One Roof, Many Stories Bruin Shelter

In this episode, we delve into the escalating concern of "Housing Insecurity in India" with Dr. Padmini Ram and Dr. Kalpana Gopalan. Dr. Gopalan, an esteemed member of the Indian Administrative Service, contributes her expertise in land management. Dr. Ram, public policy analyst and director of Urban Ethnographer, contributes her understanding of institutional analysis and informal economy. Throughout the podcast, Dr. Ram and Dr. Gopalan systematically address pivotal aspects related to housing insecurity in India, shedding light on the challenges faced by affected residents.



Below are key points highlighted by the podcasts:



The ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation states: India is currently short of 19 million houses and this number is estimated to grow to 38 million houses by 2030
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry estimate that by 2050, India’s cities will witness at net increase of 900 million people
Informal settlements referred to as slums are often substandard, face overcrowded conditions, lack basic amenities, have rising housing costs, are unregulated in the rental market and don’t offer tenancy protection leading to inadequate housing structure for vulnerable populations

In this episode, we explore the concept of "Hidden Homelessness" with UCLA Professor Chris Herring, whose research focuses on poverty, homelessness, and housing in US cities. He explains what being "hidden" means, and why people choose not to seek assistance from institutions when facing housing insecurity.

In this episode, we will explore the intersections of LGBTQ+ identities, transitional age youth status, and houselessness. We hope to understand how government systems and local organizations interact with LGBTQ+ individuals experiencing homelessness, and how these interactions may aid in or hinder their journey toward housing security. We are joined by Dr. Bianca Wilson, a senior researcher at the Williams Institute, which is an interdisciplinary research center at the UCLA campus that focuses on LGBTQ+ research and public policy reform.

In today’s episode, we sit down with Nancy Loo, a resident of Singapore who has worked in various sectors ranging from retail and product management, to tourism, and national education. In our conversation, we take a step back to look at Singapore’s history, its response to housing and houselessness, and discuss the various infrastructure Singapore has in place to address these topics.

Poor menstrual health can lead to reproductive and urinary tract infections (UTIs), accelerated growth of harmful microorganisms which increases susceptibility of even more illnesses and infection, and an increased risk of cervical cancer due to Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). All the while, 1 in 4 teenagers in the US miss class because they can’t afford period products. In our latest episode, LA Chapter President of PERIOD, Chloe Towns, joins us on a conversation on period poverty and increasing access to menstrual products to our most vulnerable communities.



Content Warning: This episode acknowledges that not all people who menstruate are women and covers potentially triggering topics related to houselessnes and anti-LGBT discrimination.

Our latest episode focuses on the housing crisis in US tech hubs like San Francisco and Seattle. Emmanuel Muñoz from the Bill Wilson Center, a family and youth housing center in San Jose, and Savannah Ryder, a real estate project manager based in San Francisco, join us to discuss the relationship between the tech industry and increasingly unaffordable housing prices. We learn about the challenges with creating affordable housing and how our local communities can pressure public and private interests to prioritize people over profits and advocate for Housing First!

Content Warning: This episode discusses potentially triggering topics such as homelessness, racism, homophobia and anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, and mental illness.