One Room at a Time

PadSplit

Welcome to One Room at a Time, where we explore the bold ideas, innovative policies, and real-world stories driving solutions to America’s housing affordability crisis. Hosted by Atticus LeBlanc, Founder & CEO of PadSplit, each episode features conversations with thought leaders, policymakers, property owners, and changemakers who are working—one room, one property, and one policy at a time—to expand housing access. Whether you’re a real estate professional, housing advocate, city leader, or simply passionate about solving the housing crisis, this show delivers fresh perspectives and actionable ideas that can make a difference.

  1. hace 6 d

    Ep 11: From PadSplit member to entrepreneur & PadSplit host: Azubuike Akunne’s Journey

    Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Azubuike Akunne, a former PadSplit member in Houston and now founder of NeuBite and nonprofit AveNeu. Azubuike shares about his background before working at a transportation technology company in Houston and choosing PadSplit for flexibility, affordability, and the experience of shared living. He describes clean homes, clear rules, maturity among members, navigating conflicts, including a suspected white supremacist roommate, and practicing “ego death.” Now back in Columbus, he helped renovate his mother’s duplex into an Airbnb, then shifted part and eventually plans to shift all to PadSplit, contrasting Airbnb’s seasonality and guest expectations with PadSplit’s vetting and consistency. He explains NeuBite’s SNAP EBT-enabled vending approach and goals to expand food access nationwide. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:32 Azubuike Origins and Travels 03:26 Finding PadSplit in Houston 05:07 First Impressions and House Culture 08:58 Roommates Conflict and Lessons 13:32 Why Choose Coliving 16:18 Saving for Art Dreams 19:28 After PadSplit and DIY Renting 21:01 Building NeuBite Food Access 27:14 Hosting in Columbus and Renovations 28:42 PadSplit vs Airbnb Reality Check 37:11 Host Mindset and Member Impact 40:31 Advice and Fast Break Wrap 42:21 Closing and Where to Follow One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Azubuike Akunne on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/azubuikeakunne/ References: NeuBite: https://www.shopneubite.com/Become a PadSplit Host: https://www.padsplit.com/hosts

    43 min

  2. 12 may

    Ep 10: The Current Housing Bills in Congress with Dennis Shea from the Bipartisan Policy Center

    In this episode, host Atticus LeBlanc, CEO of PadSplit, interviews Dennis Shea, EVP at the Bipartisan Policy Center and Chair of the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy, about his career spanning Senate work, trade roles, and becoming HUD Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research. Shea explains Ron Terwilliger’s impact as a housing philanthropist and how the BPC Housing Center was created. They discuss BPC’s “American Housing Act” framework focused on supply, preservation, and support, and the House and Senate housing bills that passed with large bipartisan margins, including the Senate build-to-rent divestiture requirement and other controversial aspects. They note executive orders on deregulation and mortgage access, emphasize multiple solutions beyond federal action, explore coliving and shared housing, especially for aging households, and Shea highlights regulatory compliance costs as a major driver of high housing costs. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:20 Dennis Shea Career Path 03:52 HUD and Housing Mission 07:29 Who Is Ron Terwilliger 11:53 BPC Role in Housing 14:49 Senate Bill Controversy 17:16 Build to Rent Details 21:34 Coliving and Aging 28:55 Getting It Over Line 34:33 Rapid Fire and Wrap One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Dennis Shea on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dennis-shea-6a745517/ References: Bipartisan Policy Center: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/Bob Lighthizer: https://politics.georgetown.edu/profile/bob-lighthizer/Senator Bob Dole: https://www.senate.gov/senators/FeaturedBios/Featured_Bio_DoleRobertJ.htmRon Terwilliger: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/about/j-ronald-terwilligerHabitat for Humanity International: https://www.habitat.org/Enterprise Community Partners: https://www.enterprisecommunity.org/Urban Land Institute: https://uli.org/Roger Staubach: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Staubach21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: https://bipartisanpolicy.org/explainer/whats-in-the-21st-century-road-to-housing-act/Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown: https://www.amazon.com/Boys-Boat-Americans-Berlin-Olympics/dp/0143125478National Association of Home Builders: https://www.nahb.org/

    39 min

  3. 28 abr

    Ep 09: PadSplit Member Shares How PadSplit Helped Her Find Safety, Community, and Savings

    Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews PadSplit member Wanda Roshell, who works at Cox Automotive and has lived in a metro Atlanta PadSplit for over two years. Wanda shares her background, then explains choosing a PadSplit room after a roommate situation ended, and she wanted to avoid costly, stressful apartment hunting. She prioritized safety, community, and affordability, noting that utilities are included, and the neighborhood feels more secure and less noisy than many apartments. Wanda describes initial fears about living with strangers but says respectful communication and boundaries created a “family” dynamic, challenging policymakers’ narrow definitions of family. She praises her host’s communication and compassion during a period of financial hardship, discusses minor challenges, and outlines savings goals tied to retirement, family, and her future. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:59 Wanda’s Backstory 02:19 Finding PadSplit 04:24 Why a Room Not Apartment 07:49 Work and First Impressions 09:12 Skepticism to Comfort 11:52 Roommates as Family 14:20 Safety and House Rules 15:47 Savings and Future Goals 17:00 Host Relationship Matters 23:18 Living With Six Roommates 26:32 Dreaming Bigger and Wrap Up One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ References: Cox Automotive: https://www.coxautoinc.com/brands/manheim/

    32 min

  4. 14 abr

    Ep 08 Part 2: Bridging the Gap: How Lotus Campaign Uses Incentives and Scalable Solutions to Address Homelessness

    Host Atticus LeBlanc continues his conversation with Beth Silverman of Lotus Campaign about policy, trends, and the future of homelessness solutions. Beth argues the U.S. over-focuses on emergency responses and long-run permanent housing while neglecting interim “next step” options, and says homelessness tools haven’t kept pace with structural drivers like housing supply and demand. She highlights progress where communities modernize zoning and codes and where public, nonprofit, and private sectors align. Looking to 2026, Lotus plans to expand impact in Charlotte and Raleigh, grow into a third market, refine programs using technology and data, and scale while maintaining high-touch local execution. 00:00 Welcome Back and Setup 00:23 Incentives and Missing Middle 02:26 Weaponized Subsidies Explained 04:41 Nonprofit Tools and Roadblocks 06:23 Zoning Fixes and Best Practices 08:38 Turf Wars and Community Courage 13:02 Housing as a Human Right 15:38 Supply Shortage and Economics 20:02 Lotus Vision for 2026 21:36 Scaling the Lotus Model 22:44 Rapid Fire Habits and Bad Bunny 25:41 Misconceptions and Closing One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Beth Silverman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/ References: Lotus Campaign: https://www.lotuscampaign.orgDr. Gregg Colburn, University of Washington: https://re.be.uw.edu/people/gregg-colburn/ Dr. Margot Kushel: https://medicine.ucsf.edu/people/margot-kushel Community Solutions: https://community.solutions/ Cabrini: https://www.angel.com/movies/cabrini The Poetry Remedy by William Sieghart: https://a.co/d/0j7m4LXV Lost & Found: A Memoir by Kathryn Schulz: https://a.co/d/04JG7iQk Bad Bunny: https://www.youtube.com/@BadBunnyPR

    28 min

  5. 31 mar

    Ep 08 Part 1: The Importance of Cross-Sector Collaboration to Solve Homelessness

    Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Beth Silverman, co-founder and executive director of the Lotus Campaign, about her cross-sector career in city planning, real estate, and public policy and how it led to tackling homelessness. Beth describes Lotus as a partnership model that connects landlords, developers, and social service organizations to place individuals and families experiencing or near homelessness into market-rate, mixed-income housing. Lotus began in Charlotte, expanded to Raleigh, and has housed nearly 800 people with a 91–95% renewal success rate, largely using philanthropic funding. She also highlights myth-busting work emphasizing homelessness as a housing problem and shares examples of impact and future expansion plans. 00:00 Welcome to the Show 00:24 Beth Silverman Introduction 01:33 Career Path Across Sectors 03:49 Origins of Lotus Campaign 08:16 What Lotus Does 12:31 Voucher Comparison and Myth Busting 14:11 Landlord Objections and Risk 18:56 Lease Ready Support Model 22:27 Scaling Results and Funding 26:00 Expansion Plans and Myths 30:52 Closing and Part Two Tease One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Beth Silverman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beth-silverman-7218a524/ References: Lotus Campaign: https://www.lotuscampaign.orgUrban Land Institute: https://uli.org/ Predictably Irrational, Revised and Expanded Edition: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely: https://a.co/d/0feG8L6g Housing Choice Vouchers: ​​https://www.usa.gov/housing-voucher-section-8 Sharon Crossing Investment: https://www.lotuscampaign.org/first-impact-investment/Homelessness is a Housing Problem: How Structural Factors Explain U.S. Patterns by Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern: https://a.co/d/0ebb08hb

    32 min

  6. 17 mar

    Ep 07 Part 2: Parking, Fire Codes, and Stairways…Oh My! How Deregulation Can Unlock Housing

    Host Atticus LeBlanc continues a conversation with Alex Horowitz of Pew Charitable Trusts about housing reform momentum and evidence that reducing regulatory barriers increases supply and improves affordability. Alex discusses how cities and states eliminated parking mandates and reduced lot sizes, leading to long-term housing affordability. They also discuss building and fire codes, focusing on allowing single-stair designs, which research suggests can cut construction costs while enabling larger, better-lit units. Finally, Alex emphasizes bipartisan policy optimism, including federal legislation proposals, with by-right apartments on commercially zoned land as a key lever. Atticus summed up these deregulations with the line: “make it legal, make it easy, and they will come.” 00:00 Welcome Back and Setup 00:25 Momentum for Housing Reform 01:37 Minneapolis Zoning Wins 03:45 Austin and Houston Supply Surge 05:36 Why Officials Miss the Data 06:45 More Reform Case Studies 08:43 Fire Codes and Housing Costs 10:34 Single Stair Buildings Explained 12:44 Safety Data and Tradeoffs 17:19 Reasons for Optimism 20:23 Rapid Fire Q and A 23:09 Closing and Where to Learn More One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Alex Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-horowitz-69549945/ References: Housing Policy Research: pew.org/housingpolicy Pew Research: Modern Multifamily Buildings Provide the Most Fire Protection​: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/09/modern-multifamily-buildings-provide-the-most-fire-protection Pew Research: States Advance Single-Stairway Reforms to Expand Housing​: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/11/04/states-advance-single-stairway-reforms-to-expand-housing Pew Research: Small Single-Stairway Apartment Buildings Have Strong Safety Record​: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway-apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Applelbaum: https://a.co/d/00ypoJO1 Why Nothing Works by Marc Dunkelman: https://a.co/d/02mDeWjA Recoding America by Jennifer Pahlka: https://a.co/d/0gEn07yr

    24 min

  7. 3 mar

    Ep 07 Part 1: Data on Homelessness, SROs, and Coliving with Pew’s Director of Housing Policy Research

    In this episode of One Room at a Time, host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, engages in a data-filled discussion with Alex Horowitz, Director of Housing Policy at the Pew Charitable Trusts. They explore critical issues around housing affordability, focusing on the role and history of Single Room Occupancies (SROs), the emergence of coliving spaces, and the significant impact of outdated policies and regulations on the housing supply. Horowitz discusses the extensive research on homelessness and reforms that helped cause today's housing shortages. The conversation highlights the importance of policy choices — and the ongoing efforts to address housing affordability at all levels of government. 00:00 Introduction to One Room at a Time 00:30 Meet Alex Horowitz: Housing Policy Expert 01:30 The Housing Affordability Crisis 02:52 Homelessness and Housing Costs 10:38 State vs. Local Housing Policies 15:31 The Role of SROs in Housing History 23:35 Office-to-Residential Conversions 30:20 Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing 34:14 Conclusion and What's Next One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Alex Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-horowitz-69549945/ References: Housing Policy Research: pew.org/housingpolicyLiving Downtown: The History of Residential Hotels in the United States by Paul Groth: https://a.co/d/0aao0Q9O Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htmStuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Applelbaum: https://a.co/d/00ypoJO1Pew Research: How Housing Costs Drive Levels of Homelessness: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/08/22/how-housing-costs-drive-levels-of-homelessnessPew Research: How States and Cities Decimated Americans’ Lowest-Cost Housing Option: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/07/how-states-and-cities-decimated-americans-lowest-cost-housing-optionPew Research: Converting Offices to Tiny Apartments Could Add Low-Cost Housing: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/02/04/converting-offices-to-tiny-apartments-could-add-low-cost-housingTechstars Atlanta: https://techstarsatlanta.com/AARP Study: Making Room: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/housing/info-2018/making-room-housing-for-a-changing-america.html

    35 min

  8. 17 feb

    Ep 06 Part 2: How to Create New Housing Supply with New Western’s Kurt Carlton

    In this episode of the One Room at a Time podcast, host Atticus LeBlanc, CEO of PadSplit, continues the conversation with Kurt Carlton, co-founder and president of New Western. They discuss the hurdles and opportunities for creating new housing inventory and the partnership between PadSplit and New Western, focusing on the benefits of coliving as an investment strategy. The conversation covers policy trends, the role of individual real estate investors in addressing affordable housing, and the innovations and challenges in the industry. Carlton shares insights on the importance of activating existing housing stock, the impact of regulatory environments, and the role of technology and AI in improving the investor experience. The episode concludes with rapid-fire questions on daily habits, impactful books, and key lessons from entrepreneurship. 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:27 The Partnership Between PadSplit and New Western 02:11 Innovative Strategies in Real Estate Investment 03:14 The Role of Technology and Data in Housing Affordability 10:16 Policy and Regulation Impacting Real Estate 16:02 Rapid Fire Q&A with Kurt Carlton 20:35 Closing Remarks and Future Outlook One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/ Connect with Kurt Carlton on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtcarlton/ References: PadSplit and New Western’s Partnership: https://www.padsplit.com/newwestern Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss and Tahl Roz: https://a.co/d/4PgbQyS Atomic Habits by James Clear: https://a.co/d/8LfFQ17 Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell: https://a.co/d/2yj8vE2

    22 min
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Información

Welcome to One Room at a Time, where we explore the bold ideas, innovative policies, and real-world stories driving solutions to America’s housing affordability crisis. Hosted by Atticus LeBlanc, Founder & CEO of PadSplit, each episode features conversations with thought leaders, policymakers, property owners, and changemakers who are working—one room, one property, and one policy at a time—to expand housing access. Whether you’re a real estate professional, housing advocate, city leader, or simply passionate about solving the housing crisis, this show delivers fresh perspectives and actionable ideas that can make a difference.

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    PadSplit
  • Años en activo
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodios
    19
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Derechos de autor
    © Copyright 2025 PadSplit, Inc.
  • Sitio web del podcast
    One Room at a Time

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