Episode 8: Part I: America in Crisis with Dr. Fred McKinney: Rising Rent, Unfit Housing, Growing Poverty & Racial Inequality

YIMBY Nation (Yes, In My Back Yard)

America is in a housing crisis. Following the pandemic, inflation is on the rise leading to widespread housing issues. With rising rental prices and a plummeting home ownership market, homelessness and substandard housing are also on the rise. Today’s guest, Dr. Fred McKinney, is a leading economist working in higher education and consulting in business development, with a focus on corporate social responsibility and diversity training. During today’s conversation, Dr. Fred shares his insights on the critical role of affordable housing in supporting low and moderate-income citizens, the relationship between mental health and homelessness, and short and long term solutions to the homelessness and ill-housing problem. We touch on the gap between the myth of success and the reality of what it takes to get there, and how business participation in development can help create generational wealth. Dr. Fred shares what he has uncovered through surveying supplier diversity professionals, and reveals the pernicious effect of corporations masquerading as supporting minority-owned businesses. Join us today to hear his thoughts about policing this problem, increasing responsibility, prioritizing fairness and whistleblowing, and much more!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to today’s guest, Dr. Fred McKinney, with BJM Solutions.
• How pandemic-related inflation has further impacted the housing market.
• The federal reserve’s increase in interest rates which has affected home ownership markets.
• The critical role of affordable housing in supporting low and moderate income citizens.
• How homelessness and substandard housing creates stress on households and children.
• The relationship between mental health and homelessness.
• Short term solutions of offering support to the symptoms of homelessness.
• Long term solutions which lead to questions about how to support the poor in the long term.
• The gap between the myth of success and the reality of what it takes to succeed.
• Creating businesses and generational wealth through business participation in development.
• What Dr. Fred found when he surveyed supplier diversity professionals in large corporations.
• The pernicious effect of corporations that front as building minority-owned businesses.
• Why pass-through’s don’t generate community wealth, but end up in large firms instead.
• Policing these transactions in private and public contracts through whistleblowing.
• How to increase these policing structures through increased responsibility, minorities alerting the authorities, and creating public pressure.
• An invitation to join us for part two of this conversation on September 2.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Fred McKinney on LinkedIn

Dr. Fred McKinney on Twitter
BJM Solutions

Vincencia Adusei on LinkedIn

Vincencia Adusei on Twitter

VASE Construction

Jimmy Miller on LinkedIn

Censere Consulting

Peter Wood on LinkedIn

YIMBY Nation Email

YIMBY Nation