Housing Voices

In this episode of Housing Voices, hosts Bri and Marty sit down with Sean Collins, Executive Director of Unity Shelter in Corvallis, Oregon, to explore what emergency shelter and transitional housing truly look like on the ground, and why the gap between need and resources keeps growing. - How Sean went from corporate librarian and HP research manager to leading one of Benton County's most critica...

Housing Voices hosts Marty Fulford and Bre Irish sit down with Jamie McLeod-Skinner, a civil engineer, city planner, and attorney who served as interim city manager of Talent, Oregon following the devastating 2020 Alameda Fire. Drawing on experience ranging from post-war reconstruction in Bosnia to statewide emergency resilience work in Oregon, Jamie shares the hard-won lessons of wildfire recover...

Housing Voices hosts Bri and Marty continue their conversation with Jenn Bustamante, a senior care advocate with 33 years of experience in the aging industry. Jenn runs Embrace Age Prepared, a wraparound company that helps families navigate the complex world of senior care and housing options. This episode reveals the harsh realities of long-term care costs, systemic failures, and the challenges f...

This episode of Housing Voices features Jennifer Bustamante, CEO of Embrace Age Prepared, who has 33 years of experience helping seniors navigate housing transitions and aging complexities. The discussion covers the urgent reality many families face when aging loved ones can no longer safely live independently, often triggered by medical emergencies, falls, or cognitive decline. Key topics discuss...

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Jake from Hope Community Homes in Eugene, Oregon, discussing their innovative approach to affordable manufactured housing. Hope Homes builds energy-efficient, fire-resistant manufactured homes specifically designed for long-term affordability and durability, while also providing workforce training programs for high school students and empl...

This episode Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview guest Nathan Wildfire, CEO of Missing Middle Housing Fund, discussing his innovative approach to solving Oregon's housing crisis. Nathan shares his personal journey from growing up in Pittsburgh to leading workforce training and housing innovation efforts. The conversation explores how missing middle housing fills the gap between subsidized afford...

Building housing today isn’t just difficult—it often doesn’t make financial sense anymore . In Part 2 of our conversation Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview with Ryan McAllister from Gerding Builders, we dig into the real reasons housing projects are stalling across Oregon and beyond. From skyrocketing construction costs to regulatory bottlenecks, this episode breaks down why even well-intentio...

Host Marty Fulford and Bre Irish interview Ryan McAllister, the first non-Gerding family member to lead Gerding Builders, an employee-owned construction company in Oregon's mid-Willamette Valley. Ryan shares insights on the development process, housing challenges, and solutions from a builder's perspective, discussing everything from market-rate to affordable housing construction. The complex 3-ye...

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford speak with Cassie Wilson, Legislative Manager at 1000 Friends of Oregon, about the critical shortage of accessible housing in Oregon. Wilson, who lives with a disability, shares her personal experiences navigating inaccessible apartments and her recent move to a fully accessible unit, highlighting the vast gap between housing supply and need...

Housing Voices hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Misha Marie and Abby Guzman, Director and Assistant Director of programs at the ARC of Benton County, who support and advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The conversation explores the complex housing challenges faced by people with IDD and the limited options available to them in today's expensive ho...

Housing Voices podcast hosts Bre Irish and Marty Fulford interview Oregon Representative David Gomberg about the intersection of housing, infrastructure, and legislative budget challenges. Rep. Gomberg, who serves on the powerful Ways and Means Committee and represents coastal Oregon's House District 10, discusses the complex decisions facing lawmakers as they balance housing needs with infrastruc...

Housing Voices is a new podcast hosted by Bre Irish (former legislative aide with Senator Wyden) and Marty Fulford (experienced real estate broker and housing advocate) that tackles Oregon's housing crisis through structured conversation and practical solutions. With Oregon ranking 45th nationally in housing production and falling short of the state's 36,000 units per year target, the hosts aim to...