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.

Affordability is a priority for most Americans when looking for a home, NeighborWorks® America confirmed in a new survey, “Bridging the Missing Middle.” But so are safety, walkability and access to essential services. People are open to missing middle housing if it makes housing more affordable.

NeighborWorks® America’s ‘Bridging the Missing Middle’ Survey Reveals Broad Support for Diverse, Affordable Housing Options 

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Contact: 
Arian Tyler 
Director of Communications | NeighborWorks America 
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NeighborWorks® America’s ‘Bridging the Missing Middle’ Survey Reveals Broad Support for Diverse, Affordable Housing Options 

19 out of 20 Americans across generations agree on the need for attainable, inclusive housing. 

Asian Community Development Corp., a Massachusetts nonprofit that creates and preserves affordable and vibrant neighborhoods in Chinatown and Greater Boston, celebrated becoming an official member of the NeighborWorks® America network last week. The event, held in conjunction with a groundbreaking for a new affordable apartment building with a ground-floor library – the first public library in Boston’s Chinatown since 1956 – marked the fifth and final new affiliate in the NeighborWorks network for 2025.

Donald R. Phoenix worked at NeighborWorks® America for more than 26 years. He was regional vice president of the Southern Region at the time of Hurricane Katrina which hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, and was part of the NeighborWorks support team as the region began to rebuild. Isaac Igbonagwam, a relationship manager in the Southern Region, asked Phoenix for some of his reflections from that time.

NeighborWorks: How did the impact of Hurricane Katrina affect you personally?