Defining Affordable: A Housing Solutions Podcast

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Podcast by Jaime Albarelli and Robin Martinez

Defining Affordable: A Housing Solutions Podcast

Defining Affordable: A Housing Solutions Podcast explores the policies, history, and real-world forces behind the chronic—and increasingly severe—shortage of affordable housing in the United States. Hosted by affordable housing professionals Jaime and Robin, the show breaks down complex housing issues and highlights practical solutions for people working in the housing industry, curious listeners who want to better understand the problem, and those navigating the challenges of finding an affordable place to live.

Latest episodes

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05 May 2026

LIHTC: The gift card that builds affordable housing

In this episode of Defining Affordable, Jaime and Robin unpack LIHTC—the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program—and explain why it is the main way affordable housing gets built in the U.S. today.

Using simple analogies, they break down how tax credits incentivize investors, why developers need them to make affordable housing projects financially viable, and how AMI, or Area Median Income, determines who qualifies. They also explore a key tension: housing can be “affordable” as a program category, but still not be affordable for the person living there.

Participation

Calculate your housing cost burden using HUD’s definition of affordability:

Housing Cost ÷ Gross Monthly Income × 100

  • 30% or under = Affordable
  • 31%–50% = Rent burdened
  • Over 50% = Severely rent burdened

Sources

Look up your city's AMI limits :

Affordable Housing Basics

How LIHTC Works

Housing Affordability Research

San Diego Salary Data Referenced

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38:44

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28 April 2026

How did we get here? A Housing History Part II

This episode of Defining Affordable traces the shift in U.S. housing policy from the 1950s through the 1990s, as urban renewal and highway projects displaced low-income communities and the Fair Housing Act of 1968 sought to address discrimination. Robin and Jaime examine how the federal government moved away from public housing—citing its visible decline while overlooking chronic underfunding and often blaming residents—and pivoted toward vouchers and market-based solutions. The episode connects these policy choices to today’s affordability challenges and what our cities look like today.

Sources and Further Reading:

Housing Policy Overview

Urban Renewal & Displacement

Highways, Infrastructure & Segregation

Public Housing: History, Decline & Debate

Fair Housing & Policy Shifts

Housing Outcomes & Research

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40:23

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21 April 2026

How did we get here? A Housing History Part I

This episode of Defining Affordable traces the timeline of how today’s housing crisis was built—from New Deal–era policies that expanded access to homeownership and affordable rentals for some, while deliberately excluding others. Robin and Jaime connect those inequitable policy decisions to the affordability challenges we see today. Covering the period through the 1960s, this episode sets the stage for Part 2, which will dive deeper into urban renewal, housing vouchers, and the modern landscape of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC).

Sources & Further Reading

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34:32

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14 April 2026

The Foundation

In this foundational episode of Defining Affordable, Robin and Jaime step back to unpack how California’s housing crisis became the norm—and why it shouldn’t be. They explore rising rents, stagnant wages, and the growing gap between incomes and housing costs, grounding the conversation in real numbers and everyday experiences. From rent burden to housing scarcity, this episode separates symptoms from root causes and lays the groundwork for understanding how policy decisions shaped today’s affordability challenges.

Sources & Further Reading

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23:38

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06 April 2026

Defining Affordable Trailer

What does “affordable housing” actually mean—and why does it feel so out of reach?

Hosted by Jaime and Robin—affordable housing industry professionals—Defining Affordable takes a clear, practical look at one of today’s most urgent challenges. This podcast goes beyond headlines to unpack the real forces shaping housing, from rent and development to homelessness, zoning, and the policies that determine who has access to opportunity.

Built for people working across the housing ecosystem—development, finance, property management, resident services, homelessness response, and government—this show connects your day-to-day work to the bigger system behind it.

Through each episode, we’ll explore:

How decades of policy decisions shaped today’s housing landscape

Why affordable housing is so difficult to build—and why supply falls short

The historical roots of inequity, including redlining, segregation, and zoning

What’s really driving homelessness in California

Real-world examples of communities and programs making progress

This isn’t just about buildings—it’s about people, stability, and opportunity.

If you’ve ever felt frustrated or stuck working within a system that doesn’t quite add up, you’re not alone—and you’re in the right place.

Follow, subscribe, and join us as we define what “affordable” really means.

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04:39

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