Latest / ChangeMakers with Katie Goar / Episode 126: Joaquín Cintrón Vega, CEO, Denver Housing Authority

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Episode 126: Joaquín Cintrón Vega, CEO, Denver Housing Authority · ChangeMakers with Katie Goar

• 0:05
  Speaker 1: This is change Makers with Katie Gore finding the right
• 0:09
  Speaker 1: solutions for the affordable housing community.
• 0:13
  Speaker 2: This week's change maker is Joaquin Sentron Vega, the CEO
• 0:17
  Speaker 2: of the Denver Housing Authority and the City and County
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: of Denver. Joaquin brings more than twenty years of experience
• 0:25
  Speaker 2: in public housing, finance and neighborhood development to our podcast today.
• 0:31
  Speaker 2: Originally from Puerto Rico, he's built a career focus on
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: practical solutions, strong partnerships, and revitalizing community. Joaquin, Welcome to
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: the show.
• 0:44
  Speaker 3: Thank you, Katie, thank you for having me here. This
• 0:46
  Speaker 3: is an amazing opportunity. I would love to express so
• 0:51
  Speaker 3: many things, but I will follow your lead and then
• 0:54
  Speaker 3: to make sure that I can add smash value as
• 0:58
  Speaker 3: possible for everybody that.
• 0:59
  Speaker 4: Is going to be listening to this.
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: Well, thank you. It's an honor to have you and
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: you and I have talked on numerous occasions about all
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: of the work that you are doing and your career,
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: so I feel like it's a privilege to have you
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: here with our listeners and for you to be able
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: to share some of these best practices that you've been doing.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: So it's one thing to speak at a conference but
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: it's another thing to speak out a podcast, so we
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: can reach a lot of people who are more than
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: just who are in those seats at a conference, Isn't it?
• 1:30
  Speaker 4: Absolutely?
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely, It's a great opportunity again to make sure that
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: my boys beyond those opportunities that I have had doing
• 1:40
  Speaker 3: the many conferences I have attended and the one on
• 1:42
  Speaker 3: one interactions, the group interactions, so we can reash a
• 1:48
  Speaker 3: larger audience through these opportunities. So I am very humbled
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: and excited to do this with you today. So again,
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: thank you so much for providing me out opportunity to
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: express my thoughts and to also sharing some of the
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: great things that we're doing here in den.
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: Br Let's first start by talking about when you may
• 2:10
  Speaker 2: have realized your calling or your journey or your destiny,
• 2:15
  Speaker 2: whatever you describe it as. But how did you start
• 2:18
  Speaker 2: coming into affordable housing and why was this personally so
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: important for you to develop your career down this path?
• 2:28
  Speaker 3: Absolutely, I was called to this work by antip belief
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: that housing is the foundation for human dignity, opportunity and equity.
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: There is in my opinion, and I feel this in
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: this way, there is no greater purpose than re shaping
• 2:46
  Speaker 3: systems that for too long have disregarded communities and creating
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: new pathways for economic advancement for the people that we
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: so probably serve. So I see this as a lifelong mission,
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: not a job, and to day, after twenty four years
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: of service, my passion only intensifies kry because every day
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: I see the transformational power of the work I lead.
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: By implementing housing development strategies with a strong focus on
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: economic development and rooted within a community development strategy that DSHA.
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: We are implementing through what I called our Community Responsive
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: Planning and Development approach, I am to fundamentally shift the
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: way our industry approaches housing development strategies by moving from
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: transactional management to transformational leadership.
• 3:43
  Speaker 4: Rooted again in equity, dignity, and innovation.
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  Speaker 3: My vision kit is to embed community voices, economic opportunity,
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: and design excellence at the core.
• 3:55
  Speaker 4: Of every decision.
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  Speaker 3: That is very very important to me, and because I
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: live that affordable housing can and should always be a
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: platform for what mobility, not a symbol of limitation. I
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: think that the work that I am leading is toy
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: very important, and this requires both partnerships and fearless execution.
• 4:17
  Speaker 3: Challenging sometimes outdated norms to redefine what such sex looked
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: like for housing authorities nationwide.
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: You mentioned transactional aspects of affordable housing, and for so
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: many years we've just been about checking the box, filling
• 4:34
  Speaker 2: out the form, going through the process. But affordable housing,
• 4:38
  Speaker 2: the needs have changed and people have changed, and so
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: many times people have said, Okay, you know, yes we're
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: impacting lives, Yes we're impacting that core need of security
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: and safety, but how are we delivering that model? And
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  Speaker 2: I think what I hear you saying is that you're
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  Speaker 2: moving from just a transactional piece of this and to transformation,
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: I believe is what you said. Well, that changes how
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: the business happens, doesn't it?
• 5:10
  Speaker 4: Absolutely?
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  Speaker 3: Many times, you know, because we are working in a
• 5:14
  Speaker 3: heavily regulated environment, right, we abide to those rules and
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: we definitely need need to follow those rules, those regulations,
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: but we become sometimes too strict because of that that
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  Speaker 3: we overlook what is truly important at the end of
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  Speaker 3: the day, that contact with the people that we so
• 5:38
  Speaker 3: probably serve our communities and making sure that while we
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: need to abide to those rules and regulations, in the end,
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  Speaker 3: the vision, that common vision of success should be one
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  Speaker 3: that comes from the voice of the people that we're
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  Speaker 3: serving and making sure how can we more than maximize
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  Speaker 3: our resources, we can optimize everything that we do to
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  Speaker 3: achieve the end goal, which is to make sure that
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: we can provide those pathways to a better quality of
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  Speaker 3: life from the individual standpoint for the people and to
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: the people that we are probably serving, but also on
• 6:14
  Speaker 3: a collective way, in a way that those communities and
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: neighborhoods can be transformed according to the vision that the
• 6:21
  Speaker 3: individuals that we're serving are expressing to us.
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  Speaker 2: I want to get into some of those strategies how
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: you're actually doing that, because you have some great programs
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  Speaker 2: by which you're delivering that. But first I want to
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: ask you a question, if I can get personal for
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: a moment, because I believe you may be the first
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: person I'm trying to do an inventory in fact check
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: myself here, but I believe you may be the first
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  Speaker 2: person that we've had on the podcast that's grown up
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: in Puerto Rico, and so I want to ask you
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  Speaker 2: a few questions about that just from this standpoint, because
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: how you grew up and where you grew up well
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: for all of us it just influences us, and so
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: I influences our leadership, our outlooks, and so I want
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: to get your unique perspective here, for example, like how
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  Speaker 2: did living in Puerto Rico influence what you view about
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: community or safety and stability or you know, just any
• 7:25
  Speaker 2: of that. And then like, especially with what you're doing
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: right now, do you have some reflections for us on that.
• 7:32
  Speaker 4: Thank you for that question, Katie.
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  Speaker 3: I tortually appreciate number one, the recognition about the beautiful
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: place from where I am coming from, but also our
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: opportunity to recognize some of the very important things that
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  Speaker 3: at the very beginning helped shaping who I am today.
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: So you know, growing up in Puerto Rico, I witness
• 8:00
  Speaker 3: both the resilience of communities and the painful consequences of
• 8:07
  Speaker 3: disinvestment and most importantly inequality. UH. That taught me that
• 8:15
  Speaker 3: that housing UH is deeply entangled with identity, culture, and opportunity.
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: It also instilled in me a first commitment to justice.
• 8:30
  Speaker 4: UH.
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  Speaker 3: As you know, we have a very particular situation there
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: in Puerto Rico. Knowing that UH, where you are born
• 8:41
  Speaker 3: should never determine the limits of your potential, that every
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: single human being carries a powerful voice that shall be
• 8:51
  Speaker 3: heard in defining goals and objectives UH and most importantly,
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: a common vision of success. I learned that in Puerto
• 9:00
  Speaker 3: Rico very early in my career, and throughout my career
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: in public housing and community development. I have seen firsthand
• 9:10
  Speaker 3: the power of what I am expressing to you today.
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: This community responsive planning, a development approach in creating housing
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: with a strong focus in economic development investments, which I
• 9:24
  Speaker 3: totally believe is the cornerstone of everything that we should
• 9:28
  Speaker 3: be doing moving forward. And how embedding community voices economic
• 9:34
  Speaker 3: opportunity and designed as excellence. As I was mentioning prior,
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: you know, how can that help transforming lives. I've worked
• 9:46
  Speaker 3: with families rebuilding after hurricanes, led housing recovery efforts, and
• 9:52
  Speaker 3: collaborated with communities facing generational disinvestment.
• 9:56
  Speaker 4: So from Puerto Rico.
• 9:58
  Speaker 3: To Toledo High You most recently, but in between Miami
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: Day County now here in Denver. UH, I am I
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: am carrying all of those UH lessons that I have
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: learned specifically from.
• 10:12
  Speaker 4: Puerto Rico, UH, where of course.
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: You know many challenges UH that that we're faced at
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: that time, but that the island continue uh to continues
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: to do to face right now, specifically as it relates
• 10:26
  Speaker 3: to to to housing because of the impact of hurricanes
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: and and and other uh you know, uh natural nature
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: impacts that we have faced al most most recently. And
• 10:40
  Speaker 3: you know I I I have learned uh the all
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: these uh different experiences and circumstances can be applied in
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  Speaker 3: other places.
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  Speaker 4: So I think that I am coming uh here to
• 10:53
  Speaker 4: Denver with a strong foundation of understanding about how through
• 10:59
  Speaker 4: the diferent approaches we can achieve the same end goal.
• 11:04
  Speaker 4: And I feel, you know, blessed.
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  Speaker 3: Happy to having the opportunity, although it is not in
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: Puerto Rico, but to serve humans at the end of
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  Speaker 3: the day, right, that's really important to me. And as
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: I always say, I am Puerto Rican, I am Hispanic
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  Speaker 3: because of God, I am Latin, I am American, But
• 11:31
  Speaker 3: in the end, I am human, and that makes me
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  Speaker 3: sayme like everybody else. So it's an honor for me
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  Speaker 3: to search well.
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  Speaker 2: And it's so unique because you're able to take all
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  Speaker 2: of those experiences and take understanding to a situation that
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  Speaker 2: other people may not. And so you're bringing a very
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  Speaker 2: powerful voice to the approach. Whether you're at the table,
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: whether you're at the ribbon cutting or whatever event you're at,
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  Speaker 2: you're bringing a unique strength that is, you know, not
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  Speaker 2: necessarily common, and so I think it's so great to
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  Speaker 2: hear what you're saying. You've lived, what you've seen, and
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  Speaker 2: there's a lot of leaders in affordable housing, and all
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  Speaker 2: of the perspectives are just so fascinating to many of
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  Speaker 2: us as we learn more about each other, learn more
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: about what we've lived through, what we've accomplished, because so
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: many people see us like just in the versions of
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: where we are today, and they don't know what our
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: life lessons have been. So I appreciate hearing that, you know,
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  Speaker 2: when you first started into housing, was there something that
• 12:49
  Speaker 2: you were shocked about that you hadn't thought about or
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: you know, or you realized, wait, the story was this,
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: And now I've learned learned this about housing when you
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: first came into it, or maybe even today.
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  Speaker 3: Absolutely I think that you know, and I will go
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: back in time maybe when I was about maybe nineteen
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: twenty years right, So there is this stigma to what
• 13:20
  Speaker 3: public housing is or can be, but a very unfair
• 13:28
  Speaker 3: judgment about the people that, for whatever reason right are
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: transitioning through the programs that we are managing. And I
• 13:40
  Speaker 3: think that you know, getting this opportunity to start a
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  Speaker 3: professional career in the housing industry, specifically working with the
• 13:51
  Speaker 3: housing Authority in Puerto Rico, which is the second largest
• 13:54
  Speaker 3: public housing authority in the nation, managing the law income
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  Speaker 3: public Housing program, it probably provided to me an opportunity
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: to first hand having that opportunity to not only get
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: getting more involved in visiting the different communities, understanding the
• 14:16
  Speaker 3: dynamics there, the opportunities and the challenges. Right. I believe
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: that in my case, I only see opportunities where perhaps
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: others are seeing challenges and maybe that is something that
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: have helped me growing my my professional career in terms
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: of servant leadership. But I think that the most important
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: aspect is that one on one level of interaction, having
• 14:48
  Speaker 3: an opportunity to listen and having an opportunity to sometimes
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: you know, investing a couple of minutes or hours sometimes
• 14:59
  Speaker 3: just just to.
• 14:59
  Speaker 4: Listen and to to individuals telling us.
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: How how they looks like for them and and how
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: through that process of listening to those experiences, we can
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: then abserve and and and and apply right and and
• 15:16
  Speaker 3: to see how through the opportunity that we have as
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: public servants, we can then with shape we form uh
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: in that level of collaboration with those voices from the
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: community to provide you know, pathways to better outcomes that
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: are uh, not for them, are built with them. And
• 15:38
  Speaker 3: I think that they, I mean the people that I
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: have been serving throughout these many years, they they truly.
• 15:47
  Speaker 4: See that, they appreciate that.
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: And in the end, UH, the final uh and most
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: important positive outcome is that we we keep building credibility.
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: We built on the reputation not only from the personal standpoint,
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: but on behalf of the entity that we're representing. And
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: those aspects are really important, sometimes overlooked, but hopefully, you know,
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: we can keep doing that and we have been doing
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: that here in Denver as well.
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: Let's talk about Denver. What are some of the current
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: housing challenges. The city is beautiful, the city is always
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: fun to visit, but that means a lot of people
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: want to be there, which is driving up demand. Even
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: when you pull some of the Denver stats over the
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: last ten fifteen years, it's been a pretty consistent favorite
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: of cities. So what does the housing challenge look like
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: right now? As it relates to either affordability or supply.
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: Give us some idea what the current housing crisis is,
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: if I can call it that, and just kind of
• 17:06
  Speaker 2: tell us what you're up against right now.
• 17:09
  Speaker 3: Yeah, So here in Denver, needless to say, we have
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: an affordability crisis. The housing supply demand that we have
• 17:23
  Speaker 3: some years ago was totaling close to fifty thousand affordable
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: housing units that.
• 17:33
  Speaker 4: We are lacking here in Denver.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: Of course, you know the process of concentration of poverty,
• 17:41
  Speaker 3: specifically on the West side of dember and what the
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: cascade effect can be in terms of gentrification when things
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: are not addressing the way they should are some of
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: the most important challenges here homelessness, of course is what
• 18:00
  Speaker 3: of those top priorities UH, not only from from our
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: perspective leading entity or collaborator within our continuous care, but
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: also from the local municipal abasedation the city and Council
• 18:17
  Speaker 3: and County of Dember.
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: UH.
• 18:19
  Speaker 3: This is a top priority for Major Johnstone and we
• 18:22
  Speaker 3: are of course supporting those airports through the many programs
• 18:26
  Speaker 3: that we have available to address the issue of homelessness
• 18:30
  Speaker 3: and working in collaboration not only with UH, those additional
• 18:35
  Speaker 3: housing providers, but supportive services providers that should be part
• 18:40
  Speaker 3: of that conversation.
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: So we we have been leading the way in many.
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: Ways, uh not only from the housing development strategy in
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: which we of course we get involved in too many
• 18:56
  Speaker 3: large housing development across the the city Optmber, but we
• 19:03
  Speaker 3: are working in a way that we can keep creating.
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: And preserving housing.
• 19:10
  Speaker 3: Through smaller projects that can respect the character of all
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: of the neighborhoods that we have here locally and specifically,
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: I am talking about initiatives like our accessor.
• 19:26
  Speaker 4: Read one unit program.
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: So we are not only creating more housing that as
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: an added value is providing some additional ways for those
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: individuals to getting some additional income for those households.
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: But to do that in a way that while we
• 19:47
  Speaker 4: create the.
• 19:47
  Speaker 3: Housing opportunity, respecting the character of the different neighborhoods, we
• 19:51
  Speaker 3: are doing that in a way that you know, we
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: are not disrupting the fabric of those of those neighborhoods
• 19:59
  Speaker 3: that has been being great that are giving us the
• 20:01
  Speaker 3: opportunity to create more housing over time through local partnerships
• 20:08
  Speaker 3: specifically with the city and the state providing to us
• 20:13
  Speaker 3: from the funding perspective, those resources, but working in collaboration
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: with them to make sure that the appropriate level of
• 20:22
  Speaker 3: legislation is in place so we can keep doing that,
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: and of course, as we are making progress, to keep
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: enhancing programs like that, so we we keep you know,
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: on this innovative and creative standpoint, and we are also
• 20:41
  Speaker 3: making sure that we provide housing through alternative methods and
• 20:48
  Speaker 3: specifically we have a special limited partnership program. Right now,
• 20:53
  Speaker 3: we have a pipeline of about one fifty six units
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: that will come online through that program. From the larger
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: development standpoint, we have a pipeline of close to two
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: thousand additional apartments coming online during the next five years
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: throughout many different projects. Right now, we're working on a
• 21:19
  Speaker 3: major with development project situated in the Zumbali neighborhood that
• 21:27
  Speaker 3: is going to result in a total amount of investment
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: around half a billion, delivering seven different buildings this year.
• 21:36
  Speaker 4: In two and twenty five, we are delivering five hundred and.
• 21:40
  Speaker 3: Fourteen additional apartments through the redevelopment project.
• 21:47
  Speaker 4: So, you know, we keep doing this work.
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: But I think that the most important aspect of what
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: we are doing is the you know, we believe that
• 22:01
  Speaker 3: the most successful and lasting change change I'm so happens
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: when when residents are not just consulted, but are empowered
• 22:13
  Speaker 3: as co creators in all of these processes. And this
• 22:16
  Speaker 3: is what we have been doing, uh in so far,
• 22:19
  Speaker 3: you know, we have been highly successful in doing all
• 22:23
  Speaker 3: of this.
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: I'm glad you mentioned the Sun Valley redevelopment project. It
• 22:29
  Speaker 2: seems like I'm always seeing you doing a ribbon cutting,
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: which is amazing and I plug you and your team
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: for that. And Sun Valley is really one of Denver's
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: most ambitious redevelopment neighborhood transformations. I've been reading about that
• 22:49
  Speaker 2: in preparation for talking with you, and Denver really is
• 22:55
  Speaker 2: leading the way on this particular development. What do you
• 22:59
  Speaker 2: think the long term residents who are central to how
• 23:05
  Speaker 2: you're developing this Because you just talked about incorporating them,
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: empowering their voices and not displacing them. So what do
• 23:14
  Speaker 2: you think the the residents and the neighborhood like, what
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: would you want them to describe this process when they
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: talk about their neighborhood. How would they vision and realize
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: what this neighborhood is going to be like? What do
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: you think that's gonna What do you think those words,
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: And what do you think that's going to mean to them?
• 23:35
  Speaker 3: Uh, it means everything, Katie. And quite honestly, as you're mentioning,
• 23:42
  Speaker 3: we we are very active, you know, celebrating these grand
• 23:47
  Speaker 3: openings this year in twenty twenty five, I mentioned we
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: we have three of them, two that have already happened,
• 23:55
  Speaker 3: one of coming uh later in aug of twenty twenty five.
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: And and what is truly amazing is that at those events, uh,
• 24:07
  Speaker 3: we have families, individuals joining us. Uh that they they
• 24:13
  Speaker 3: were here back some years ago when the prior development
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: there uh was was part of of the community and
• 24:27
  Speaker 3: all the challenges, all all the level of I mean
• 24:30
  Speaker 3: the capital improvement backlog, the defer maintenance, uh, those additional
• 24:35
  Speaker 3: aspects that that were definitely affecting uh them, the huge
• 24:40
  Speaker 3: level of this investment. And they also they of course
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: they they have this level of empathy uh to that
• 24:53
  Speaker 3: neighborhood in the way check and form.
• 24:56
  Speaker 4: It was because they have that that that is what
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: what what they knew, right.
• 25:02
  Speaker 3: They have been part of this process, They have been
• 25:05
  Speaker 3: part of the dialogues. They have seen our unwavering commitment
• 25:11
  Speaker 3: to listening to make sure that in the end and
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: the end of that race is coming to fusion now.
• 25:18
  Speaker 3: So they are seeing that the commitment that we made
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: based on that process of listening to those voices is
• 25:26
  Speaker 3: now a reality. And and they are they are coming forward.
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: They are they are directly having dialogues with me, with
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: our staff sharing excitement.
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: Uh.
• 25:39
  Speaker 3: They are deeply grateful knowing that they are going to
• 25:43
  Speaker 3: be moving now to a place that nobody else have
• 25:46
  Speaker 3: ever touched, a new place to go home and and
• 25:50
  Speaker 3: those apartments. Katy, you know I have been in many places.
• 25:54
  Speaker 4: I have been. I mean, great work at all places. Uh.
• 26:01
  Speaker 4: But but the the.
• 26:04
  Speaker 3: The level of detail, the attention to detail, uh, the
• 26:07
  Speaker 3: finishes the quality of what we are delivering.
• 26:10
  Speaker 4: To our residents.
• 26:12
  Speaker 2: Uh.
• 26:13
  Speaker 3: Traditional amenities across the neighborhood right now. You know, prior,
• 26:19
  Speaker 3: of course, somebody was a food desert. Now we we
• 26:24
  Speaker 3: we inserted their economic development investments to to provide just
• 26:30
  Speaker 3: that access to fresh produce, the cator fresh We have
• 26:35
  Speaker 3: a growth garden, food incubator available not only to provide
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: access to that, but also additional business activity that they
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: can be involved with. Some of the apartments that we
• 26:48
  Speaker 3: are delivering at somebody provide a working life environment as well,
• 26:54
  Speaker 3: so they can do just that from their own apartments,
• 26:57
  Speaker 3: access to night But it's it's amazing and I think
• 27:02
  Speaker 3: that to your question, Katie, I believe that you know,
• 27:07
  Speaker 3: the residents, the people that were part of that initial
• 27:12
  Speaker 3: community where we had their three hundred and thirty three
• 27:15
  Speaker 3: public housing apartments and now having most of them coming
• 27:20
  Speaker 3: back to a neighborhood that is going to be by
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: Brandt with nine hundred and sixty five new seeing apartments
• 27:28
  Speaker 3: there in a way that people.
• 27:32
  Speaker 4: From many income levels can live. Three.
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: We have income restricted units, we have market weight units.
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: I mean, it's an amazing experience. And most importantly, people
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: that otherwise in the past will say, well, somebody is
• 27:47
  Speaker 3: not within my wadar for eleving situation. Yeah, they are
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: now exploring that possibility. And we are very very proud
• 27:56
  Speaker 3: to the showcase the somebody with development not only locally nationally,
• 28:01
  Speaker 3: many people from across the nation they have come to
• 28:04
  Speaker 3: them just to witness what we.
• 28:06
  Speaker 4: Have done here. And I am very proud.
• 28:09
  Speaker 3: To have joined this amazing group of people here at
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: Dshay and to make sure that through my leadership, all
• 28:16
  Speaker 3: of this can come to the finish plane.
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: You know, it's interesting when you describe Sun Valley, you're
• 28:22
  Speaker 2: talking about affordable housing winds, you're talking about community and
• 28:26
  Speaker 2: neighborhood development wins, but you're also speaking to economic development.
• 28:31
  Speaker 2: And as you laid out that whole design and you
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: laid out what's about to happen is you guys are
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: making such an investment that it's going to come back.
• 28:41
  Speaker 2: That return on your investment is going to start coming
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: back as the neighborhood really really kickstarts. And so what
• 28:49
  Speaker 2: you guys have done there is just what you're continuing
• 28:51
  Speaker 2: to do there is just amazing. I want to talk
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: about another innovative thing that I was reading about you guys,
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: and it's your ADU program. Can you it's been nationally
• 29:04
  Speaker 2: recognized and for its innovation. Can you describe what's going
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: on there?
• 29:10
  Speaker 4: Absolutely? Katie.
• 29:12
  Speaker 3: So Yeah, to your point, recently, we received an award
• 29:17
  Speaker 3: of Excellence by the National Association of Housing with Development Officials.
• 29:23
  Speaker 2: Congratulations. That's a big that's a big, big deal. That's
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: that's like our industry Emmys, isn't it our industry Grammys?
• 29:30
  Speaker 4: Right? Yeah?
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: So it was a great experience, fond study we were there.
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: I went to the conference with an alegation of about
• 29:41
  Speaker 3: eleven people in cream ME and you know, many other
• 29:45
  Speaker 3: partners from other housing authorities were coming to the stage
• 29:49
  Speaker 3: just to receive the recognition that they rightfully deserved at
• 29:54
  Speaker 3: that moment in time. And it was like one representative
• 29:58
  Speaker 3: from anybody. So when they AHA, I stood up and
• 30:03
  Speaker 3: I made all my people to come with me to
• 30:07
  Speaker 3: the stage.
• 30:08
  Speaker 4: UH.
• 30:08
  Speaker 3: And and what was really wonderful WI everybody? I think,
• 30:13
  Speaker 3: uh luck with very uh good eyes. I took that
• 30:21
  Speaker 3: that you know award, but I handed the award to
• 30:26
  Speaker 3: the leader in our organization, UH. You know that that
• 30:30
  Speaker 3: is leading these efforts. And and I think that the
• 30:35
  Speaker 3: message that that I wanted to to to showcase there
• 30:40
  Speaker 3: is that, you know, when we are assuming leadership and
• 30:44
  Speaker 3: we come to join many different efforts that may or
• 30:48
  Speaker 3: not be our own, I think that it's very important
• 30:54
  Speaker 3: to to uplifting those leaders to make sure that we
• 30:57
  Speaker 3: create the spaces necessary for them to shine.
• 31:01
  Speaker 4: And as part of that process.
• 31:02
  Speaker 3: We're very proud UH to have received an invitation by
• 31:08
  Speaker 3: NATO to present UH at the Somewhe'symposium that is going
• 31:14
  Speaker 3: to take place in New York UH in July. And
• 31:19
  Speaker 3: our leader her name is Renee Martinez Stone is our
• 31:24
  Speaker 3: chief Strategy and Planning officer. Uh, She's going to be
• 31:29
  Speaker 3: sharing uh more about the program. She's going to be
• 31:33
  Speaker 3: sharing about the best practices.
• 31:35
  Speaker 4: Uh.
• 31:36
  Speaker 3: What propelled us to get into this initiative and the
• 31:41
  Speaker 3: outcomes that we have achieved over time. But but this
• 31:45
  Speaker 3: this program, it came because of a calling by our
• 31:51
  Speaker 3: community in terms of how can we create spaces to
• 31:57
  Speaker 3: provide and keep providing providing housing opportunities in a way
• 32:02
  Speaker 3: that could be faster, more efficient. Again to the prior
• 32:07
  Speaker 3: point I was making, respecting the character of the different neighborhoods,
• 32:11
  Speaker 3: understanding that not only the citizens right of those neighborhoods,
• 32:16
  Speaker 3: but also those individuals that are tasked to with representing them.
• 32:20
  Speaker 3: And I'm talking about council members and other electro officials.
• 32:25
  Speaker 3: You know, it has been an initiative that is all
• 32:29
  Speaker 3: encompassing from the strong level of understanding and the foundation
• 32:35
  Speaker 3: of understanding that more affordable housing was needed and how
• 32:39
  Speaker 3: through that process we can not only provide that very
• 32:43
  Speaker 3: needed housing for some individuals, but how can we uplift
• 32:49
  Speaker 3: those individuals that are currently living on those spaces?
• 32:52
  Speaker 4: Right?
• 32:53
  Speaker 3: So I did that ability for them to attain more
• 32:58
  Speaker 3: income for their household. And uh, you know it's it's
• 33:02
  Speaker 3: been part of a fund initial push at the very
• 33:07
  Speaker 3: beginning supporting a way, uh to ignite synergies in the
• 33:14
  Speaker 3: west side of Timber. So the pilot program was implemented
• 33:18
  Speaker 3: specifically within that area because of the issues that I
• 33:22
  Speaker 3: was making reference right the beginning, you know, the affordability
• 33:25
  Speaker 3: issues there, the concentration of body uh, the track to
• 33:31
  Speaker 3: gentrification if we remained uh silent uh and and with
• 33:36
  Speaker 3: no action at all about whatever is happening or what's happening.
• 33:40
  Speaker 3: So it's it's a beautiful program. I I believe that
• 33:47
  Speaker 3: we are, if not the first, we should be within
• 33:51
  Speaker 3: the initial leaders in implementing something like this across the nation.
• 33:56
  Speaker 4: We are very proud of that.
• 33:58
  Speaker 3: And it takes a villa ish Katie. It takes many
• 34:03
  Speaker 3: hours of dialogues making sure that perhaps what at the
• 34:09
  Speaker 3: very beginning is going to be an idea that is
• 34:11
  Speaker 3: going to be beaten up as we keep having those conversations.
• 34:15
  Speaker 4: Then through listening.
• 34:18
  Speaker 3: We can you know, uh, enhance what that initial idea
• 34:23
  Speaker 3: can be or be coming to something that is truly
• 34:26
  Speaker 3: feasible and viable.
• 34:27
  Speaker 4: Now that idea is truly feasible and viable, is in place.
• 34:33
  Speaker 3: And representing very important community impact in our jurisdiction.
• 34:38
  Speaker 2: And there's lots of winds there. I mean, you're being
• 34:40
  Speaker 2: able to utilize space appropriately, You're keeping costs down, making
• 34:45
  Speaker 2: it more affordable. You are being able to provide a
• 34:48
  Speaker 2: lot more volume than you know trying to find their
• 34:52
  Speaker 2: particular tract or persal of land. So you're maximizing several
• 34:59
  Speaker 2: dynamics and and probably putting them where existing infrastructure is too.
• 35:03
  Speaker 2: So it's a better use of resources all around. Good
• 35:08
  Speaker 2: job on your team trying to navigate though all of
• 35:10
  Speaker 2: those zoning issues or all of those other complexities. So
• 35:14
  Speaker 2: I'm glad you guys won the Narrow Award for Innovation
• 35:18
  Speaker 2: on that one. Speaking of awards, I wanted to ask
• 35:22
  Speaker 2: you also about something really unique you guys are doing
• 35:25
  Speaker 2: with your Wall of Fame celebration. It's something that we
• 35:31
  Speaker 2: like to hear and I would love to highlight it
• 35:34
  Speaker 2: if you could talk to us about what your Wall
• 35:37
  Speaker 2: of Celebration is.
• 35:40
  Speaker 3: Well of Fame is the banner event that is conducted
• 35:45
  Speaker 3: by our nonprofit afficiate Friends of DHA. I have the
• 35:50
  Speaker 3: blessing to share the nonprofit. I am the chairman okay,
• 35:56
  Speaker 3: the board and supporting the amazinglyleadership of Annie Hancock, which
• 36:03
  Speaker 3: Chase our director of Residents and Community Collections and also
• 36:07
  Speaker 3: the executive director of Friends of the Asha. So UH
• 36:14
  Speaker 3: all of fame is looking UH to recognize the leadership
• 36:18
  Speaker 3: of the participants that we have through the different programming
• 36:22
  Speaker 3: that we have within Friends of the Asha. We recognize
• 36:27
  Speaker 3: not only leadership but resiliency, right, we recognize the contributions
• 36:33
  Speaker 3: of those individuals in the community, and also we use
• 36:35
  Speaker 3: that opportunity to uplift that messaging about the very important
• 36:41
  Speaker 3: work that has been done there levelaging not only the
• 36:45
  Speaker 3: federal grants that we are getting from from the federal
• 36:49
  Speaker 3: government specifically FSS Job Blows the worlds grant all. But
• 36:55
  Speaker 3: how can we UH involved for ex sample, the philanthropic community,
• 37:02
  Speaker 3: the corporate community, to inform to educate them not only
• 37:08
  Speaker 3: about the need that we have, but the impact that
• 37:13
  Speaker 3: their dollars and their contributions right and.
• 37:17
  Speaker 4: Result in the people that we so proudly serve.
• 37:19
  Speaker 3: And also at the very end of today, right, the
• 37:24
  Speaker 3: impact UH to the community in which they are now
• 37:29
  Speaker 3: conducting business within and having those relationships, and I think
• 37:34
  Speaker 3: that in the end our messaging there is one that
• 37:40
  Speaker 3: provides a very important level of understanding that you know,
• 37:46
  Speaker 3: the way in which any city or jurisdiction is going
• 37:51
  Speaker 3: to go is not defined about the great things that
• 37:55
  Speaker 3: we do with those high dollars that are uh impasted,
• 38:00
  Speaker 3: that in things that are not necessarily focusing on the
• 38:04
  Speaker 3: human aspect, right or lifting providing some level of investment
• 38:09
  Speaker 3: that is significant, providing not some providing significant investment human beings.
• 38:15
  Speaker 4: People that otherwise.
• 38:16
  Speaker 3: Will not have the means to thrive life, positioning them
• 38:20
  Speaker 3: there so they can come back and give back to
• 38:24
  Speaker 3: the community itself. That is a very commendable thing that
• 38:27
  Speaker 3: we're doing through Friends of the ESHA and Wall of
• 38:30
  Speaker 3: Fame is our platform to amplify that message.
• 38:35
  Speaker 2: Okay, I love that because you are actually just you're
• 38:39
  Speaker 2: you're telling the stories of the solutions, but you're also
• 38:44
  Speaker 2: like lives impacted, And I mean it's it's great to
• 38:48
  Speaker 2: have the roof over the head. I mean that's what
• 38:50
  Speaker 2: we all want, but it's also when you can talk
• 38:53
  Speaker 2: about the person's life like what did the what did
• 38:55
  Speaker 2: the roof over the head do for you? Like did
• 38:58
  Speaker 2: it allow you to say, Okay, now I have this
• 39:00
  Speaker 2: same address, my kids can stay in the same school
• 39:02
  Speaker 2: year after year, and I don't have to hop around.
• 39:05
  Speaker 2: Uh what does it mean that now you can say, aha,
• 39:09
  Speaker 2: housing is solved, I can get a job that's close
• 39:13
  Speaker 2: to where I live because I'm gonna stay here. Like,
• 39:15
  Speaker 2: there's all of these other things that start to happen
• 39:20
  Speaker 2: with that roof over the head and sounds like you're
• 39:22
  Speaker 2: you're highlighting these and capturing these very well.
• 39:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah, we we we do, and uh we more than try.
• 39:32
  Speaker 3: We we are very intentional about that we're doing.
• 39:37
  Speaker 4: You know, we are centering everything.
• 39:41
  Speaker 3: Around this uh community responsive planning and development approach. And
• 39:49
  Speaker 3: when we talk about planning and development, we're not talking
• 39:51
  Speaker 3: necessarily about planning uh and developing a housing building, planning
• 39:58
  Speaker 3: and developing life. Yeah, so yeah, we we're very intentional, Katie.
• 40:06
  Speaker 2: So close us out here with something that is bringing
• 40:11
  Speaker 2: you hope, something that is encouraging you, and like really
• 40:16
  Speaker 2: like what keeps you going? I guess is like the
• 40:19
  Speaker 2: common the common question. But you know, there's a lot
• 40:23
  Speaker 2: of pressures in these jobs. There's a lot of pressure
• 40:26
  Speaker 2: with compliance and funding and all the logistics. But what's
• 40:30
  Speaker 2: keeping you going? You got any secrets there, superpowers you
• 40:34
  Speaker 2: want to share with us?
• 40:36
  Speaker 4: Thank you for that question, Katie.
• 40:39
  Speaker 3: So I will say what what gives me going, what
• 40:47
  Speaker 3: gives me hopeful is is this ability that we have
• 40:53
  Speaker 3: to connect with people and and to make sure that
• 40:58
  Speaker 3: we uh can be used as this vessel to achieve
• 41:05
  Speaker 3: better outcomes. So I think that our superpower, not only mine,
• 41:11
  Speaker 3: our superpower collectively speaking, is is that ability, that opportunity
• 41:16
  Speaker 3: that we have to connect to better understand to make
• 41:20
  Speaker 3: sure that we can build collectively, that we can build
• 41:26
  Speaker 3: with not for, and to make sure that in this
• 41:31
  Speaker 3: process we at the end we can we can leave
• 41:36
  Speaker 3: a legacy that others can can can build upon. There
• 41:42
  Speaker 3: is going to always be something that's going to to
• 41:45
  Speaker 3: be left on done. But I think that from my perspective,
• 41:50
  Speaker 3: my my north star is making sure that through my leadership,
• 41:56
  Speaker 3: in the way I behave, in the way I communicate it,
• 42:00
  Speaker 3: in the way that I am setting the different examples
• 42:04
  Speaker 3: that I need to to set, that I can open
• 42:09
  Speaker 3: path for others that are going to come after me
• 42:13
  Speaker 3: to keep doing this this very amazing work from the
• 42:16
  Speaker 3: social standpoint, to make sure that we can keep lifting
• 42:21
  Speaker 3: lives individuals into the tools and resources that I need
• 42:26
  Speaker 3: to to get to the next best thing in life independence,
• 42:31
  Speaker 3: hoology of opportunity uh A job opportunity, whatever that looks
• 42:36
  Speaker 3: like for every single individual. That's part of the work
• 42:41
  Speaker 3: that we do. But also when when talking about this
• 42:44
  Speaker 3: very challenging environment in which we are right now and
• 42:49
  Speaker 3: the dealings, you know, in terms of the overregulated underfund
• 42:54
  Speaker 3: the industry in which we are, how can we innovate,
• 42:58
  Speaker 3: How can we some new financing models partnerships that we.
• 43:04
  Speaker 4: Can explore to expand affordable.
• 43:06
  Speaker 3: Housing options, And we are leading in my opinion, uh
• 43:11
  Speaker 3: and and hopefully you know, others can can see this,
• 43:15
  Speaker 3: not not from my personal standpoint, but but by the
• 43:18
  Speaker 3: work that DHA is leading collective.
• 43:22
  Speaker 4: We are leading the charge on blended.
• 43:26
  Speaker 3: Capital strategies, leveraging our our capacity to issue municipal revenue bonds,
• 43:33
  Speaker 3: maximizing private activity bonds, cups and bond recycling, layering lighted
• 43:40
  Speaker 3: new markets tax credits through catalytic public private partnerships. And
• 43:46
  Speaker 3: we're also exploring you know, impact investment uh land trust
• 43:51
  Speaker 3: models to stretch dollars and deepen our impact on a
• 43:58
  Speaker 3: very significant air force. I want to share an express
• 44:02
  Speaker 3: that we are working with our local partners to unlock
• 44:06
  Speaker 3: Qualify opportunity funds that can provide additional access to capital
• 44:11
  Speaker 3: that can be deployed within our most disinvested communities. So
• 44:17
  Speaker 3: I believe that the future of affordable housing requires all
• 44:22
  Speaker 3: financial innovation and my opinion, DSHA is determined to be
• 44:27
  Speaker 3: at the forefront of it.
• 44:29
  Speaker 2: Well, I would say that's one of your superpowers, that
• 44:32
  Speaker 2: your visionary. But it's one thing to be a visionary
• 44:36
  Speaker 2: if you don't have the execution. And so you are
• 44:39
  Speaker 2: really you and your team. And you've got a great team,
• 44:41
  Speaker 2: by the way, I know several of them and have
• 44:44
  Speaker 2: worked with several of them, So shout out to your
• 44:47
  Speaker 2: team there. But you are taking your vision with execution
• 44:52
  Speaker 2: and you guys are meeting the needs for the city
• 44:55
  Speaker 2: of Denver. So great job there. Thank you so much
• 45:00
  Speaker 2: while you're on the Change Makers podcast, and I appreciate
• 45:03
  Speaker 2: you taking the time and joining us today.
• 45:06
  Speaker 3: Thank you so much, Katie. I appreciate this opportunity. And
• 45:10
  Speaker 3: you know, I will invite everybody that is listening uh
• 45:16
  Speaker 3: to this or watching this through the different social networks, Uh,
• 45:23
  Speaker 3: look me out, I mean, check check on me.
• 45:25
  Speaker 4: I am very active.
• 45:26
  Speaker 3: I love to share my thoughts, my stories, everything that
• 45:29
  Speaker 3: that is important, specifically on LinkedIn.
• 45:33
  Speaker 4: Look me out on Facebook. I am there. I mean
• 45:36
  Speaker 4: I am eager.
• 45:40
  Speaker 3: Looking to engage in very meaningful conversations to make sure
• 45:44
  Speaker 3: that I can add value in any way that in
• 45:47
  Speaker 3: may be necessiety, but also to learn from from my
• 45:50
  Speaker 3: peers and others. So again, Katie, thank you so much
• 45:54
  Speaker 3: for this opportunity and you know any any time I
• 45:57
  Speaker 3: am available.
• 45:58
  Speaker 1: Thank you, Thanks, thanks for listening to change Makers with
• 46:02
  Speaker 1: Katie Gore. To find out more about Katie, go to
• 46:05
  Speaker 1: quad L dot com. That's qu a d e l
• 46:09
  Speaker 1: dot com. This has been a production of Forbes Books
• 46:13
  Speaker 1: Radio