NeighborWorks America’s podcast, The Community Effect, dropped this week with a focus on technology and housing innovations. Ernest Coney Jr., CEO of CDC of Tampa and Nick Mitchell-Bennet, executive director of come dream, come build, join NeighborWorks President & CEO Marietta Rodriguez to take a deep dive into the issue. The podcast can be found here, and the transcript is below.

Marietta Rodriguez

Marietta Rodriguez is president & CEO of NeighborWorks® America, a congressionally chartered nonprofit corporation that supports a national network of nearly 250 organizations working to expand access to affordable homes, improve lives, and strengthen communities.

Foreclosure intervention: Keeping families in their homes in times of financial crisis


Blanca Velez Beauchamp, Executive Director, Puerto Rico Neighborhood Housing Services

Challenge: Due to the current financial uncertainty, high unemployment rates and a devalued real estate market, residents of Puerto Rico have been afraid to invest money or buy houses; 500 families are migrating from the island every month.


A safe place to call home: Successful housing strategies for former inmates


Peggy Hutchison, CEO, Primavera Foundation

Challenge: Every year, approximately 650,000 men and women are released from prisons across the nation. These former inmates face few affordable housing options, making it difficult for them to secure employment, get their lives back on track and become valuable members of the community.


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