Part 1: In this powerful episode of ChangeMakers, Katie sits down with Carol Jones-Gilbert, CEO of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority. Carol shares her inspiring journey from experiencing homelessness to leading innovative affordable housing initiatives. Listeners will hear Carol’s unique perspective on addressing the housing crisis, including exploring cutting-edge construction methods like shipping container homes. She discusses the challenges of pioneering new approaches and the urgent need for creative solutions in Palm Beach County, where the average home price has topped $600,000. Carol also offers insights on empowering staff, serving residents with compassion, and the critical importance of affordable housing for community well-being. Her personal story and visionary leadership shine through as she describes working to ‘open doors’ for families in need. Don’t miss this candid conversation about the realities of the affordable housing shortage and one leader’s mission to make a difference.

Part 2: Katie Goar and Carol Jones-Gilbert, CEO of the Palm Beach County Housing Authority, dive deeper into the challenges and innovations shaping affordable housing today. Carol shares her vision for maximizing limited land resources in Palm Beach County and discusses creative approaches to expanding housing options. The conversation takes an urgent turn as they explore the crisis of skyrocketing property insurance costs, with Carol revealing a staggering 74% increase for her agency. Listeners will gain insights into policy changes needed to support housing authorities, including Carol’s passionate advocacy for supportive services funding. She shares inspiring success stories of residents and explains her unique management approach, blending compassionate service with data-driven performance monitoring. The episode concludes with a powerful discussion on the evolving role of housing authorities as economic drivers and community developers. Carol’s dedication to empowering residents and her optimistic outlook for the future of public housing shine through in this must-listen conversation.