The latest episode of the Inspirational Leadership with the Best in Home Building podcast features a heartfelt interview with Scott Larson, CEO of HomeAid America. HomeAid’s mission is to help people experiencing or at risk of homelessness access safe housing through a variety of building and community initiatives.
Larson has over 30 years of experience with nonprofit leadership, strategic planning, project management, program implementation, and community development. Since joining the company, he has led the development of 33 housing projects, valued at $64 million that added more than 975 beds, allowing thousands of previously homeless individuals to access safe, dignified housing.
Here are some highlights from the episode:
On HomeAid’s approach to building
“When you think of the person on the street, we don’t know how that person got there. And it’s extremely easy to judge. […] But we can’t approach it from that perspective, because everyone’s journey is uniquely different, and it’s multilayered. So our perspective is, how do we make sure that in the local community there are tools and resources to move someone beyond that level? It could be a food bank, a community center, a boys and girls club—it’s a variety of things. But ultimately, it needs to lead to some form of housing. That could be emergency [housing], short-term, traditional, but ultimately it needs to be permanent and affordable.”
On making a community impact
“When I drive by a building or something that we’ve done, and I know the ripple effect that’s happened. Whether or not it’s a family that’s there for a really short period of time, or if it’s permanent housing for someone that’s been chronically homeless for over a decade. For example, in Austin, Texas, at Community First! Village, the work that we’ve been able to do has transformed that individual’s life for the rest of his or her life. And will just multiply, it’ll do this time and time again.”
On the biggest struggles HomeAid faces
“When you look at the issue itself, the issue of homelessness, whether or not it’s people actually experiencing homelessness or if they’re at risk, it is such a complex issue. And people can be very dismissive to the concept or even an individual. We’re constantly having to overcome that, with the spirit and tone of ‘There are answers. We want you to partner with us.’ Fortunately, over the last decade or so, people have realized—particularly having gone through the Great Recession, that there are a lot of people who didn’t expect to lose their jobs, or lose their home, or are one paycheck away. […] Everybody knows somebody that is a close family member, a friend, a coworker, that if people are being transparent, they’re struggling with their housing.”
