Unsheltered Conversations

Crisand Giles & Glen Martin: Building Forward — Innovation, Leadership, and Housing Solutions in Northern California

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. Today’s conversation brings together leadership, innovation,and impact through the lens of one of the most challenging housing markets in the country: Northern California. Glen Martin, a third-generation homebuilder and ManagingDirector at Avila Real Estate Capital, who is being inducted into the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame in 2026 after more than 40 years of leadership in the industry. And Crisand Giles, Executive Director of HomeAid NorthernCalifornia, who has been leading innovative housing solutions including tiny home communities and interim housing models that are making a real difference on the ground. Together, we’ll talk about leadership, innovation, policy,and how the building industry can be part of real solutions to homelessness. Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.homeaid.org/]

Tom Grable: Building California — Leadership, Legacy, and the Future of Housing

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. Today’s conversation is with someone whose career has helped shape the homebuilding industry in California for decades. Tom Grable recently retired as Division President of Tri Pointe Homes in Southern California after a remarkable career leading land acquisition, development, and homebuilding operations across one of the most complex housing markets in the country. He has also been deeply involved in industry leadership serving as Chairman of the California Building Industry Association and in numerous advocacy roles helping shape housing policy statewide. And in recognition of that impact, Tom is being inducted into the California Homebuilding Foundation Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors in the industry. Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.homeaid.org/]

John, Staci, & Destiny: From Opportunity to Career — The HomeAid San Diego WORKS Story

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. Today’s conversation is about something incredibly important and often overlooked in the conversation around homelessness: opportunity. We know that housing is foundational. But for long-term stability, people also need pathways to employment, purpose, and career growth. Because without income, long-term housing stability becomes incredibly difficult to sustain. That’s exactly what the HomeAid WORKS program is designed to do. HomeAid San Diego has built one of the most impactful versions of this program in the country, bringing together builders, employers, service providers, and community partners to create real career pathways in the construction industry. Since launching in 2022, the program has trained over 118 individuals with plans for 48 additional this year and continues to grow, helping participants gain skills, confidence, and access to meaningful employment opportunities. Episode Guests: * John Peterson: Executive Director of HomeAid San Diego * Staci Reidinger: Board member and passionate advocate for the program * Destiny Dubois: Graduate of the WORKS program Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.homeaid.org/]

Gina, Don, & Theresa: A Place for Mothers — The Story of Precious Life Shelter

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. Today’s conversation is especially meaningful as we approach Mother’s Day, a time when we reflect on the strength, resilience, and love of mothers everywhere. But for many women, especially those experiencing homelessness while pregnant or parenting young children, that journey can be incredibly fragile and uncertain. Episode guests: * Gina Cunningham: Executive Director of HomeAid Orange County Los Angeles * Theresa Murphy: Executive Director of Precious Life Shelter * Don Jacobs: Architect whose vision and commitment have helped shape every phase of Precious Life since the very beginning Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.homeaid.org/]

Kevin Fagan: The Lost and the Found

Welcome to Unsheltered Conversations, the podcast from HomeAid America where we explore the human stories, partnerships, and solutions shaping the conversation around homelessness. This podcast is hosted by Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. Today’s conversation is with someone who has spent decades helping the public understand homelessness not just as a statistic, but as a deeply human story. Kevin Fagan is an award-winning journalist who spent many years reporting on homelessness for the San Francisco Chronicle. His reporting has taken him into encampments, shelters, hospitals, and city halls documenting the realities of life on the streets and the systems meant to respond to it. His book, The Lost and the Found, brings readers into the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness in a way that is honest, compassionate, and deeply revealing. At HomeAid, we recently featured Kevin’s book in our national newsletter and in the Recommended Reading section on our website, because it provides such a powerful lens into the human experience behind homelessness. Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠HomeAid⁠⁠⁠. [https://www.homeaid.org/]