Episode 5: Activism and ACORN: The Global Fight for Affordable and Livable Housing with Wade Rathke
12/22/21 • 47 min
Welcome back to YIMBY Nation! Joining us in conversation today is Wade Rathke, from ACORN International, which fights for the basic rights of people – better security, health, housing, education, and employment conditions, and more responsive, truly representative government. You’ll hear about Wade’s long and groundbreaking history with the organization, starting with working to bring laws into policy to be able to enact change in the fight for affordable and livable housing worldwide. The hosts of YIMBY Nation and Wade delve into the current state of our world with stark realism, and a hopeful gaze at the future, as well as revealing how ACORN’s work differs in the US, Canada, Peru, Africa, India, and beyond. We hope you join us to hear all of this and more today.
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to today’s guest, Wade Rathke.
- Wade’s history with ACORN International, working in 15 countries across the world. It has local offices in Argentina, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Canada, India, and Kenya and partnerships in Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines.
- The current state of marginalized communities.
- Why the show hosts and Wade have been so involved in empowering communities facing social issues like economic development and fair housing.
- How fighting for housing rights differs in the US and other countries.
- The importance of ACORN being a membership organization and not an NGO.
- The backwards movement in US welfare.
- What Wade finds hopeful about the global approach to welfare and housing.
- A reflection with Wade and the hosts on if they believe they have changed the world in the way they intended through advocacy.
- How the commitment to equitable housing has shifted over time.
- How resources and obstacles change across the globe although people want the same things.
- What ACORN does to ensure the same approach across different affiliates in different countries.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Acorn International
Wade Rathke on Twitter
Wade Rathke on LinkedIn
Wade's Website
Wade Rathke on Email
Welcome back to YIMBY Nation! Joining us in conversation today is Wade Rathke, from ACORN International, which fights for the basic rights of people – better security, health, housing, education, and employment conditions, and more responsive, truly representative government. You’ll hear about Wade’s long and groundbreaking history with the organization, starting with working to bring laws into policy to be able to enact change in the fight for affordable and livable housing worldwide. The hosts of YIMBY Nation and Wade delve into the current state of our world with stark realism, and a hopeful gaze at the future, as well as revealing how ACORN’s work differs in the US, Canada, Peru, Africa, India, and beyond. We hope you join us to hear all of this and more today.
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to today’s guest, Wade Rathke.
- Wade’s history with ACORN International, working in 15 countries across the world. It has local offices in Argentina, Peru, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Canada, India, and Kenya and partnerships in Indonesia, Korea, and the Philippines.
- The current state of marginalized communities.
- Why the show hosts and Wade have been so involved in empowering communities facing social issues like economic development and fair housing.
- How fighting for housing rights differs in the US and other countries.
- The importance of ACORN being a membership organization and not an NGO.
- The backwards movement in US welfare.
- What Wade finds hopeful about the global approach to welfare and housing.
- A reflection with Wade and the hosts on if they believe they have changed the world in the way they intended through advocacy.
- How the commitment to equitable housing has shifted over time.
- How resources and obstacles change across the globe although people want the same things.
- What ACORN does to ensure the same approach across different affiliates in different countries.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Acorn International
Wade Rathke on Twitter
Wade Rathke on LinkedIn
Wade's Website
Wade Rathke on Email
Previous Episode
Episode 4: Community Development, The COVID-19 Impact & The Tribal Response with Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozsum
On today’s show, we are pleased to welcome Bruce “Two Dogs” Bozum, President of Eight Paws NDN, a Native Gaming Consulting firm. Bruce was first elected to the Mohegan Tribal Council in 2004, where served for eight years as Chairman and helped to secure refinancing for Mohegan Sun. He was involved in the expansion of the Mohegan Sun brand into Pennsylvania, Atlantic City, Washington State, Massachusetts, and New York. In this episode, Bruce describes community development in the sovereign state of the Mohegan Tribe, including how its community is housed on the reservation, whether or not they are affected by the affordable housing crisis in Connecticut, and what we can learn from their community revenue sharing structure. We also touch on the perceptions of outsiders, what pushback the Mohegans receive from NIMBY locals as they look to expand, and how home and land ownership works on the reservation. Tune in today to learn more about the Mohegan approach to building a more resilient and equitable community!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Bruce introduces himself and how he came to operate Mohegan Sun.
- How the Mohegan Tribe as a sovereign nation determines how its community is housed.
- Bruce responds to the affordable housing crisis in Connecticut; whether the tribe is affected.
- How it works if a tribe member is interested in housing outside the reservation.
- The pushback the Mohegan Tribe receives from NIMBY locals as they seek to expand.
- Hear about the Mohegan attitude towards family and how they look out for their own.
- The short-term impacts of COVID-19 on Bruce’s community of 3,000 individuals.
- Learn about Mohegan tribal structure and governance and the role Bruce plays.
- Bruce elaborates on their revenue sharing structure and how his community has been affected by the eviction crisis.
- What states and business leaders can learn from the Mohegan Tribe community.
- How Bruce responds to perceptions from outsiders, who believe the Mohegans are wealthy.
- The difference in ownership between Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods.
- Bruce talks about expansion of the Mohegan Sun brand and opportunities for new facilities.
- What Bruce has been working on, including the song he has out on Spotify.
- Find out how home and land ownership works on the Mohegan reservation.
- Bruce’s advice for building stronger and more equitable communities: communication is key!
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Next Episode
Episode 6: Reforming Housing, Investing in People & Identifying Contracting Opportunities with Gregory Russ, Chair/CEO, NYC Housing Authority
Today, we are joined by Gregory Russ to talk about how NYCHA is reforming its approach to public housing in New York. Gregory was appointed Chair and CEO of the NYC Housing Authority in 2019. He is a seasoned housing professional with decades of management experience, who has helped to rebuild and strengthen public housing authorities across the country. Gregory begins by laying out the context of the issues New York is facing, where he describes a dysfunctional institutional structure combined with severely undercapitalized housing stock. He touches on the history of NYCHA’s recapitalization issues and the methods they are using to rectify this by reforming their approach in line with the HUD agreement. He breaks down NYCHA’s recent adoption of a property-first mentality, the role of partnerships with investors in growing support, and how programs such as RAD and PACT are being utilized as mechanisms for recapitalization and investment. What Gregory shares is encouraging in terms of the future for NYCHA and public housing in general, so be sure to join for today’s discussion.
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to Gregory, his education, and his career in the public housing sphere.
- What led to Gregory’s position with NYCHA and how the HUD agreement fits into its new approach.
- Issues around a dysfunctional institutional structure and an undercapitalized housing stock.
- How NYCHA is transforming its approach using a property-first mentality.
- Gregory’s thoughts on whether public housing in NYC can be sustained.
- The need to reinvest capital into public housing for it to be sustainable.
- The role of partnerships with investors in strengthening the program.
- Gregory’s assessment of RAD and how it is helping sustain public housing.
- The series of investment options provided by NYCHA’s PACT program.
- Past criticism NYCHA has received around poor maintenance and how they are rectifying this.
- Big achievements Gregory hopes to accomplish with NYCHA in the coming months.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
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