Episode 110 | Part One: Tyrone Roderick Williams, CEO, Fresno Housing

Katie welcomes ChangeMaker Tyrone Roderick Williams, CEO of Fresno Housing, to explore the remarkable journey of an architect-turned-housing innovator who's reshaping affordable housing in California's Central Valley. Williams shares his "scenic route" from Prairie View A&M University to MIT and explains how his diverse experience in architecture, urban planning, and real estate development has prepared him for leading an organization serving nearly 50,000 residents. Drawing from his transformative work in Atlanta and Sacramento, Williams discusses how large-scale revitalization initiatives can serve as catalysts for community change. He introduces his "presentation ready" philosophy for property management, challenging industry norms and emphasizing the importance of dignity in affordable housing aesthetics. The conversation takes a deep dive into Fresno's current housing crisis, revealing how the perfect storm of the Great Recession, COVID-19, and migration from coastal California has doubled housing values and increased rents by up to 60% in recent years. Williams outlines innovative solutions, from hotel conversions to partnerships with the California Housing Finance Agency, while facing a daunting 50,000-unit housing deficit. This episode offers valuable insights into how visionary leadership, combined with practical experience and a commitment to excellence, can address some of affordable housing's most pressing challenges.