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Episode Outline
0:35 Welcome to Episode 17!
0:55 Liz does a short recap on the housing spectrum series
2:02 Introduction to Tara Peele
06:50 Tara reflects on her relationship with Natalie Britt, who was her first boss and helped guide her into the housing field.
8:55 Tara shares one authentic thing about herself, “I’m pretty Introverted”
10:27 Liz drops a gem, “There’s something so powerful in knowing yourself”
11:07 Tara shares how Julia Bick influenced her career and taught her the importance of stepping into roles even when you don't feel completely prepared.
12:32 Tara shares stories about mentors Linda Thurmond, Erin Barbee, and others who encouraged and challenged her.
16:47 Tara explains the organization's history, beginning as Social Serve, its evolution into Housing Collaborative, and its mission of making affordable housing easier to navigate.
21:57 Liz shares a story about a housing professional who continued believing in a prospective homeowner even when that person had stopped believing in herself.
23:32 Maya, Liz, and Tara unpack the meaning of housing navigation and why having a person guide someone through the process matters.
26:13 The group discusses application and administrative fees and how they can become significant barriers for people with extremely low incomes.
29:00 The table discusses the "landlord consortium" model. Housing Collaborative acts as a centralized relationship manager, connecting supportive-service organizations with a wide range of housing providers.
31:08 Liz connects Housing Collaborative's work to the broader housing spectrum; from homelessness and supportive housing to affordable and market-rate housing.
· Tara explains that they serve approximately 98% of referred households are below 60% AMI, with most below 30% AMI.
34:16 The conversation turns to discuss trends making housing harder to access: application fees, administrative fees, holding fees, risk mitigation fees, and other financial barriers.
37:48 The table dives into why people fall behind on rent. The group explores utility debt, rising costs, fixed incomes, unexpected expenses, and the lack of financial margin many households face.
41:02 Tara explains how people are referred to Housing Collaborative and what ongoing support can look like and the organization’s partnerships with more than 20 supportive-service providers in Mecklenburg County.
46:54 A Home for All: Tara shares Charlotte-Mecklenburg's plan to end and prevent homelessness and explains Housing Collaborative's role.
· Housing Collaborative housed approximately 280 households during the first year of the pilot and 486 during the second year.
· 600 units became 1,800+: Housing Collaborative's goal was to recruit 600 previously unengaged housing units. They ultimately recruited more than 1,800.
· Tara discusses the importance of sustainable funding for housing navigation, incentives, and risk mitigation.
· The A Home for All is welcoming private funds to support its program
51:18 Liz reflects on how Housing Collaborative's platform, relationships, and expertise help bring multiple community partners together.
52:10 Tara shares the story of a man who transitioned from an encampment into stable housing through multiple housing-support programs.
58:58 Tara shares what's next for Housing Collaborative
1:00:55 Tara shares ways listeners can contribute and support Housing Collaborative through donations, welcome-home baskets, operating support, and housing-provider partnerships.