One Room at a Time

PadSplit
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Business

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. Sep 1

    Ep 15 Part 2: Marc Pollack on Density, Capital, and System-Level Affordable Housing

    Atticus LeBlanc continues his conversation with affordable housing developer and nonprofit leader Marc Pollack, focusing on how New Orleans’ long-standing mix of duplexes, ADUs, and shared housing shows the value of density and walkable, pre–World War II neighborhood patterns that Atlanta often resists due to NIMBYism. Pollack argues there is no single affordable housing solution, citing approaches like preservation, mixed-income housing, modular and container construction, and shared housing, and emphasizes that progress requires education, policy work, and especially capital. He describes EQ Housing Advisors’ goal of attracting market-rate investors to preserve workforce housing through self-imposed long-term affordability restrictions, noting investments in 15 projects totaling 2,000 units with $2 million. He discusses challenges engaging institutional capital and using pilots to prove models, then closes with rapid-fire personal favorites. 00:00 Welcome and Recap 00:26 New Orleans Lessons 01:24 Density as the Answer 04:39 Policy and Education 06:18 PadSplit in New Orleans 08:01 No Magic Bullet 09:38 Follow the Money 12:03 System Level Investing 14:35 Institutional Capital Reality 16:51 Pilot Fund Strategy 17:47 Cookbook and Giving Back 20:50 Rapid Fire Round 24:24 Housing Myths to Bust 26:27 Atlanta Preservation Initiative 27:19 Closing Thanks 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 Marc Pollack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-pollack-3b5230b References: EQ Housing Advisors: https://www.eqhousing.com/RangeWater: https://rangewaterre.com/HouseATL​: https://houseatl.org/ Atlanta Affordable Housing Fund: https://www.globest.com/2020/01/30/atlanta-affordable-housing-fund-launches/ Atlanta Preservation Initiative: https://www.eqhousing.com/atlanta-preservation-initiative Theo of Golden by Allen Levi: https://a.co/d/0auAkUcl Chez Marc's Quarantine Cookbook by Marc Pollack: https://www.gpb.org/news/2021/03/19/developers-recipe-combat-homelessness

  2. Aug 18

    Ep 15 Part 1: Marc Pollack on Affordable Housing Preservation, Homelessness, and Building Without Tax Credits

    Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Marc Pollack, president and board chairman of EQ Housing Advisors and chairman emeritus of RangeWater Real Estate, about solutions to the housing crisis. Pollack recounts his housing journey, shifting from market-rate development into affordable housing through nonprofit board work, including Partners for HOME, where he learned homelessness often includes people “down on their luck.” They discuss how rental housing evolved from basic “luxury” to ultra-luxury amenities, why new construction can’t reach deeply affordable rents without subsidy, and why EQ now focuses on preserving older properties. Pollack shares about The Darlington project: a 1952 Buckhead, 623-unit preservation deal, with tax exemption and 130 units reserved for formerly homeless residents supported by vouchers and onsite services. 00:00 Show Welcome 00:27 Meet Marc Pollack 02:21 From Teacher to Housing 04:16 Shift to Affordability 06:26 Lessons on Homelessness 09:16 How Rentals Changed 10:28 Building Without Tax Credits 13:28 Preservation and Foreclosures 20:46 Income Inequality Reality 22:18 Darlington Case Study 26:13 Supportive Housing Mix 29:31 Wrap Up and Part Two 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 Marc Pollack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-pollack-3b5230b References: EQ Housing Advisors: https://www.eqhousing.com/RangeWater: https://rangewaterre.com/Atlanta Housing Fund: https://www.atlantahousing.org/real-estate/co-investment-fund/ ULI Atlanta: https://atlanta.uli.org/ Partners for HOME: https://partnersforhome.org/ Atlanta Neighborhood Partnership: https://www.andpi.org/ The Darlington / The Lofts at Twenty25: https://www.eqhousing.com/post/atlantica-properties-and-eq-housing-advisors-acquire-the-lofts-at-twenty25-formerly-known-as-the-darlington

  3. Aug 4

    Ep 14 Part 2: Houston’s No-Zoning Advantage for Shared Housing and Building Community at PadSplit

    Atticus LeBlanc hosts part two of a conversation with Ryan McCarthy, founder/CEO of Passive Investor Network and a multi-property PadSplit host in Houston, about how Houston’s lack of zoning and business-friendly approach supports housing supply and affordability. Ryan describes working proactively with the city on code compliance, noting requirements centered on egress, firewalls between adjacent townhome-style properties, and smoke detectors, without commercial-code features like sprinklers for their 10-bedroom new-construction homes. They discuss how lower regulatory and construction costs help keep room prices affordable, and how PadSplit’s flexible, lower move-in cost alternative addresses the “stacking” burden of deposits and utilities. Ryan advises prospective hosts to lead with care, and shares about his operation’s culture managers, onboarding process, community partnerships, and quarterly meetups to build resident community and reduce stigma. 00:00 Welcome Back Part Two 00:31 Houston Without Zoning 01:46 Working With City Officials 03:58 Local Control And Compliance 06:25 Safety Requirements For 10 Beds 08:00 Residential Code And Costs 09:58 Advice For New Hosts 11:55 Culture Managers And Onboarding 14:51 Who Lives In PadSplit 19:13 Rapid Fire 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/ Connect with Ryan McCarthy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-mccarthy111/ References: Passive Investor Network: https://passiveinvestor.net/ PadSplit Homes from PIN in Houston: https://www.padsplit.com/host-profile/d8203b55535e4ba A Pattern Language by Christopher Alexander, Sara Ishikawa,​ and Murray Silverstein: https://a.co/d/094CmeVN

  4. Jul 21

    Ep 14 Part 1: Building new construction, 10-bedroom homes designed for coliving in Houston

    Host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Ryan McCarthy, founder and CEO of Passive Investor Network (PIN), about his path in residential real estate and belief in coliving. McCarthy began investing in 2011, became a top Houston investment realtor, and in 2018 launched PIN to give investors institutional-quality deal flow and support. He describes witnessing rising rents and affordability challenges in Austin and Houston, and how personal experiences with renting rooms shaped his conviction that shared housing can build community and expand affordability, including through PadSplit. He explains shifting from remodels to inside-the-loop Houston new-construction PadSplits for better geography, efficiency, predictable maintenance, and optimized 10 bed/bath designs, emphasizing high-end thematic interiors that residents feel proud to call home. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:16 Houston Heat Banter 02:09 Ryan Origin Story 03:19 Why Passive Investor Network 06:59 Scaling Tools for Investors 08:06 Discovering Coliving 12:03 Why Build New Construction 15:18 Lessons from Ground Up Builds 17:08 Design Themes and Pride 20:50 Wrap Up and Next Episode 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 Ryan McCarthy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-mccarthy111/ References: Passive Investor Network: https://passiveinvestor.net/ PadSplit Homes from PIN in Houston: https://www.padsplit.com/host-profile/d8203b55535e4ba

  5. Jul 7 ·  Video

    Ep 13 Part 2: How PadSplit Changed One Grandmother’s Life With a Stable Home

    Host Atticus LeBlanc continues a conversation with Todd Waller, a licensed clinical social worker and PadSplit member, about housing stress for working and fixed-income clients and why PadSplit’s all-inclusive model matters. Todd describes Wi-Fi and utilities as essential but costly bills that add cognitive overload, and notes many clients seek help to avoid shutoffs. He explains many Social Security/disability recipients get about $994/month, making typical rent-to-income requirements impossible; even subsidized housing around $850 leaves little for food and transit, and seniors are often priced out or exploited by informal room rentals. Todd shares a case where he helped a grandmother move from a $400/week extended-stay motel to a PadSplit room, reducing housing costs to about $750/month and improving her stability and social support. He calls PadSplit trustworthy due to host responsiveness, platform oversight, and flexibility to move. 00:00 Welcome Back Part Two 00:34 All Inclusive Housing Stress 01:41 Wi Fi As A Lifeline 02:44 Utility Bills Breaking Budgets 03:45 Living On Social Security 07:02 Seniors And Housing Scams 08:17 How Todd Vets Homes 10:54 Grandmother Finds Stability 15:19 From Motel To Home 17:51 Why PadSplit Feels Trustworthy 21:04 Mobility And Accountability 22:12 Closing Thanks And Subscribe 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: DeKalb Regional Crisis Center: https://claratel.org/crisis/ Sign up to be a PadSplit Member via Todd’s referral link: https://www.padsplit.com/?sign-up&referralCode=5D616998&ref_device=app&ref_role=m&ref_source=link

  6. Jun 23 ·  Video

    Ep 13 Part 1: A Social Worker's Perspective: Living in a PadSplit and Referring It to Others Who Are Housing Insecure

    Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Todd Waller, a licensed clinical social worker with Claratel Behavioral Health and the DeKalb Regional Crisis Center who has also been a PadSplit member for more than three years. Todd shares how he discovered PadSplit during a difficult housing transition and why what began as a temporary solution became his long-term home. Drawing from both his personal experience and his work supporting individuals facing housing instability, Todd discusses the growing affordability crisis, the challenges people face accessing traditional housing, and why shared living has become an important resource for working adults. He also shares stories of clients who moved from homelessness, shelters, and couch surfing into stable housing through PadSplit, explaining why he has become one of the platform's strongest advocates. 00:00 Welcome and Meet Todd Waller 01:40 How Todd Found PadSplit and Why He Stayed 04:15 A Social Worker's View of the Housing Crisis 07:30 Why PadSplit Works for Housing-Insecure Clients 10:15 Helping Clients Navigate the Housing Search 12:00 Success Stories and Long-Term Stability 15:00 Challenging the Stigma Around Shared Living 17:45 Financial Freedom Through Affordable Housing 19:00 The Changing Face of Housing Insecurity 22:00 Why Housing Is the Foundation for Everything Else 24:15 Closing Thoughts 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: DeKalb Regional Crisis Center: https://claratel.org/crisis/ Sign up to be a PadSplit Member via Todd’s referral link: https://www.padsplit.com/?sign-up&referralCode=5D616998&ref_device=app&ref_role=m&ref_source=link

  7. Jun 9 ·  Video

    Ep 12: Baselane’s Mathias Korder on a “CFO in Your Pocket” for Real Estate Investors

    Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, interviews Mathias Korder, co-founder and CEO of Baselane, a financial platform for real estate investors that combines banking, bookkeeping, rent collection, and tax tools and serves over 50,000 investors managing over $3B in annual transactions. Mathias shares his background and explains Baselane’s origin in building SMB banking products that weren’t tailored to real estate investors’ cash flow, property-level accounting, and Schedule E tax needs. He discusses serving diverse strategies (rooms, short-, mid-, and long-term rentals, fix-and-flip) with automated transaction tagging, reporting, expense splitting, and depreciation schedules, plus integrations for migration. Korder describes a roadmap from utility to automation to AI-driven insights as a “CFO in your pocket,” notes customers often double rent/income over two years, and highlights common investor mistakes and housing regulation bottlenecks. 00:00 Welcome and Mission 00:24 Meet Mathias and Baselane 02:11 From Morgan Stanley to BCG 05:05 The Aha Problem 06:44 Investor Pain Points 08:02 Building for Every Strategy 10:51 Loans and Bank Covenants 14:06 Automation and Reporting 15:50 Rent by the Room Finance 19:50 Depreciation and Tax Tools 21:20 Customer Outcomes and Growth 24:10 Setup and Migration 27:38 AI CFO in Your Pocket 29:51 Rapid Fire 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/ Connect with Mathias Korder on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathiaskorder/ References: Baselane: https://www.baselane.com/ Boston Consulting Group: https://www.bcg.com/ Morgan Stanley: https://www.morganstanley.com/ The 38 Letters from J.D. Rockefeller to his son by G. Ng: https://a.co/d/0as2DUly Become a PadSplit Host: https://www.padsplit.com/hosts

  8. May 26

    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

See All (26)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    PadSplit
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 PadSplit, Inc.
  • Show Website
    One Room at a Time

You Might Also Like