Opportunity Zones

Building strong landlord partnerships is essential to expanding housing opportunities for veterans, but successful engagement requires more than recruiting property owners.In Episode 3 of Season 7 of The Road Home, host Jae Villaflor welcomes Michael Shore, CEO and Co-Founder of Padmission and Chairman of the Board of HOM, Inc., to explore how veteran service providers can build lasting relationships with landlords and strengthen housing program operations.Drawing on more than 30 years of experience in housing assistance administration, Shore discusses the importance of treating landlords as business partners, understanding their operational needs, and delivering reliable services that encourage continued participation in housing programs.The conversation examines how communities can coordinate landlord engagement efforts, streamline inspections and rental assistance payments, and distinguish between landlord engagement and housing navigation. Shore also shares strategies for engaging property management decision-makers, supporting successful tenancies, and using landlord feedback to improve housing programs.In this episode, you'll learn about:Building mutually beneficial landlord partnershipsCoordinating landlord engagement across housing programsImproving program administration and tenant supportUsing landlord feedback to strengthen housing outcomesLearn more about our guest's organizations:HOM, Inc.: https://www.hominc.com/Padmission: https://www.padmission.com/🔔 Follow or subscribe to The Road Home:https://lnk.bio/TheRoadHomeCheck out epsidoe inisghts -https://www.calameo.com/read/00581038517792c7bd3baThe Road Home is produced by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) with generous support from The Home Depot Foundation.#nchv #teamdepot

Mission-Aligned: Including Veterans in Your Community’s Housing Goals (Part 2)How can veteran service providers help shape housing opportunities in their communities without starting from scratch?In Episode 2 of Season 7 of The Road Home, host Jae Villaflor continues his conversation with Tram Hoang, Senior Associate at PolicyLink, exploring practical ways organizations can influence housing policies, funding priorities, and community development decisions.From engaging with state housing finance agencies and Qualified Allocation Plans (QAPs) to building community power, Tram highlights opportunities for providers to advocate for greater access to affordable housing for veterans.The conversation also examines lessons from the Keep St. Paul Home housing campaign, the importance of sustaining policy victories, and how smaller, achievable goals can build momentum toward lasting housing solutions.Learn how veteran-serving organizations can leverage existing systems, strategic partnerships, and community relationships to help expand housing opportunities for veterans.Learn more about PolicyLink: https://www.policylink.org/Follow and subscribe to The Road Home: https://lnk.bio/TheRoadHomeRead the episode insightsThe Road Home is produced by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) with generous support from The Home Depot Foundation.#nchv #teamdepot

Welcome to Season 7 of The Road Home!How can veteran service providers turn their firsthand experience into meaningful influence over housing policy and community priorities?In Part 1 of “Mission-Aligned: Including Veterans in Your Community's Housing Goals,” host Jae Villaflor welcomes Tram Hoang, Senior Associate at PolicyLink, to explore how providers can build community partnerships, shape housing narratives, and advocate for solutions that reflect veterans' needs.The conversation covers the importance of storytelling in housing advocacy, the role of mission-aligned partnerships, and how power mapping can help organizations identify allies, engage decision-makers, and build momentum through achievable goals.Episode Insights & ResourcesExplore key takeaways and additional resources from this conversation with Tram Hoang of PolicyLink.Download the Episode InsightsSeason 7, “Leveraging Provider Expertise to Shape Veterans Housing,” explores how service providers can help expand housing opportunities for veterans through policy, partnerships, planning, and innovative housing solutions.Subscribe to The Road Home and join us throughout the season.Find us on your favorite podcast platform: https://lnk.bio/TheRoadHomeProduced by the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, with support from The Home Depot Foundation.#teamdepot #nchv #theroadhome #untilnoveteranishomeless

The Road Home returns October 28 for Season 7!This season, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans (NCHV) explores how veteran service providers can help shape the future of affordable housing for veterans.From housing development and community planning to landlord partnerships, policy, and innovative housing models, we'll hear from experts across the country about practical ways providers can expand housing opportunities in their communities.Join host Jae Villaflor as we look beyond connecting veterans to existing housing and explore how providers can help create more opportunities in the first place.Subscribe to The Road Home so you don't miss the Season 7 premiere on October 28!Find us on your favorite podcast platform: https://lnk.bio/TheRoadHome#teamdepot #nchv #theroadhome #untilnoveteranishomeless

In this episode, Cuyahoga County Councilman Michael Houser discusses how the county is translating revitalization plans into real, community-centered outcomes. He explores the legacy of segregation and aging housing stock, the importance of using data to target investment, and why preserving existing homes matters as much as new development.The conversation highlights Cuyahoga County’s intentional focus on affordability, partnerships, and keeping long-term residents in place, including seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities. Houser also shares how initiatives like Circle East, home repair programs, and county-backed housing investments are shaping a more equitable path forward, offering lessons for communities navigating revitalization without displacement.Click here for Episode Insights

In this episode, Michael Novogradac—Managing Partner at Novogradac & Company and a leading expert on Opportunity Zones—breaks down how OZs work, why they were created, and how they’re shaping investment in low-income communities. We cover where capital is flowing, the growth in housing development, challenges around affordability, and how tools like Novogradac’s OZ Mapping Tool 2.0 can guide future projects. A clear, accessible look at what's happening in the OZ landscape today.Episode Insights

This episode explores how veterans can overcome financial barriers and achieve stable homeownership through tailored counseling and supportive programs. Our guests, Jacob Merritt, Senior Counselor at Money Management International; David Ramirez, Army Veteran and Program Manager at Soldier On; and Gerard Romeo, Navy Veteran and program participant, share how financial education, credit-building tools, and wraparound supports empower veterans on their journey to long-term stability.Click here for Episode Insights

In this episode of The Road Home, we sit down with Dr. Stephanie Marchetti, Executive Director of the Montachusett Veterans Outreach Center (MVOC), to explore their ambitious adaptive-reuse project transforming two century-old schools into 44 units of permanent, affordable housing for veterans. Stephanie shares MVOC’s 40-year history, the urgent housing needs in North Central Massachusetts, and the six-year journey—funding, partnerships, setbacks, and victories—that made this development possible. She also discusses what the final community will offer and the lessons learned for anyone looking to develop veteran housing.Read the Episode Insights

Chuck Austin Place: Leveraging Title V to Create VeteransHousingGuests:Lowell Krueger, Executive Director, Yakima Housing AuthorityEpisode Description:This episode examines federal property disposal programs and how they can be leveraged to create affordable housing for veterans. Lowell Krueger walks through the process, partnerships, and compliance considerations involvedin transforming surplus federal properties into housing opportunities, including insights from the Chuck Austin Place project in Yakima, WA.Listeners will gain practical guidance on navigating HUD Title V, maximizing low-cost development opportunities, and overcoming complex challenges in veteran-focused housing initiatives.Read the Episode Insights

Rebuilding After a Tragedy: Manchester Apartment Rebuildwith HVAFGuests:Emmy Hildebrand, CEO, HVAFEpisode Description:In this episode, Emmy Hildebrand shares HVAF’s journey of recovery after a devastating fire destroyed one of their transitional housing facilities for 48 veterans.We explore how HVAF leveraged fundraising, service continuity, and local/national partnerships to rebuild and restore critical housing, offering a model for veteran organizations navigating large-scale disasters while maintaining support for those they serve.Check out insights from this episode