The Welcome Home Podcast

We sit down with representatives from the Twin Cities Chapter of YIMBY, which stands for Yes In My Back Yard. Chapter Leads Paige Kahle and Meghan Howard join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We explore the potential benefits of becoming an owner/occupant landlord by purchasing and living in a 2-4 unit property. Andrea Inouye, program director with Twin Cities-based Family Housing Fund, and Stefania Metzger, learning and development manager with the Minnesota Homeownership Center join host Bill Gray for this discussion.

We sit down with representatives from the Twin Cities Chapter of NAREB, the National Association of Real Estate Brokers. Tiffany Phillips, current President, Jessica James, President-Elect and Melissa Pugh, Board Chair join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the Twin Cities Chapter of NAHREP, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals. Julissa Fuentes-Roberts, current President, and Estefy Borns, incoming President join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

African Development Center Homeownership Advisor Ahmed Artan takes over the mic to host a panel discussion on achieving homeownership in Somali! Mahamud Gorod, Account Executive with Guidance Residential, and Ahmed Farah, Realtor® and Broker with Goodir Realty join him for the conversation.

We look into the concept of "Missing Middle" Housing, a term which encompasses many types of more affordable starter-homes that can't be built today due to zoning and other municipality-level requirements governing new home construction. Housing First Minnesota's VP of Legislative and Political Affairs Mark Foster joins host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We're joined by three experts to discuss manufactured housing, a homeownership option that comes with a lower entry-cost hurdle than a traditionally built home. Tory Clark-West, Executive Director of Minnesota-based CoNorth, Shawn Stewart, Senior Lending Advisor with NeighborWorks Home Partners, and Stefania Metzger, Learning and Development Manager at the Minnesota Homeownership Center join h...

We sit down with three of our Network Homeownership Advisors to discuss their work in honor of Homeownership Month. Braden Strayhan with NeighborWorks Home Partners, Anais Valle with Neighborhood Development Alliance (NeDA) and Stephen Sengendo with the International Institute of Minnesota join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We look at Covenants in Property Deeds, a component of real estate where it’s not unusual to find remaining remnants of the overt racism that was once part of the home building, buying and selling process. Maria Cisneros, City Attorney for the City of Golden Valley, and Jamar Hardy, Diversity and Inclusion Director and a Managing Broker with Edina Realty join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We dig into the Center's advocacy work at the State Capitol this session. Greta Gaetz, Government Affairs Director for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, and Roxanne Young Kimball, Center President join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the GroundBreak Coalition here in the Twin Cities to learn more about this important initiative and discuss our work together in the area of homeownership. Erin Gavin, Acting Project Director for the GroundBreak Coalition and Marcus Owens, Principal Consultant at Nawe Partners join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with a homeownership advisor and an insurance rep to discuss the importance of life insurance, wills and trusts in building and ensuring your legacy. Henry Rucker, Associate Director of Homeownership and Financial Coaching at Project for Pride in Living (PPL), and Ed Beavers, District Manager for Country Financial join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with affordable homeownership staff leaders from the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul to explore their work and how it intersects with the work of the Homeownership Center. Dean Porter-Nelson, Housing Finance Supervisor with the City of St. Paul, and Cherie Shoquist, Residential and Real Estate Development Manager with the City of Minneapolis join host Bill Gray for this conversation...

We dig into the two First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance Programs that came online in 2024. Brooke Walker, Strategic Initiatives Director at the Minnesota Homeownership Center, and Heidi Welch, Business Relations Team Manager at Minnesota Housing join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

New Center president Roxanne Young Kimball joins host Bill Gray for a review of the Center's 2023 Annual Impact Report and a discussion around what attracted her to the Center's top job.

Our friend Gracie Mendez takes over the mic to host a panel discussion on achieving homeownership in Spanish! Alma Sanchez, Homeownership Advisor with Neighborhood Development Alliance (NeDA), Joannette Cintrón, VP with Old National Bank and Guille Garza, Realtor® with KW Integrity join Gracie for the conversation.

We take the opportunity to wish our departing Center President Julie Gugin well in her future endeavors. Robyn Bipes-Timm, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and the Center’s Immediate Past Board Chair, and Brian Crosby, Community Accountability Officer VP for Associated Bank join Julie and host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with three of our award-winning network homeownership advisors in honor of June Homeownership Month! LaShelle Smith with PRG, Patricia Aguilar with CAPI USA and Jackie Kemp with One Roof Community Housing join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We dig into the availability and use of Non-Interest-Bearing Financing tools in the home purchase arena. Johanna Osman, executive director of Sakan Community Resource, and Beth Hyser, chief program officer at NeighborWorks Home Partners join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We check in with two of the folks leading the charge at the Minnesota State Capital on behalf of homeownership this legislative session. Jeff Washburne, lead organizer with the statewide Homeownership Minnesota (HOM) Coalition, and Julie Gugin, president of the Minnesota Homeownership Center join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the National Association of Real Estate Brokers' Twin Cities Chapter to talk about the national-level 2023 State of Housing in Black America report. Tiffany Phillips, Community Development Loan Officer with Bell Bank, and Denise Mazone, Broker/Owner with Mazone Realty Group join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with representatives from the LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance's new Twin Cities Chapter to talk about their organization and their work in the community. Sarah Rostance with Edina Realty and Janae Lyon with Angie Sherer Team join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

We sit down with a Realtor®, a lender and a Homeownership Advisor to talk about achieving homeownership for yourself.

We sit down with representatives from the Asian Real Estate Association of America's Twin Cities Chapter to talk about their work in the community. Ricky Cheath with Movement Mortgage and Tasha Soundara with Sound Home Group join host Bill Gray for this conversation.

In this episode of the Welcome Home Podcast, we take a look at the Homeownership Center's 2022 Annual Impact Report. Center president Julie Gugin and Associated Bank Community Accountability VP Brian Crosby join host Bill Gray for this discussion.