House Party with Ivory Innovations

What role can machine learning, offsite construction, and environmental sustainability play in supporting missing middle housing development? How can we equip small, local developers with the right tools to streamline their processes, decrease delivery timelines, and increase construction quality? These questions are top-of-mind for the team at Madelon. Learn about how Madelon  started, its impact so far, and where it’s going next.          

Madelon was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist in Construction & Design. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

JOSEPH RUIZ

Joseph Ruiz is the co-founder and Chief of Architecture at Madelon, a platform that streamlines the real estate development process and connects stakeholders to industrialized housing manufacturers. 

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable  is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

How can we help those most in need  find rental housing? What role can community-based organizations and property managers play in doing so? Housing Connector is bringing together these key players into a  user-friendly technology platform to help low income and vulnerable populations get connected to affordable housing. 

Housing Connector was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist in Public Policy and Regulatory Reform. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

SHKELQIM KELMENDI

Shkëlqim Kelmendi is the Founder and Executive Director at Housing Connector, a technology platform operating in Washington, Texas, Colorado, and Oregon that  provides individuals access to affordable  housing with reduced criteria through an exclusive, Zillow-powered platform that lists available and accessible units in their area. 

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable  is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

To satisfy federal and state diversity requirements, how do developers get connected with minority and / or women-owned firms for construction projects? Many developers actually struggle to fulfill these requirements because they can’t find minority and women-owned subcontractors. This is where Tough Leaf comes in. Learn about how this tech platform is bringing something new and innovative to this process.

Tough Leaf was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist for Construction and Design. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

WISSAM AKRA &SHAUNNA RANDOLPH

Wissam Akra, CEO and Founder, and Shaunna Randolph, Head of Business Development, are part of the leadership team at Tough Leaf, a software platform that connects general contractors and developers with qualified minority, women, and disadvantaged firms.

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable  is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

What if we re-imagined real estate development and put communities in the driver’s seat? Frolic, a new kind of developer, takes the cooperative housing model and adds an innovative twist. Learn about how Frolic started, its impact so far, and where it’s going next. 

Frolic was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist for Finance. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

TAMARA KNOX & JOSH MORRISON 

Tamara Knox and Josh Morrison are the co-founders of Frolic, an innovative real estate development model that uses the cooperative structure to help recently up-zoned communities keep and re-circulate wealth within the community vs. risking displacement. Tamara is the CEO and Josh is the COO at Frolic.

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable  is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

Why can we easily find market-rate rentals through Zillow or Trulia but for affordable units, some families have to visit up to 24 different offices in-person? The Housing Navigator Massachusetts team is changing that. Hear how Jennifer Gilbert, Executive Director and founder, is bringing transparency, user experience design, and even beauty to the search for affordable housing. 

Housing Navigator MA was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist in Public Policy and Regulatory Reform. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

JENNIFER GILBERT

Jennifer Gilbert is the Executive Director and founder of Housing Navigator MA, a tech platform that helps families and individuals in Massachusetts find available, accessible, and affordable housing units.  

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable  is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

What role can AI play in real estate underwriting? How does that impact housing affordability? Learn about how Arx is empowering real estate professionals to instantly analyze entire markets to identify the best investment and development deals. You’ll hear from Tomas and Hernan Garcia, the platform’s co-founders, and their vision for how Arx will help boost housing supply by making the underwriting process for land and building projects faster.

Arx  was a 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist for Finance. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Show Notes

TOMAS & HERNAN GARCIA

Tomas Garcia and Hernan Garcia are the co-founders of Arx, an AI-driven real estate analytics platform that automatically underwrites the future potential of millions of properties in advance. Tomas is the CEO and Hernan is the COO at Arx. 

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

The Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth was the 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Winner in Finance.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Episode Transcript

Show Notes

AISHA WEEKS

Aisha Weeks is the Managing Director of the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, a Colorado-based fund that provides up to $40,000 in down-payment assistance to first-time Black and African American homebuyers in Colorado to help build generational wealth. 

CATHERINE TONER

Catherine Toner is the Managing Director of Impact Investing for Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization with decades of experience launching successful ventures. The Dearfield Fund is incubated within Gary Community Ventures. 

HANNAH GABLE

Hannah Gable is the Director of Strategy and Operations at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

Why can we book hotel rooms with a touch of a button on our phones, but case workers supporting people experiencing homelessness might need to call 8 or 10 shelters before finding an open bed? Hear how civic technology platform Outreach Grid is making it easier for service providers, case managers, homeless shelters, and other stakeholders to support better outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. We discuss Tiffany’s journey to becoming a founder, what she’s learned on the Outreach Grid journey, and what she wishes others knew about working on the frontlines of homelessness support.

Outreach Grid is a 2023 Ivory Prize Finalist in Public Policy & Regulatory Reform.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Tiffany Pang is Chief Executive Officer at Outreach Grid where she focuses on combating homelessness with data.
Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with

How do zoning rules affect housing affordability? And what’s a developer, or housing professional, or urban planner to do when faced with 30,000 different zoning codes across thousands of municipalities across  the United States? Hear about the effort to digitize, demystify, and democratize those 30,000 different zoning codes with the National Zoning Atlas – the first-ever effort to compile this information at a national scale. We discuss states that have completed their zoning atlases and how ordinary people (like you, dear podcast listener!) can get involved.

The National Zoning Atlas was the 2023 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Co- Winner in Public Policy & Regulatory Reform.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Sara Bronin is a Mexican-American architect, attorney, professor, and policymaker whose interdisciplinary work focuses on how law and policy can foster more equitable, sustainable, well-designed, and connected places. 

Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

What if a community land trust and a social impact fund got together and had a baby? Meet the Trust Neighborhoods mixed income neighborhood trust (MINT) model.  One of the limiting factors for community land trusts is their ability to raise capital – something which private funds often have in abundance. Learn about the innovative financing model behind Trust Neighborhoods’ MINT and how they help communities facing displacement raise funds to buy residential buildings that provide mixed income opportunities for housing affordability.

Trust Neighborhoods was a 2022 and 2023  Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Finalist in Finance.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Kavya Shankar is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer at Trust Neighborhoods where she focuses on creating community-governed real estate in places where gentrification threatens displacement.
Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

How can we support the most vulnerable populations in our community when they experience homelessness? How might we help prevent  homelessness in the first place? Impact Justice’s Homecoming Project takes a popular idea – home sharing - and applies it to a non-traditional population – formerly incarcerated individuals exiting the justice system. Formerly incarcerated people are almost 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public. The Homecoming Project model provides a novel and successful path for individuals who might otherwise become homeless to instead re-enter society in a welcoming housing environment.

Impact Justice’s Homecoming Project was the 2021 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Winner in Public Policy & Regulatory Reform.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Aishatu Yusuf is the Vice President of Innovation Programs at Impact Justice where she has created, evaluated, and sustained a portfolio of transformational projects that work to reform and transform social systems.

Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

How can we help educators and essential  workers afford homes in the communities where they work? While some school districts are building housing for their teachers, new models such as shared appreciation down payment programs enable essential workers to buy homes by reducing the down payment savings barrier and increasing their buying power. Join us to hear from Alex Lofton at Landed, the first and only organization making these types of programs easier for institutions like schools, hospitals, and governments to deploy for their workers. We discuss Alex’s inspiration for co-founding Landed, what he’s learned from startup life, and how Landed is growing.

Landed was the 2019 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Co-Winner in Finance.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Alex Lofton is Co-Founder and President at Landed, where he is committed to putting a meaningful dent in the widening wealth gap by broadening access to homeownership, especially for Low-Modest-Income homebuyers and people of color.  Landed serves organizations and communities that want to offer turnkey homeownership-as-a-benefit to the populations of their choice using shared appreciation down payment assistance.

Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

What happens when banks don’t provide mortgages to  home buyers who are purchasing very inexpensive homes? How is this connected to historical discriminatory lending practices, like redlining? Alternative products like contracts for deed may look like traditional mortgages but function very differently and tend to be extremely predatory. With more than $200B of CFDs across the United States, John Green and the Blackstar Stability team set out to find a way to support the families caught in these predatory lending relationships and empower equitable ownership outcomes by transitioning these loans into traditional financial products.

Blackstar Stability was the 2022 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability Winner in Finance.

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

John Green is Managing Principal at Blackstar Stability, a social impact private equity fund based in Washington, D.C. that helps families achieve fairer credit terms on home loans and helps preserve affordable home ownership.

Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.

How are rising interest rates affecting housing affordability? What can we learn from past housing cycles to predict what might happen next in the US market? In our inaugural episode, learn about how the Joint Center for Housing Studies got its name,  what history can teach us about today’s housing market, and how impact fees influence the construction of starter homes.

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies is one of Ivory Innovations’ Hack-A-House partners. 

Released in Partnership with the Builder's Daily

Chris Herbert is the Managing Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, which publishes an annual State of the Nation’s Housing Report. Chris is also a member of Ivory Innovations’ Advisory Board.

Jenna Louie is the Chief Innovation and Strategy Officer at Ivory Innovations, a nonprofit with the mission to catalyze innovation in housing affordability. Since 2018, the Ivory team has spoken with hundreds of innovators working on novel housing solutions – learn more at ivoryinnovations.org/database.