Sarah Buchanan
In this episode of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Katie sits down with Sarah Buchanan, Executive Vice President of the San Diego Housing Federation, to talk about the real challenges facing affordable housing in one of the country’s most expensive regions.
Sarah shares how she entered the housing field, what makes San Diego’s housing market so difficult, and why residents now need to earn around $50 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. She also explains the difference between naturally occurring affordable housing and tax-credit affordable housing, the need for roughly 100,000 more units in San Diego, and the role coalition-building plays in creating real change.
The conversation also explores homelessness, healthcare, hunger, childcare, workforce development, lived experience advocacy, and why self-care matters for people doing mission-driven housing work.
If you care about affordable housing, homelessness prevention, community development, or the future of thriving cities, this conversation offers a grounded look at what it takes to move from crisis to solutions.
Sarah shares how she entered the housing field, what makes San Diego’s housing market so difficult, and why residents now need to earn around $50 an hour to afford a two-bedroom apartment. She also explains the difference between naturally occurring affordable housing and tax-credit affordable housing, the need for roughly 100,000 more units in San Diego, and the role coalition-building plays in creating real change.
The conversation also explores homelessness, healthcare, hunger, childcare, workforce development, lived experience advocacy, and why self-care matters for people doing mission-driven housing work.
If you care about affordable housing, homelessness prevention, community development, or the future of thriving cities, this conversation offers a grounded look at what it takes to move from crisis to solutions.