In a refreshingly grounded and pragmatic conversation about how to address homelessness, AFIRE podcast host Gunnar Branson sits down with Lydia Stazen, Executive Director of the Ruff Institute of Global Homelessness (IGH), a joint initiative of Chicago’s DePaul University and DePaul International.
According to Stazen, homelessness is not usually a matter of choice, but instead the result of systemic failure, and one that can only be addressed through equal emphasis on accurate data, clear definitions, accessible housing, reliable services, and proactive collaboration between political leaders, owners, investors, and community members.
Stazen also addresses core global misconceptions around homelessness and the role that people, policies, and systems play in designing a “compelling offer” that can bring a person from homelessness—at any degree—into stable housing environments. Global cities, such as Glasgow, Scotland; Montevideo, Uruguay; and other “IGH Vanguard” cities provide compelling examples for how such comprehensive, system-wide solutions can work in practice.
With AFIRE members indicating that housing affordability and availability will be one of the most critical issues affecting US commercial real estate over the next several years, Stazen and podcast host Gunnar Branson also explore the innovative role investors can play in solving homelessness—and supporting thriving cities.
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The AFIRE Podcast with Gunnar Branson is the official, multiple-award-winning podcast of AFIRE, the association for international real estate investors focused on commercial property in the United States.
Hosted by AFIRE CEO Gunnar Branson, the podcast features informative and in-depth conversations with experts across the full spectrum of real estate, investment, sustainability, economics, geopolitics, and urbanism with a focus on helping each other become Better Investors, Better Leaders, and Better Global Citizens. To learn more, visit afire.org/podcast
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Benjamin van Loon, Communications Director
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