One Room at a Time

Ep 10: The Current Housing Bills in Congress with Dennis Shea from the Bipartisan Policy Center

In this episode, host Atticus LeBlanc, CEO of PadSplit, interviews Dennis Shea, EVP at the Bipartisan Policy Center and Chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, about his career spanning Senate work, trade roles, and becoming HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. Shea explains Ron Terwilliger’s impact as a housing philanthropist and how the BPC Housing Center was created. They discuss BPC’s “American Housing Act” framework focused on supply, preservation, and support, and the House and Senate housing bills that passed with large bipartisan margins, including the Senate build-to-rent divestiture requirement and other controversial aspects. They note executive orders on deregulation and mortgage access, emphasize multiple solutions beyond federal action, explore coliving and shared housing, especially for aging households, and Shea highlights regulatory compliance costs as a major driver of high housing costs. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:20 Dennis Shea Career Path 03:52 HUD and Housing Mission 07:29 Who Is Ron Terwilliger 11:53 BPC Role in Housing 14:49 Senate Bill Controversy 17:16 Build to Rent Details 21:34 Coliving and Aging 28:55 Getting It Over Line 34:33 Rapid Fire and Wrap One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast [https://padsplit.com/podcast] Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/] Connect with Dennis Shea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-shea-6a745517/ References: * Bipartisan Policy Center: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/ [https://bipartisanpolicy.org/] * Bob Lighthizer: https://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/bob-lighthizer/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/bob-lighthizer/ [https://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/bob-lighthizer/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Senator Bob Dole: https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_DoleRobertJ.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_DoleRobertJ.htm [https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_DoleRobertJ.htm?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Ron Terwilliger: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/about/j-ronald-terwilliger?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.enterprisecommunity.org/about/j-ronald-terwilliger [https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/about/j-ronald-terwilliger?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Habitat for Humanity International: https://www.habitat.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.habitat.org/ [https://www.habitat.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Enterprise Community Partners: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.enterprisecommunity.org/ [https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Urban Land Institute: https://uli.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://uli.org/ [https://uli.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * Roger Staubach: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Staubach?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Staubach [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Staubach?utm_source=chatgpt.com] * 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: https://www.banking.senate.gov/newsroom/minority/scott-warren-release-21st-century-road-to-housing-act-legislative-package-to-boost-housing-supply-and-bring-down-costs?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/whats-in-the-21st-century-road-to-housing-act/ * Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Boat-Americans-Berlin-Olympics/dp/0143125478 * National Association of Home Builders: https://www.nahb.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.nahb.org/ [https://www.nahb.org/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]

Ep 09: PadSplit Member Shares How PadSplit Helped Her Find Safety, Community, and Savings

Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews PadSplit member Wanda Roshell, who works at Cox Automotive and has lived in a metro Atlanta PadSplit for over two years. Wanda shares her background, then explains choosing a PadSplit room after a roommate situation ended, and she wanted to avoid costly, stressful apartment hunting. She prioritized safety, community, and affordability, noting that utilities are included, and the neighborhood feels more secure and less noisy than many apartments. Wanda describes initial fears about living with strangers but says respectful communication and boundaries created a “family” dynamic, challenging policymakers’ narrow definitions of family. She praises her host’s communication and compassion during a period of financial hardship, discusses minor challenges, and outlines savings goals tied to retirement, family, and her future. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:59 Wanda’s Backstory 02:19 Finding PadSplit 04:24 Why a Room Not Apartment 07:49 Work and First Impressions 09:12 Skepticism to Comfort 11:52 Roommates as Family 14:20 Safety and House Rules 15:47 Savings and Future Goals 17:00 Host Relationship Matters 23:18 Living With Six Roommates 26:32 Dreaming Bigger and Wrap Up One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast [https://padsplit.com/podcast] Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/] References: * Cox Automotive: https://www.coxautoinc.com/brands/manheim/ [https://www.coxautoinc.com/brands/manheim/]

Ep 08 Part 2: Bridging the Gap: How Lotus Campaign Uses Incentives and Scalable Solutions to Address Homelessness

Host Atticus LeBlanc continues his conversation with Beth Silverman of Lotus Campaign about policy, trends, and the future of homelessness solutions. Beth argues the U.S. over-focuses on emergency responses and long-run permanent housing while neglecting interim “next step” options, and says homelessness tools haven’t kept pace with structural drivers like housing supply and demand. She highlights progress where communities modernize zoning and codes and where public, nonprofit, and private sectors align. Looking to 2026, Lotus plans to expand impact in Charlotte and Raleigh, grow into a third market, refine programs using technology and data, and scale while maintaining high-touch local execution. 00:00 Welcome Back and Setup 00:23 Incentives and Missing Middle 02:26 Weaponized Subsidies Explained 04:41 Nonprofit Tools and Roadblocks 06:23 Zoning Fixes and Best Practices 08:38 Turf Wars and Community Courage 13:02 Housing as a Human Right 15:38 Supply Shortage and Economics 20:02 Lotus Vision for 2026 21:36 Scaling the Lotus Model 22:44 Rapid Fire Habits and Bad Bunny 25:41 Misconceptions and Closing One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast [https://padsplit.com/podcast] Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/] Connect with Beth Silverman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/] References: * Lotus Campaign: https://www.lotuscampaign.org [https://www.lotuscampaign.org] * Dr. Gregg Colburn, University of Washington: https://re.be.uw.edu/people/gregg-colburn/ [https://re.be.uw.edu/people/gregg-colburn/] * Dr. Margot Kushel: https://medicine.ucsf.edu/people/margot-kushel [https://medicine.ucsf.edu/people/margot-kushel] * Community Solutions: https://community.solutions/ [https://community.solutions/] * Cabrini: https://www.angel.com/movies/cabrini [https://www.angel.com/movies/cabrini] * The Poetry Remedy by William Sieghart: https://a.co/d/0j7m4LXV [https://a.co/d/0j7m4LXV] * Lost & Found: A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz: https://a.co/d/04JG7iQk [https://a.co/d/04JG7iQk] * Bad Bunny: https://www.youtube.com/@BadBunnyPR [https://www.youtube.com/@BadBunnyPR]

Ep 08 Part 1: The Importance of Cross-Sector Collaboration to Solve Homelessness

Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Beth Silverman, co-founder and executive director of the Lotus Campaign, about her cross-sector career in city planning, real estate, and public policy and how it led to tackling homelessness. Beth describes Lotus as a partnership model that connects landlords, developers, and social service organizations to place individuals and families experiencing or near homelessness into market-rate, mixed-income housing. Lotus began in Charlotte, expanded to Raleigh, and has housed nearly 800 people with a 91–95% renewal success rate, largely using philanthropic funding. She also highlights myth-busting work emphasizing homelessness as a housing problem and shares examples of impact and future expansion plans. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:24 Beth Silverman Introduction 01:33 Career Path Across Sectors 03:49 Origins of Lotus Campaign 08:16 What Lotus Does 12:31 Voucher Comparison and Myth Busting 14:11 Landlord Objections and Risk 18:56 Lease Ready Support Model 22:27 Scaling Results and Funding 26:00 Expansion Plans and Myths 30:52 Closing and Part Two Tease One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast [https://padsplit.com/podcast] Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/] Connect with Beth Silverman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/] References: * Lotus Campaign: https://www.lotuscampaign.org [https://www.lotuscampaign.org] * Urban Land Institute: https://uli.org/ [https://uli.org/] * Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely: https://a.co/d/0feG8L6g [https://a.co/d/0feG8L6g] * Housing Choice Vouchers: https://www.usa.gov/housing-voucher-section-8 [https://www.usa.gov/housing-voucher-section-8] * Sharon Crossing Investment: https://www.lotuscampaign.org/first-impact-investment/ [https://www.lotuscampaign.org/first-impact-investment/] * Homelessness is a Housing Problem: How Structural Factors Explain U.S. Patterns by Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern: https://a.co/d/0ebb08hb [https://a.co/d/0ebb08hb]

Ep 07 Part 2: Parking, Fire Codes, and Stairways…Oh My! How Deregulation Can Unlock Housing

Host Atticus LeBlanc continues a conversation with Alex Horowitz of Pew Charitable Trusts about housing reform momentum and evidence that reducing regulatory barriers increases supply and improves affordability. Alex discusses how cities and states eliminated parking mandates and reduced lot sizes, leading to long-term housing affordability. They also discuss building and fire codes, focusing on allowing single-stair designs, which research suggests can cut construction costs while enabling larger, better-lit units. Finally, Alex emphasizes bipartisan policy optimism, including federal legislation proposals, with by-right apartments on commercially zoned land as a key lever. Atticus summed up these deregulations with the line: “make it legal, make it easy, and they will come.” 00:00 Welcome Back and Setup 00:25 Momentum for Housing Reform 01:37 Minneapolis Zoning Wins 03:45 Austin and Houston Supply Surge 05:36 Why Officials Miss the Data 06:45 More Reform Case Studies 08:43 Fire Codes and Housing Costs 10:34 Single Stair Buildings Explained 12:44 Safety Data and Tradeoffs 17:19 Reasons for Optimism 20:23 Rapid Fire Q and A 23:09 Closing and Where to Learn More One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast [https://padsplit.com/podcast] Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/] Connect with Alex Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-horowitz-69549945/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-horowitz-69549945/] References: 1. Housing Policy Research: pew.org/housingpolicy [http://pew.org/housingpolicy] 2. Pew Research: Modern Multifamily Buildings Provide the Most Fire Protection : https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/09/modern-multifamily-buildings-provide-the-most-fire-protection [https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/09/modern-multifamily-buildings-provide-the-most-fire-protection] 3. Pew Research: States Advance Single-Stairway Reforms to Expand Housing : https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/11/04/states-advance-single-stairway-reforms-to-expand-housing [https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/11/04/states-advance-single-stairway-reforms-to-expand-housing] 4. Pew Research: Small Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Have Strong Safety Record : https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway-apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record [https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway-apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record] 5. Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Applelbaum: https://a.co/d/00ypoJO1 [https://a.co/d/00ypoJO1] 6. Why Nothing Works by Marc Dunkelman: https://a.co/d/02mDeWjA [https://a.co/d/02mDeWjA] 7. Recoding America by Jennifer Pahlka: https://a.co/d/0gEn07yr [https://a.co/d/0gEn07yr]