In this episode, we turn our attention to policy makers and citizen groups' persistent distaste for growth, and confusion around managing it intelligently. And all over the US, albeit the world, there is a tug of war between those who live in a place and those who want to live in a place with each believing they hold virtue over the other. With NC assumed to become the seventh most populated state in the country by 2030, leaning in is a prerequisite to resolving our issues. That's why we're thrilled to welcome our guest Aaron Houck, a land use attorney at Robinson Bradshaw, who specializes in assisting his clients with zoning and entitlement endeavors and has some fascinating opinions about both sides of the argument. But he's also someone who is questioning the human tenues that block our ability to flourish.

So, what dogmas are fueling the grumblers who stand between us the right answers? Aaron reminds us that just because you're in the room doesn't mean you get to make all the decisions. And he brings up the point that although a city's outcome should be influenced by local citizens having what he calls, "a voice, a veto and a vote", we don't think about the people wo aren't in the room and are being denied all three. These are the folks who will need a home next year, or after school in 5 years, or when they're transferred here in 10 years. What will they find? Will they forever be the reason existing residents groan in distaste?

It is these ideas and more that light up the airwaves on our current Getting Real with Rob podcast. It's a conversation about how to see things on a larger stage and increase our peripheral view. It is about helping our elected leaders and neighborhood groups understand the economic and behavioral nuances that must be addressed. Otherwise, we're stuck in anger. That's neither democracy nor leadership.

By way of background, Aaron Houck brings to his profession an intricate set of skills and insights. His family moved to Charlotte when he was eight years old, he is a proud graduate of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, having attended Newell Elementary School, J.T. Williams Middle School, and Independence High School. And he went to Davidson College, where he double-majored in economics and political science, served as co-editor-in-chief of The Davidsonian, and played on the scouting squad for the women's basketball team. He then braved the cold, darkness of Cambridge, Massachusetts, for three years at Harvard Law School before returning to Charlotte to work as a real estate attorney at Robinson Bradshaw. He left the practice of law to pursue a Ph.D. in political science at Duke University, and he taught for seven years at Queens University of Charlotte, where he was a tenured professor in the Political Science Department. He subsequently boomeranged back to Robinson Bradshaw.

Where it gets fascinating is when Aaron's career as a lawyer and a political scientist was fueled by an interest in how cities work (and why they don't). At Queens University of Charlotte, he taught a course on the "Politics of Urban Design" that included taking a group of students to Barcelona. As a land use attorney, he helps his clients navigate rezoning and entitlement processes.

Aaron and his wife, Pearl, have two kids. They live in the Elizabeth neighborhood. They enjoy college sports and spending time in the North Carolina mountains.

Listen now to this episode!

A veteran of nearly every discipline in home building, our podcast guest Dan Puvak, Operations Partner—Architectural & Estimating Services at True Homes in Monroe, NC reminds us that unpacking the intricacies of building a home is something relatively few understand. He would love to see more narratives dig deeper into the facts and details so the public can become educated about its elegance and importance to our economy and our communities. Sharing his views on how the UDO, even in its imperfect form, can help create predictability and therefore efficiency in planning and execution of developments, he also explained that the UDO parameters are often discarded in favor of neighborhood groups who push against agreed upon ordinances in favor of popularity-driven opinions. And the problem intensifies when decisions are made without considering the missing voices of those who will be the future members of a community. "There are too many who make decisions based on sentiment, and not facts. We're not considering how the vetted data is already showing us who is moving here, where the jobs are, the needed traffic planning, and what kind of product these future neighbors need and want." He points out that these same loud voices sway elected officials to constantly question and change existing policy, dramatically changing the metrics of cost and design. Along with cooperative dialog during the entitlement and approval process, he insists that data about schools, traffic, engineering, and forward planning should be respected as the first way to inform development planning strategies.

As we dug deeper into how the mechanics of home building can become more efficient the conversation naturally moved towards AI. Dan overwhelmingly agreed that any design models loaded into AI must first be a reflection of exceptional planning, innovation, and a clear vision. Then AI can cull through and tighten processes or planning, resulting in a better end product for the company and the customer.

Dan, by way of responsibilities with True Homes, influences nearly every decision within the company. He unifies architecture, estimating, and BIM into one operating system that speeds product launches, improves cost accuracy, and protects margin. He leads new product development, cost modeling, pricing and margin management, and the technical standards that keep offerings scalable. He's pushing building technologies that turn models into business data—specifically a BIM backbone that generates purchase orders directly, links options to the supply chain, and delivers first-time-right takeoffs at scale.

He is quick to point out that he started his career at the first rung, working for a builder by sweeping out and punching-out homes, which is why he insists every model of execution reflect field reality. After becoming a corporate leader, he has committed to giving back and has served for years as a judge for NAHB's four-year student competition. Mentoring the next generation of homebuilding professionals is a priority and a privilege, and he finds the work genuinely rewarding.

Torrey Feimster is championing efforts that pave pathways to accelerated generational wealth through homeownership, thereby helping to close the widening wealth gap. Torrey chatted with Rob Nanfelt about the nuances of this benevolent mission, but it's clear this is a personal passion for Torrey in addition to a mission for good. Previously, Torrey served as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at GEM Investments (GEM), a $ 12 billion+ OCIO, where he advanced diversity initiatives and participated in the development of GEM's proprietary impact investing framework, which includes a racial and social equity scoring model. Ascension, incubated within GEM, continues to benefit from this strategic partnership while operating independently.

But the roadmap being put into place by Ascension's leaders and public/private partners has a list of incredible milestones they intend to hit within the next 6 years. Like delivering over 600 mixed-income houses with a significant portion in the attainable housing price range. He is quick to emphasize that Ascension's holistic approach to community economic development prioritizes both housing attainability and financial education, ensuring that all residents can have the opportunity to thrive. Discovering the algorithm that will bring this mission to life is why you need to listen to the entire podcast!

"By investing in diverse-price point housing developments, offering educational empowerment programs in financial literacy, and fostering community economic development initiatives, we aim to create vibrant, mixed-income communities where everyone has access to quality housing and opportunities for economic advancement." According to the Ascension website. It goes on to state that they're reshaping the narrative on affordable housing in Charlotte by prioritizing sustainable homeownership over traditional rental solutions. While many focus solely on providing affordable rental units, they believe that true empowerment comes from owning a home. By offering affordable homes for purchase, we're not only addressing the immediate need for housing but also fostering long-term stability and generational wealth within our communities.

As is the case with our podcast, we enter the interview with our lighting round questions that inevitably strike gold in revealing the character-shaping events and choices that have shaped our guest. Torrey gives us a glimpse into what drives him, and therefore what is catalyzing the forward movement with Ascension. And it should be noted that the partners in this endeavor include Kingdom Development Partners guided by James Scruggs, a guest who graced our podcast booth in 2024.

In the past, Torrey has served as Assistant to the President and Director of Corporate Relations at Johnson C. Smith University and was Publisher at PRIDE Magazine, Charlotte's premier African American lifestyle publication. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Greater Charlotte Cultural Trust, an organization that provides endowment management and investment expertise to build and grow permanent funds for arts, science, and history organizations in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community. He received a B.A. in Speech, Communication, and Rhetoric from Wake Forest University, a Certificate in Capital Markets from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill, and a Certified Diversity Professional Designation from the ILR School at Cornell University.

https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/104214/homeownership-is-affordable-housing.pdf