Housing Voices

The One Fix That Could Unlock Housing Across All 241 Oregon Cities | HV15

Edward Fulford — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 08:20:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bre and Marty sit down with Alexandra Ring, housing and land use lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities, an organization representing all 241 cities across Oregon. Alexandra breaks down the complex realities of advocating for housing policy across vastly different communities, from large urban centers to small frontier towns, and explains why there is no single fix to Oregon's housing crisis.

- How the League of Oregon Cities represents 241 cities and sets its legislative priorities through a member-driven voting process

- Why infrastructure, particularly water and sewer systems, is the most common and urgent barrier to housing production across Oregon

- The impact of Measures 5 and 50 on local government budgets and why cities are being asked to do more with significantly less funding

- How small cities with limited planning capacity are disproportionately burdened by housing legislation designed for larger jurisdictions

- The challenge of holding cities accountable for housing outcomes when so many barriers are systemic and interconnected

- Why eminent domain is rarely a practical tool and what carrots and sticks actually look like in housing policy

- How community members can take direct action by engaging with their local city councilors, mayors, and planning commissions

- Why infrastructure funding remains the single most unifying priority for LOC member cities heading into the next legislative session

Resources and People Mentioned:

- League of Oregon Cities (loc.org)

- Oregon Housing and Community Services

- Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPPO)

- Representative Gomberg, Housing Voices podcast guest

- Jamie McLeod Skinner, Housing Voices podcast guest

- Senators Wyden and Merkley, Representatives Bonamici and Benz

- Measures 5 and 50

- System Development Charges (SDCs)

- Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption (MUPTE)

- Clackamas County (referenced for extended public office hours)

- martyfulford.com and cynit.net, episode partners

- Music by Karen DeWolfe and Adrian Kriz

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Alexandra Ring
(00:01:38) - Alexandra Ring on Housing and Cities
(00:05:32) - How Many Oregon Lobbyists Are Attorneys?
(00:06:47) - Stateside: Housing issues across the state
(00:08:43) - Oregon Legislative Committee on Housing and Infrastructure
(00:14:23) - How the Local Elections Committee works
(00:23:34) - Oregon Cities on the State Budget
(00:25:57) - Oregon Local Issues: Measures 5 and 50
(00:34:22) - What Would the Local League Consider a Win on Housing?
(00:39:49) - Top 3 housing priorities for the state
(00:42:24) - Local perspectives on housing
(00:50:33) - Oh, Magic Wands!
(00:51:49) - How to Get Involved in the Housing Debate
(00:56:57) - Housing Voices: A conversation about housing

Housing, Jobs, Wildfire, and Broadband: The Gorge Has It All Wrong | HV14

Edward Fulford — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:55:00 +0000

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford sit down with Dan Spatz, a longtime Columbia Gorge journalist, former development director at Columbia Gorge Community College, and former economic development officer for the City of The Dalles. Dan brings decades of on-the-ground experience to a candid conversation about why the Columbia Gorge is one of the most uniquely constrained housing markets in the Pacific Northwest and what it will take to move the needle.

- How the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area boundary creates a near-permanent cap on developable land, putting Oregon communities in direct conflict with state land use law

- The growing wealth gap between high-income part-time residents and the service workers who cannot afford to live near their jobs

- Why economic development depends far more on housing, childcare, and schools than most people realize

- How Columbia Gorge Community College identified housing and childcare as the top barriers to student enrollment and built on-campus residential housing to respond

- The collapse of a 20 million dollar EPA-funded regional childcare center after federal grant cancellation under the current administration

- The role of system development charges and zoning reform in either blocking or enabling affordable housing construction

- Wildfire risk, the Rowena fire, and the impossible tension between building standards, affordability, and climate reality

- Why Dan believes the core of the housing crisis is a federal spending and wealth distribution problem, not just a local planning failure

Resources and people mentioned:

- Columbia Gorge Community College

- Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area and the Gorge Commission

- Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD)

- EPA grant (Biden administration, canceled under current administration)

- Nate Stice, Oregon Governor Kotek's Regional Solutions team

- Representative Gomberg, Oregon Ways and Means Committee

- Josh and Matthew, City of The Dalles staff (residential buildout analysis)

- Gorge Discovery Center

- Gorge Technology Alliance

- Hood River Bridge (built 1924)

- President Eisenhower's farewell address on the military industrial complex

- Starlink satellite broadband

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Dan Spots
(00:01:43) - Housing Voices
(00:03:11) - Congress on Housing in the Columbia Gorge
(00:07:41) - Speech on the Scenic Area Boundary
(00:11:29) - Economic Development in The Dalles
(00:17:06) - The Matching of Community College Grants
(00:18:53) - What Led you to Develop Housing at the Community College?
(00:20:13) - Richmond County residents on broadband access
(00:21:58) - Community College Student Needs Survey
(00:24:38) - Oregon economic development: Housing and other supports
(00:33:41) - Building regulations in the Great Gorge
(00:34:54) - What do you see the region's economy doing in the next five
(00:36:14) - Farm Worker Housing on The Housing Podcast
(00:37:46) - Local perspectives on housing affordability
(00:41:22) - Local perspectives on the wealth gap
(00:44:12) - What Should Citizens Do About the Housing Challenges?
(00:45:38) - What Can We Do To Help Our Local Officials?
(00:49:09) - Housing Voices: A Community Conversation

Housing Voices x Demobrats - Podcasters Galore! | HV13

Edward Fulford — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 08:47:00 +0000

In this special crossover audio only episode, Housing Voices co-hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford join Virginia Stapleton and Chris Hoy of the Demobrats Podcast for a live conversation about Oregon’s housing crisis — and why housing touches nearly every part of our communities.

The discussion moves across the entire housing ecosystem, from homelessness and renter protections to homeownership, accessibility, transportation, infrastructure, development costs and the challenges communities face in simply building enough housing.

Bre and Marty bring both lived and professional perspectives to the conversation, exploring how housing affordability affects young people trying to buy their first home, seniors living on fixed incomes, people with disabilities, renters, landlords and people experiencing homelessness.

The group also tackles some of the harder questions: Why can’t we build housing faster? Can increasing supply alone solve affordability? How should Oregon balance renter protections with the realities facing small landlords? And what changes could actually make the system work better?

It’s a wide-ranging conversation about housing — not as a single problem, but as an interconnected system that affects the health, stability and future of our communities.

Housing Voices — Connecting communities for housing solutions.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Special Guests On The Dimmer Bratz Podcast
(00:01:20) - Housing in Oregon
(00:05:51) - Opinion on Oregon's Housing Crisis
(00:09:35) - Steve Knows About the Housing Ecosystem
(00:16:07) - Why can't we build housing faster?
(00:18:24) - Building housing faster and health care
(00:18:43) - Oregon House candidate on building more housing
(00:27:21) - Teens on renter protections
(00:32:24) - Oregon rent stabilization law, as discussed
(00:39:20) - Preventing the Dark Side
(00:39:36) - Housing Voices: Unhoused People

Why Housing Comes First: The Truth About Homelessness | HV12

Edward Fulford — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 09:03:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices: Practical Solutions, hosts Marty and Bre sit down with Dan Easdale, Program Director of Corvallis Housing First, to pull back the curtain on what it actually takes to move someone from the street into stable, supported housing. Dan brings seven years of frontline experience to a candid, compassionate conversation about the Housing First model, the people it serves, and why the solutions are harder and more urgent than most people realize.

- What the Housing First model is, where it came from, and why low-barrier housing outperforms clean-and-sober requirements

- The wraparound case management services that make housing stick, including mental health, substance use support, and physical health care

- A detailed walkthrough of the journey from street to housing, including ID recovery, mailing addresses, Section 8 wait lists, and the barriers that derail progress

- The demographics of who is actually experiencing homelessness, including elderly residents on fixed incomes, families, and people with significant disabilities

- How the affordable housing crisis in Corvallis has created a four-year Section 8 wait list and what that means for real people

- The growing crisis of families experiencing homelessness and the lack of shelter options that keep families together

- A presentation Dan co-delivered in San Francisco on doing Housing First when behavioral health supports are critically scarce

- How Corvallis Housing First trains residents as peer supports and includes people with lived experience on its board

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Corvallis Housing First: corvallis housingfirst.org

- Lindsay Stallard, Development Director, Corvallis Housing First (volunteer inquiries)

- Unity Shelter (men's and women's shelter, Safe Place program)

- Community Outreach Inc. (COI), family shelter services

- Jackson Street Youth Services, youth up to age 25

- Corvallis Daytime Drop In Center

- Central City Concern, Portland (Andy Mendenhall, co-presenter)

- Benton County Flexible Housing Subsidy Pool

- Lynn Benton Housing Authority

- Anita Earl and Samaritan Health for medical respite partnership

- Housing Voices podcast partners: MartyFulford.com and Cynit.net

- Music by Karen DeWolfe and Adrienne Kriz

Chapters

(00:00:00) - A Special Guest at Corvallis Housing First
(00:04:46) - Case Management in the county
(00:06:33) - Getting a homeless person into a housing program
(00:06:56) - Housing First
(00:09:05) - Is the National Housing First Initiative based on it people being clean and
(00:16:00) - Corvallis Housing: The Different Models of Housing
(00:21:03) - Samaritan's Home for the Homeless, and Medical Respite
(00:23:57) - The Need for Older People's Housing in Corvallis
(00:26:44) - Households on the Needy
(00:34:57) - Soapboxers vs. Real People
(00:35:19) - Local perspectives on the affordable housing crisis
(00:38:43) - Oregon's housing first, and mental health
(00:42:40) - The homelessness crisis in the US
(00:45:46) - The Process of Getting Out of the Streets
(00:50:57) - Homeless Shelters: How to Get Housing
(00:55:39) - The story of cancer survivors
(00:56:38) - What kinds of people are in our housing?
(01:00:55) - The qualifications for a caseworker
(01:05:52) - How is Corvallis Housing First primarily funded?
(01:10:42) - If You Had a Magic Wand, Change One Thing
(01:12:08) - What's kind of work that a volunteer might do
(01:15:05) - Housing Voices: Practical Solutions Meet

What 50 Expert Interviews Taught Them About Oregon's Housing Crisis | HV11

Edward Fulford — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:49:00 +0000

Housing Voices is a podcast hosted by Bre Irish and Marty Fulford that tackles the full spectrum of housing challenges facing Oregonians, from homelessness and disability access to wildfire recovery and senior care. In this milestone 10th episode roundtable, Bri and Marty are joined by the show's executive producers, Ed Fulford and Liz Irish, to reflect on the conversations, guests, and hard truths uncovered across their first season.

- The origins of Housing Voices, born out of a regional housing subcommittee that interviewed over 50 community leaders across Oregon

- The hidden complexity of housing policy and why no single solution fits the full spectrum of need

- Disability access failures in housing, including the outdated 2% accessibility requirement and the financial burden placed on disabled residents to modify their own units

- Wildfire recovery and the dangerous gap between the pace of destruction and the pace of rebuilding, including the work of Hope Community and Jamie McLeod Skinner

- The crisis of senior housing and the staggering cost of end-of-life care that is putting generational wealth out of reach for most families

- Homelessness as a financial and moral failure, including the real cost of criminalization versus prevention and the hidden population of people on the verge of losing housing

- The K-shaped economy and how rising costs, stagnant wages, and redlining continue to lock younger generations and marginalized communities out of homeownership

- Bri's announcement that she is running for Corvallis City Council Ward 1, bringing the lessons of Housing Voices directly into local government

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Representative Gomberg, Vice Chair of the Ways and Means Committee

- Jamie McLeod Skinner, wildfire recovery leader in southern Oregon

- Nathan Wildfire, missing middle housing advocate

- Ryan McAllister, development process expert

- Jennifer Bustamante, senior housing and end-of-life care specialist

- Sean, guest focused on homelessness, shame, and reintegration

- Eric McGuire, educator discussing housing's impact on children and schools

- Hope Community, Eugene-based housing manufacturer partnered with St. Vincent de Paul

- Missing Middle Housing Fund

- SaidCorp

- Viny Moses, community support organization

- Cassie, Housing Voices guest who documented accessibility challenges in her apartment

- The Ark (guests Misha and Abby), disability housing advocates

- Book referenced: "There Are No Accidents"

- Partners: MartyFulford.com and Cynit.net

- Music: Karen DeWolfe and Adrian Kriz

- Housing Voices website: housingvoices.com

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Our First 10 Episodes
(00:01:07) - Favorite Episodes of Housing Voices
(00:04:14) - Reveal: The Housing Podcast
(00:05:57) - The Housing Subcommittee on the Podcast
(00:09:53) - The Problem of Housing in Oregon
(00:11:43) - Oregon Governor on Fire Preparedness
(00:15:41) - Disabled People on Housing
(00:21:54) - Sen. Bernie Sanders on Accessibility in Housing
(00:26:33) - Podcasters: Unfiltered View of the World
(00:27:45) - Do we Need Wetlands Credits?
(00:30:42) - Osu Housing and Missing Middle Housing
(00:35:01) - The Missing Middle Housing Fund
(00:37:25) - House for the Needy in Hawaii
(00:42:06) - Seniors on the Cost of Retirement Care
(00:47:27) - Widow in the Women's Shelter
(00:52:24) - Lisa Dixon on Trump and the Middle East
(00:55:32) - Economy's K-Shaped Economy
(00:56:34) - Jamie McLeod Skinner on the Street
(01:00:41) - The Cost of Houseless People
(01:01:42) - Proposal to jail the homeless: Fiscal conservative or not?
(01:07:36) - Oregon's housing crisis
(01:08:45) - Eric Jackson on Students and the Future
(01:11:46) - Households' perspectives on housing
(01:12:58) - Houses Voices: New Guest Voices
(01:13:11) - Bri's Run for Corvallis City Council on Housing

How Housing Instability Is Quietly Dismantling Oregon's Classrooms | HV10 P2

Edward Fulford — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:39:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford continue their conversation with veteran educator Eric McGuire, exploring the devastating intersection of housing instability, poverty, and public education in Oregon. Eric draws on nearly three decades in the classroom across multiple districts to paint a candid picture of what teachers and students are actually experiencing on the ground.

- How declining teacher benefits, stagnant wages, and rising housing costs are driving educators out of the profession before year five

- Why teachers of color are leaving Oregon classrooms at disproportionate rates

- The stark difference between how wealthy and high-poverty school districts handle students experiencing houselessness

- What the McKinney-Vento program is and why language barriers prevent many eligible families from accessing it

- How housing instability affects a child's most foundational learning skills, including the ability to hold a pencil or turn a page

- The concept of moral harm and how it silently burns out teachers who feel powerless to change broken systems

- Why school district boundaries in Oregon are rooted in redlining and how that history still shapes educational equity today

- Oregon's Senate Bill 141 and why no educators were involved in writing a bill designed to hold educators accountable

Resources and People Mentioned:

- McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (federal program supporting housing-insecure students)

- Oregon Department of Education Education Advancement Council report

- Teaching with Poverty in Mind (book referenced by Eric McGuire)

- Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP)

- PSU Gender, Race and Nations program

- Senate Bill 141 (Oregon educator accountability legislation)

- Stanford Children and Foundation for a Better Oregon (identified as authors of SB 141)

- John Wasilinski (referenced from a previous Housing Voices episode)

- Juan Carlos (previous Housing Voices guest, economist)

- MartyFulford.com and Cynit.net (show partners)

- Music by Karen DeWolfe and Adrien Kriz

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: The Cost of Teaching
(00:04:55) - Oregon teachers talk about the quality of their teachers
(00:07:16) - Teacher perspectives on poverty in the school district
(00:11:53) - Teachers on the issues of poverty and housing
(00:19:03) - House passes bill to house more low-income people
(00:19:49) - Helping Houseless Kids Get Their Education
(00:25:31) - Teachers talk about moral harm
(00:28:33) - Home-Learning and Poverty
(00:36:00) - The question of boundary changes in Oregon
(00:38:46) - Oregon gubernatorial candidate on school choice
(00:44:41) - Oregon Democrats talk about revenue in the state legislature
(00:50:02) - Housing Voices: The Cost of Tax Breaks

How the Housing Shortage Is Quietly Defunding Your Child's Education | HV10 P1

Edward Fulford — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:20:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford sit down with Eric McGuire, a 33-year veteran teacher, school board candidate, and union advocate, to unpack the deeply tangled relationship between the housing crisis and the state of public education in Oregon. The conversation connects property tax shortfalls, outdated school funding models, and housing insecurity to real outcomes for students, teachers, and communities.

- How Oregon's Measure 5 and Measure 50 locked school funding in place since 1991 and what that means today

- Why Oregon is the only state that uses census data to calculate education funding, and why that hurts students

- The visible signs of housing insecurity that teachers witness daily in their classrooms, including sleep deprivation, hunger, and lack of clothing

- Why teachers themselves are being priced out of the communities where they teach

- The hidden cost of multi-unit property tax exemptions and who ultimately foots the bill

- Eric's personal journey from classroom teacher to school board candidate and podcast host

- The Overton window concept and how political will around housing and taxation is slowly shifting

- Why community organizations, not just schools, may be the key to reaching families affected by housing instability

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Oregon Education Association (OEA)

- Oregon Center for Public Policy

- McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

- Oregon Voices Podcast, hosted by Eric McGuire and Katherine Watkins

- The Student Success Act

- Scene on Radio Podcast

- Chenjerai Komanika

- Latino Network

- Marty Bulford.com

- Cynet.net

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices
(00:04:08) - Housing Voices
(00:04:21) - Oregon Voices: Voices of the People
(00:08:15) - Democrat on the Run for School Board
(00:12:41) - Oregon School Funding: Measures 5 and 50
(00:18:26) - Teaching in a poverty-stricken community
(00:21:01) - How housing impacts kids at school
(00:24:26) - On the Need for More Housing
(00:27:18) - Democracy in Housing: The Overton Window
(00:33:11) - When You Can't Help Your Love
(00:33:29) - What Would You Like to See Different For Housing, for Children?
(00:37:59) - Community Voices: The Impact of Housing on Education

Homelessness Isn’t Laziness: The Hidden Work of Surviving Without a Home | HV09 P2

Edward Fulford — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:34:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford continue their conversation with Shawn Collins, Executive Director of Unity Shelter in Corvallis, Oregon, diving deep into the realities of homelessness prevention, shelter operations, transitional housing, and what it truly takes to help someone rebuild their life.

- Why prevention is the holy grail of solving homelessness and how Adverse Childhood Experiences directly predict adult housing instability

- The real cost of homelessness across healthcare, law enforcement, and community systems

- How Unity Shelter operates as a low-barrier shelter and what that actually means in practice

- The journey from emergency shelter to micro-shelter transitional housing and why 30 to 50 percent of residents successfully move into permanent housing

- Why getting housed is not the finish line and how isolation after housing placement is one of the most overlooked risks in the entire continuum

- Oregon's housing undersupply crisis and how building 50 percent fewer homes than needed raises the floor for everyone, especially the most vulnerable

- How myths about laziness and handouts distort public understanding of what surviving without housing actually demands

- Concrete ways community members can get involved, from low-barrier food service volunteering to street outreach

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Unity Shelter, Corvallis, Oregon, director@unityshelter.org, 541-313-8776

- Corvallis Housing First (CHF)

- Community Services Consortium

- St. Vincent de Paul

- We Care (Corvallis)

- Vina Moses organization

- South Corvallis Food Bank

- Compassion Church (micro-shelter site)

- SafeCamp

- ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) study

- Housing Opportunity Action Council

- United Way

- HousingVoices.com

- MartyFulford.com and Cynit.net (show partners)

- Music by Karen DeWolf and Adrian Kriz

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Unhoused Communities
(00:00:53) - Homelessness: Preventing the Problem first place
(00:08:26) - Homelessness and the cost
(00:11:24) - How to get out of emergency shelter and into transitional housing
(00:13:57) - Homeless people talk about housing
(00:15:04) - On Section 8 and Rent Assistance
(00:16:46) - Transition from shelter to affordable housing
(00:17:17) - What it Takes to Get Out of the Homeless
(00:19:57) - What kind of transitional housing do you provide to homeless people?
(00:24:11) - Contraband in the Shelters
(00:26:00) - What are some of the barriers to getting people out of shelter?
(00:28:26) - Need for more transitional housing in Corvallis
(00:33:03) - Do you need a fridge in your home?
(00:33:50) - Helping the Homeless: One Success Story
(00:35:49) - Oregon's housing supply
(00:40:28) - Sen. Ron Wyden on Homelessness and Policy
(00:45:59) - The Case for Individualism
(00:48:38) - What is an action item that you can leave people with?
(00:51:40) - Volunteer Opportunities in Corvallis
(00:56:37) - Directorate of the Homeless Shelter
(00:58:18) - Housing Voices: When Real People Talk, Solutions Meet

What Homelessness Actually Costs Per Person Per Month Will Surprise You | HV09 P1

Edward Fulford — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:48:00 +0000

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bre and Marty sit down with Shawn Collins, Executive Director of Unity Shelter in Corvallis, Oregon, to explore what emergency shelter and transitional housing truly look like on the ground, and why the gap between need and resources keeps growing.

- How Shawn went from corporate librarian and HP research manager to leading one of Benton County's most critical homeless services organizations

- What Unity Shelter actually operates, including two 50-bed emergency shelters, a hotel shelter program, and 34 micro-shelter transitional housing units

- How the post-pandemic funding landscape has shifted dramatically, with federal dollars drying up and state funding projected to be cut by 50 percent

- Why Unity Shelter's board has refused certain federal funding tied to requirements that residents be checked against an ICE database

- The 267 percent increase in homelessness in the area between 2016 and 2025, and what that looks like for the people showing up at the door

- The real demographics of homelessness, including the prevalence of traumatic brain injuries, physical disabilities, generational poverty, and people aging out of foster care or exiting incarceration with nothing

- How city and ODOT sweeps destroy identification, job opportunities, and trust, creating cycles that make it harder for people to escape homelessness

- How Unity Shelter serves people for approximately 135 dollars per person per month, beating inflation by a wide margin while growing the number of people served by 65 percent

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Unity Shelter, Corvallis, Oregon

- Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

- Corvallis Housing First

- Benton County Health

- Corvallis Downtown Drop-In Center

- Housing Opportunity Action Council (HOAC)

- Hope Board (Housing Opportunity Planning and Equity)

- Jackson Street Youth Services

- MartyFulford.com and Cynit.net (episode sponsors)

- Music by Karen DeWolfe and Adrian Kriz

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: The Need for More Housing
(00:01:25) - Sean Collins on the Journey into Homeless Services
(00:05:55) - Unity Shelter
(00:11:47) - Oregon's homeless services funding environment
(00:19:43) - Do street sweeps violate federal immigration law?
(00:23:21) - Local organizations talk about the state's funding of housing programs
(00:27:11) - How have your conversations been with state legislators?
(00:32:14) - What Does the Homeless Look Like?
(00:37:58) - How many of your clientele are on the street?
(00:44:11) - Immunity in our Communities: The Need for Prevention and Rehabilitation
(00:46:35) - Housing Voices: Practical Solutions Meet

Wildfire Didn’t Just Burn Homes. It Exposed Oregon’s Housing Crisis | HV08

Edward Fulford — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 08:59:00 +0000

Housing Voices hosts Marty Fulford and Bre Irish sit down with Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a civil engineer, city planner, and attorney who served as interim city manager of Talent, Oregon following the devastating 2020 Alameda Fire. Drawing on experience ranging from post-war reconstruction in Bosnia to statewide emergency resilience work in Oregon, Jamie shares the hard-won lessons of wildfire recovery and what communities must do now to prepare for the fires ahead.

- What the aftermath of the Alameda Fire actually looked like on the ground, and why the most vulnerable residents were hit hardest

- Why FEMA assistance left entire populations behind and how Oregon's state government attempted to fill that gap

- The four north stars Jamie used to guide Talent's recovery: team building, community engagement, resource development, and housing

- How Jamie expedited permitting, waived zoning restrictions, and secured nearly 30 million dollars in state and federal resources in six months

- The role of community trust, bilingual outreach, and hiring locally-connected staff in reaching farmworker and Latino communities

- What the New Spirit Village affordable homeownership project in Medford grew out of the disaster and how it is progressing

- Why wildfire resilience must now be a baseline standard in all Oregon development, not just rural or high-risk zones

- Specific steps everyday Oregonians and state legislators can take right now to prepare for the next disaster before it arrives

Resources and People Mentioned:

- Jamie McLeod Skinner, housing developer and former interim city manager of Talent, Oregon

- Hector Flores, publisher of Caminos magazine and community liaison during Talent recovery

- Barry and Catherine Thalden, founders of New Spirit Village

- Proud Ground, Portland-based community land trust

- CASA, affordable housing developer involved in Talent recovery

- Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS)

- Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD)

- Oregon Office of Resilience and Emergency Management (OREM)

- Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB)

- Senator Jeff Golden

- Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley

- John Viall, former county director and current interim city manager of Medford

- Gold Beach, Oregon, cited for lending planning staff to Talent during recovery

- Fortaleza and Coliseo, organizations involved in mobile home park recovery

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: wildfire recovery in Oregon
(00:01:57) - Housing Voices: Jamie McLeod Skinner
(00:06:47) - Oregon wildfire recovery coverage
(00:12:28) - The City of Covid helped communities after the wildfire
(00:21:10) - Local perspectives on the wildfire disaster housing
(00:28:49) - A New Spirit Village: Building affordable housing
(00:33:44) - Oregon's wildfire resiliency
(00:37:42) - After the wildfire, what lessons have been learned?
(00:42:05) - How to better manage wildfire risk in Oregon
(00:46:46) - Oregon Floods and wildfire mitigation
(00:54:35) - How to Help Oregonians During the Long Session!

The Senior Care Crisis Is Worse Than We Think | HV07 P2

Edward Fulford — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:50:00 +0000

Housing Voices hosts Bri and Marty continue their conversation with Jenn Bustamante, a senior care advocate with 33 years of experience in the aging industry. Jenn runs Embrace Age Prepared, a wraparound company that helps families navigate the complex world of senior care and housing options. This episode reveals the harsh realities of long-term care costs, systemic failures, and the challenges facing our aging population.

Key topics discussed:

Adult foster care costs range from $7,000-$16,000 monthly vs. assisted living at $4,800-$6,500
In-home 24-hour care can cost $25,000+ per month, making it unaffordable for most families
The dirty secrets of long-term care: Medicaid covers very little and most facilities don't want Medicaid patients
The trillion-dollar senior care industry and where the money actually goes
How cultural differences in family care (Hawaii's tribal mentality vs. American individualism) impact aging
Problems with transparency and exploitation in the senior care industry
Issues with state assessment agencies improperly evaluating care needs
The upcoming "silver tsunami" of baby boomers and Oregon's lack of preparedness

Resources mentioned:

Jenn Bustamante and Embrace Age Prepared
Power of Partnership event (September 17th)
Open Bed Oregon initiative
Northwest Senior and Disability Services (DHS)

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Talking With Jen Bustamante
(00:01:34) - Seniors living in home care
(00:05:50) - Are we treating our elders appropriately?
(00:11:47) - More Transparency in Adult Care Industry
(00:13:44) - The Power of Partnerships
(00:16:52) - Long Term Care: The Dirty Secrets
(00:22:02) - Oregon Medicaid: Need to change the policy
(00:26:59) - Oregon Hospital CEOs on the Long Term Care Industry
(00:33:17) - The call to action on aging issues
(00:38:20) - How to Start a Talk About Relationships in the Family
(00:40:21) - Housing Voices: The Long Term Care Conversation

When Medicaid Isn’t the Safety Net You Think It Is | HV07 P1

Edward Fulford — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:41:00 +0000

This episode of Housing Voices features Jennifer Bustamante, CEO of Embrace Age Prepared, who has 33 years of experience helping seniors navigate housing transitions and aging complexities. The discussion covers the urgent reality many families face when aging loved ones can no longer safely live independently, often triggered by medical emergencies, falls, or cognitive decline.

Key topics discussed:

The "Silver Tsunami" - 71 million Americans will be 65+ by 2030, creating massive strain on housing and healthcare systems
Financial realities: Independent living starts at $4,800/month, assisted living at $6,500+, with many facilities requiring 2-3 years of cash upfront
Medicaid's five-year lookback period that examines all financial transactions and asset transfers
The breakdown of generational wealth transfer as care costs consume family assets
Increased illness at younger ages and prevalence of dementia, stroke, and Parkinson's disease
Alternative housing options like adult foster homes ranging from $7,000-$16,000/month
The importance of planning at age 65 with proper legal structures like irrevocable trusts

Resources and people mentioned:

Jennifer Bustamante, CEO of Embrace Age Prepared
Elder law attorneys and senior real estate specialists
Adult foster care homes in Oregon, Washington, and Arizona
Medicaid spend-down planning and qualification requirements

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Seniors: Housing for seniors
(00:02:46) - Housing Voices: Voices for Housing
(00:03:21) - Jennifer Bustamante on Aging and Aging-related advocacy
(00:11:15) - Seniors and the Caregiving Process
(00:14:16) - How to Plan for Your Family's Aging Journey
(00:17:24) - What Would Your Magic Wand Look Like?
(00:20:26) - Seniors on Independent Living and Abolo Living
(00:27:31) - Seniors and the Caregiving Industry
(00:33:59) - Will and Testament: Irrevocable Trusts
(00:35:58) - Sen. Olympia on the challenges of aging Americans
(00:40:25) - Aging Americans and the alternative housing solution

Why This Eugene Factory Is Breaking Every Rule About Affordable Housing | HV06

Edward Fulford — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:16:00 +0000

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Jake from Hope Community Homes in Eugene, Oregon, discussing their innovative approach to affordable manufactured housing. Hope Homes builds energy-efficient, fire-resistant manufactured homes specifically designed for long-term affordability and durability, while also providing workforce training programs for high school students and employing second-chance workers.

Hope Homes has produced 50 manufactured homes since getting HUD certification in November 2024
Two-bedroom units cost $80,000, one-bedroom units cost $68,000-$73,000 (factory price)
All homes built to wildland urban interface standards with fire-resistant materials and maximum energy efficiency
Partnership with St. Vincent de Paul provides initial customer base for affordable housing communities
High school career and technical education program teaches trades skills on-site
Second-chance employment program hires justice-involved individuals and those with experience of homelessness or addiction recovery
Major barriers include financing challenges for low-income buyers and regulatory processes
Future plans include potential cooperative housing communities and expanding production capacity

Resources mentioned: Terry McDonald (emeritus director at St. Vincent de Paul), Representative Pam Marsh, Lane County Education School District, Senate Bill 1537, Hope Community Homes website (hopecommunityhomes.org)

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: When Truth Breaks Through
(00:01:38) - Housing Voices: Hope Homes in Eugene
(00:06:18) - What Makes a Manufactured Home Affordable?
(00:14:05) - How Affordable Homes Are Made at Hope Homes
(00:19:41) - Arkansas wildfire victims need more mobile homes
(00:25:28) - HUD Certification of One Bedroom, One Bath Homes
(00:29:16) - Oregon Home Builders on Fire Preparedness
(00:35:21) - The Hope Factory in Eugene
(00:40:26) - Second-Chance Employment
(00:41:28) - Will Hope Homes create a co-op community?
(00:44:10) - How to solve a problem with resources
(00:45:17) - Oregon homeowners: What are the barriers to home ownership?
(00:51:17) - What do you think is the biggest bottleneck to building more housing in
(00:54:29) - Oregon Affordable Housing: A Nugget
(00:59:22) - Housing Voices: Practical Solutions Meet

The Missing Middle Nobody Talks About: Why Teachers Can't Afford to Live Where They Work | HV05

Edward Fulford — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 09:06:00 +0000

This episode Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview guest Nathan Wildfire, CEO of Missing Middle Housing Fund, discussing his innovative approach to solving Oregon's housing crisis. Nathan shares his personal journey from growing up in Pittsburgh to leading workforce training and housing innovation efforts. The conversation explores how missing middle housing fills the gap between subsidized affordable housing and market-rate housing for workers earning 80-120% of area median income.

Key topics discussed:

The four quadrants of housing innovation: red tape/policy, workforce/labor, financing, and materials/assembly
Why middle income housing is rarely built and how to make it financially viable
Creating local housing funds and innovation partnerships across Oregon
The Housing Innovation Village Experience (HIVE) project in Newberg featuring five different building technologies
Digitizing zoning codes and streamlining development processes
Building coalitions of enthusiastic community partners

Resources and people mentioned:

Missing Middle Housing Fund
Urban Form (zoning code digitization company)
Build to Scale program (MODS PDX and HONE)
Nathan Young and the Home Building Foundation
Cities of Boardman, Newberg, and south coast regional housing initiatives
SEDCOR economic development agency
Portland Incubator Experiment
Community Innovation Partners

Why Housing Doesn’t “Pencil” Anymore — And What’s Really Blocking Supply | HV04 P2

Edward Fulford — Tue, 26 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Building housing today isn’t just difficult—it often doesn’t make financial sense anymore.

In Part 2 of our conversation Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview with Ryan McAlister from Gerding Builders, we dig into the real reasons housing projects are stalling across Oregon and beyond. From skyrocketing construction costs to regulatory bottlenecks, this episode breaks down why even well-intentioned projects struggle to move forward.

We explore:

Why projects that worked 5–10 years ago no longer “pencil out”
How construction costs have doubled or tripled in a decade
The hidden impact of land constraints, wetlands, and infrastructure limits
Why delays in permitting and regulation can stall projects for years
The trade-offs communities avoid—and the consequences of inaction

This isn’t just about builders—it’s about a system where cost, policy, and process collide, making it harder to deliver the housing people need.

If we’re serious about solving the housing crisis, we need to understand what’s actually blocking progress—and what it will take to fix it.

Take action: Get involved in local and state housing conversations, especially around land use and development barriers.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices: Ryan McAllister Part 2
(00:00:43) - Girding Builders: Oregon Housing Voices
(00:05:29) - Projects Penciling Out Today
(00:11:32) - Local Issues: City and County
(00:14:06) - Do we need wetlands for development in Oregon?
(00:20:29) - Local perspectives on the 3rd Street Commons housing project
(00:23:58) - Community resistance to development on wetlands
(00:25:30) - Trade Offs in the Housing Debate
(00:28:01) - Will Florida Make Its Apartment More Adaptive?
(00:32:14) - Local Lenders: What Should They Know About Construction?
(00:34:18) - Voices on Housing and Watersports

How to Build 100+ Homes in 3 Years: Inside Oregon's Housing Development Process | HV04 P1

Edward Fulford — Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Host Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview Ryan McAlister, the first non-Gerding family member to lead Gerding Builders, an employee-owned construction company in Oregon's mid-Willamette Valley. Ryan shares insights on the development process, housing challenges, and solutions from a builder's perspective, discussing everything from market-rate to affordable housing construction.

The complex 3-year development timeline from concept to completion for housing projects
Major infrastructure constraints limiting housing development, especially electrical grid capacity
Differences between market-rate, affordable, and middle-income housing development
Cottage cluster housing as a promising solution for first-time homeownership
Condo liability issues preventing ownership opportunities for buyers
State funding gaps creating project delays until 2027
How local jurisdictions impact development speed and feasibility
The challenge of creating pathways to homeownership versus rental-only solutions

Resources mentioned: Gerding Builders, Oregon State construction management program, cottage cluster legislation (2023), HB 2001/2100 housing legislation, municipal multi-unit property tax exemption (MUPTE), opportunity zones, census tract designations.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices from the Porches
(00:01:44) - Housing Voices
(00:03:42) - Employee-Owned Girding Builders
(00:05:25) - Projects and Jobs at Gerding Real Estate
(00:07:11) - What's The Difference Between Market Rate Housing and Affordable Housing?
(00:13:41) - Affordable Housing and Middle- Income
(00:15:10) - Cottage Homes and Condos
(00:22:55) - Is Average Median Income Affordable?
(00:23:31) - How Does a Cottage Cluster Develop?
(00:28:22) - Local perspectives on energy requirements for housing projects
(00:34:37) - Timeline for Affordable Housing
(00:40:28) - Does Affordable Housing Build Longer Than Market Rate?
(00:41:59) - Affordable Housing Funding lapses
(00:43:31) - How Do Local Authorities Play Into Your Decision to Develop?

Only 6% of Housing Is Accessible—And 26% of People Need It | HV03

Edward Fulford — Tue, 12 May 2026 08:29:00 +0000

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford speak with Cassie Wilson, Legislative Manager at 1000 Friends of Oregon, about the critical shortage of accessible housing in Oregon. Wilson, who lives with a disability, shares her personal experiences navigating inaccessible apartments and her recent move to a fully accessible unit, highlighting the vast gap between housing supply and need for disabled residents.

Only 6% of US housing is accessible while 26% of people have disabilities
Oregon has just one accessible unit for every 66 residents who need one
Current federal requirements mandate only 2% of units in large buildings be accessible - a standard set when disabled people were institutionalized
Accessible units cost only 2.5% more to build but provide essential features like proper counter heights and turning radius space
Disabled renters often pay higher rents for larger accessible units while still facing barriers like unreachable appliances and inaccessible entrances
Property managers frequently lack knowledge about which units are accessible, making apartment hunting difficult
Tenants must pay for accessibility modifications like grab bars and their future removal
Ground floor accessible units are rare despite obvious safety and convenience benefits
Emergency evacuation plans often fail to accommodate mobility device users in multi-story buildings

Resources mentioned: 1000 Friends of Oregon (friends.org), Senator Patterson's accessible housing legislation, National League of Cities disability statistics, Oregon legislative session bills on accessible housing requirements.

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Getting it out of Housing
(00:00:24) - Disability Voices on Housing
(00:02:00) - Disabled People on Accessible Housing
(00:08:12) - Cassie from Oregon on Climate Advocacy
(00:13:26) - Oregon Accessible Housing for People with Disabilities
(00:16:18) - Questions for Disabled Renters
(00:18:17) - Does Accessible Housing Cost More?
(00:21:42) - How behind do we think we are in accessibility?
(00:24:39) - Oregon lawmakers talk accessibility in housing
(00:27:10) - What kind of community resistance do you find in your work on disability
(00:31:13) - Questions About Accessible Apartment Housing
(00:34:59) - When I Vacant My Apartment, I Listed My Needs
(00:42:27) - What Is The Accessibility Requirement For Renters?
(00:45:23) - Sen. Pat Patterson on accessibility in Oregon housing
(00:50:14) - Sen. Amy Klobic on accessibility for housing
(00:53:35) - Where to Find Accessible Housing
(00:56:14) - Sen. Pat Patterson on accessible housing
(01:00:04) - Housing Voices: Where People, Policy and Solutions Meet

When Housing Isn’t an Option: Life with Disabilities in Oregon | HV02

Edward Fulford — Tue, 05 May 2026 08:28:00 +0000

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Misha Marie and Abby Guzman, Director and Assistant Director of programs at the ARC of Benton County, who support and advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The conversation explores the complex housing challenges faced by people with IDD and the limited options available to them in today's expensive housing market.

Key topics discussed:

Definition of intellectual and developmental disabilities and the gap between those who need services versus those who qualify
Housing options for people with IDD: family homes, group homes, foster homes, and supported living
Financial constraints with SSI providing only around $1,000/month while rent approaches $2,000
The burden of federal recertification requirements for lifelong disabilities
Creative housing solutions like co-housing models that face regulatory barriers
Federal restrictions on "congregate housing" that limit housing choices for people with disabilities
The importance of including people with disabilities in housing decisions ("nothing about us without us")
Success stories and ongoing challenges with homelessness in the IDD community

Resources and organizations mentioned:

The ARC of Benton County
Jackson Street services
Julian apartments
Social Security Administration (SSI benefits)
Medicaid services
County DD services
National ARC conventions

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing Voices for People with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities
(00:01:58) - An introduction to the ARC of Benton County
(00:04:25) - What It Means to Have a Developmentally Disabled Person
(00:06:36) - People with a developmental disability in Benton County
(00:09:09) - Developmental Disabilities and Housing
(00:16:12) - What is Recertification for People with Developmental Disabilities?
(00:20:23) - Benton County supports people with disabilities with housing
(00:30:29) - Opposition to Co-Housing for Individuals With IDD or
(00:36:03) - Multiple Disabilities in Housing
(00:42:51) - Representatives from the developmental disabilities community speak out on issues
(00:46:00) - What would you like leaders to understand differently about housing for people with
(00:51:54) - The issue of housing for people with disabilities in Oregon
(00:54:18) - Housing Voices: A Place for Real Solutions

Housing vs. Infrastructure: Oregon’s Impossible Budget Choices | HV01

Edward Fulford — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 01:28:00 +0000

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Oregon Representative David Gomberg about the intersection of housing, infrastructure, and legislative budget challenges. Rep. Gomberg, who serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and represents coastal Oregon's House District 10, discusses the complex decisions facing lawmakers as they balance housing needs with infrastructure investments amid significant budget shortfalls.

Oregon faces a $700 million budget shortfall due to federal tax changes and reduced federal funding
Small coastal towns struggle with infrastructure needs - Siletz (1,100 people) has a $12 million sewer problem
One-third of coastal housing stock consists of vacation homes and short-term rentals, reducing available housing
The state invested $500 million in housing initiatives but hasn't met ambitious production goals
Legislature funded 50 critical water infrastructure projects with $100 million in lottery funds, but 150+ projects remain on the waiting list
One-fifth of coastal students are categorized as homeless, often couch-surfing or in unstable housing
Budget cuts of 2-10% are being considered for housing programs that didn't exist five years ago
Property tax incentives for affordable housing development create tension with funding community services
Urban growth boundary expansions compete with protecting Oregon's farmland and forests

Resources mentioned: SB 1537 (Governor's housing production bill), SB 1599 (tax disconnection bill), Housing Accountability and Production Office (HAPLO), senior property tax deferral program, League of Oregon Cities infrastructure needs list, Legislative Fiscal Office revenue projections

Chapters

(00:00:00) - Housing and Infrastructure on EWTN News Nightly
(00:01:46) - Housing Voices
(00:03:37) - Local issues of importance
(00:07:34) - Oregon Senate Question: Infrastructure Funding
(00:12:41) - Oregon Lottery funding, and how reliable is it?
(00:20:30) - Local perspectives on housing issues
(00:30:49) - Oregon lawmaker on taxes and revenue reform
(00:39:27) - Top 10 Questions for Oregonians
(00:41:33) - How to reach out to your legislator in the upcoming year
(00:48:23) - Housing Voices: On Issues and Solutions

Why Oregon’s Housing Crisis Keeps Getting Worse | HV Intro

Edward Fulford — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 10:30:00 +0000

Housing Voices is a new podcast hosted by Bre Irish (former legislative aide with Senator Wyden) and Marty Fulford (experienced real estate broker and housing advocate) that tackles Oregon's housing crisis through structured conversation and practical solutions. With Oregon ranking 45th nationally in housing production and falling short of the state's 36,000 units per year target, the hosts aim to move beyond fragmented arguments to create a comprehensive framework for understanding housing as an interconnected ecosystem.

Eight-bucket framework covering legislative/finance, climate/environment, workforce, development/infrastructure, mental health/homelessness, and seniors/disabilities
Real stories like a retired teacher surviving on $1,266/month Social Security struggling with housing accessibility
Interview structure focusing on reality, constraints, hard questions, and actionable solutions
Community-driven approach encouraging citizen engagement in local housing discussions
Call to action for listeners to start conversations about housing challenges in their communities
Focus on how housing affects everything from workforce retention to school funding to childhood development
Emphasis on moving from identifying problems to implementing practical solutions

Resources mentioned: Benton County Planning Commission, Regional Housing Subcommittee, housingvoices.com, partners Marty Bulford.com and Signet.net

Chapters

(00:00:00) - The need for affordable housing
(00:00:58) - Housing Voices: An Argument for More Homes
(00:02:47) - 8 Big Things the GOP Focus on
(00:04:10) - Seniors on Social Security and Housing
(00:07:27) - Housing Voices
(00:12:15) - A Call to Action on Housing
(00:17:42) - Housing Voices: What More is Needed?