IQ: Foreclosures, poverty, homelessness . . . what keeps you coming into work each day?

WH: Quite simply, it’s the opportunity to do good. I work with the most innovative housing and community development leaders in the state.We usually overcome all odds by adopting the central principle of “housing first.” Safe, decent and affordable housing stabilizes individuals and families as well as strengthens communities.

IQ: Which success story sticks with you the most?

WH: Lexy—I can still see her face. She was 16, scared, homeless, and living at Life House for Youth in Duluth. She dropped out of school and had a new baby. It tore at me. But Life House got her back in school, found her a job, and gave her support to be a good mom and employee. Ultimately, she got her own apartment. Lexy became our living proof that lives can change and lives can be saved.

IQ: Is there any upside to the foreclosure crisis?

WH: That’s hard to answer. There has been so much personal tragedy and financial loss that virtually every family is now worse off. This crisis was caused by massive fraud and greed. One upside is that many of these bad actors have been prosecuted and jailed, and we have new state and federal laws. We also have a more ethical and accountable real estate environment, but the damage will take years to fix.

IQ: Finish this sentence. The most exciting innovation in affordable housing is . . .

WH: For me, it’s a tie for first place. I’m proud of our shared accomplishment to make all new affordable housing green and healthy. We set this goal five years ago, and today it’s statewide policy. Another innovation is the widely adopted goal of ending chronic homelessness in Minnesota. We’re talking about modest housing for about 6,000 people. When you compare the ethics and the costs, it’s both the right thing and the smart thing to do.

IQ: What housing solutions are we overlooking?

WH: We have thousands of existing homes and apartments that need retrofitting to make them efficient and affordable. It’s not just about building better neighborhoods— it’s about rebuilding them to be greener and healthier.

IQ: Which myth poses the greatest challenge to your work?

WH: It’s crazy that some still believe that housing is a privilege and not a basic human right. If an earthquake or flood strikes, we see firsthand how a safe home is essential to human survival. But it is also the foundation for our health, for our children’s future, for succeeding in school and on the job.We all have to start out at home.

IQ: If housing is one big football game, what’s the situation and the score?

WH: Housing is competitive.When the game is played fairly, most people are winners, meaning no one is cheated out of a chance to gain ground. Unfortunately, the game was not played fairly for years. Until just recently, the score was Home Team: 0 with many injured players. The Visitors cheated and racked up points. Fast forward to today, and the game has been cleaned up, the playing field is more level, and we have a better playbook as a result.

IQ: Okay, then which play are you calling next?

WH: A strong rush up the middle. We want to revitalize our core neighborhoods.We want to anchor new smart growth developments on regional transit corridors to reduce dependence on cars. We want to build homes that conserve energy and promote health. This is our state’s most economically and environmentally sound future. Sustainability is the name of the game. IQ