuts and bolts of affordable housing development and the socio-economic issues related to it, such as poverty, eviction, employment, supportive services, education, and healthcare. In this first episode, we meet our hosts Jimmy Miller, Peter Wood, and Vincencia Adusei, or “Vee”. We hear about their backgrounds, their careers, and their passion for housing development. We discuss the concept of ‘NIMBY’ or ‘NIMBYism’, meaning ‘Not In My Back Yard’, as a negative reaction by many people across the country towards efforts to create affordable housing and mixed-income communities in suburban areas. We then explain how the title of this podcast ‘YIMBY Nation’ is turning this concept on its head, with ‘YIMBY’ standing for ‘Yes, In My Back Yard’. Tune in today to hear personal stories of neighborhoods that have been transformed from an attitude of ‘NIMBY’ to that of ‘YIMBY’. Find out what to expect from future episodes and be inspired by true stories of the change that is possible! Key Points From This Episode: Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn Vincencia Adusei on Twitter VASE Construction Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn Censere Consulting Peter Wood on LinkedIn YIMBY Nation Email YIMBY Nation