In this episode of One Room at a Time, host Atticus LeBlanc, founder and CEO of PadSplit, engages in a data-filled discussion with Alex Horowitz, Director of Housing Policy at the Pew Charitable Trusts. They explore critical issues around housing affordability, focusing on the role and history of Single Room Occupancies (SROs), the emergence of coliving spaces, and the significant impact of outdated policies and regulations on the housing supply. Horowitz discusses the extensive research on homelessness and reforms that helped cause today's housing shortages. The conversation highlights the importance of policy choices — and the ongoing efforts to address housing affordability at all levels of government.

00:00 Introduction to One Room at a Time

00:30 Meet Alex Horowitz: Housing Policy Expert

01:30 The Housing Affordability Crisis

02:52 Homelessness and Housing Costs

10:38 State vs. Local Housing Policies

15:31 The Role of SROs in Housing History

23:35 Office-to-Residential Conversions

30:20 Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing

34:14 Conclusion and What's Next

One Room at a Time podcast: https://padsplit.com/podcast

Connect with Atticus LeBlanc on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/atticus-leblanc-3960466/

Connect with Alex Horowitz on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-horowitz-69549945/

References:

1. Housing Policy Research: pew.org/housingpolicy
2. Living Downtown: The History of Residential Hotels in the United States by Paul Groth: https://a.co/d/0aao0Q9O
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator: https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm
4. Stuck: How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity by Yoni Applelbaum: https://a.co/d/00ypoJO1
5. Pew Research: How Housing Costs Drive Levels of Homelessness: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/08/22/how-housing-costs-drive-levels-of-homelessness
6. Pew Research: How States and Cities Decimated Americans’ Lowest-Cost Housing Option: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2025/07/how-states-and-cities-decimated-americans-lowest-cost-housing-option
7. Pew Research: Converting Offices to Tiny Apartments Could Add Low-Cost Housing: https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2025/02/04/converting-offices-to-tiny-apartments-could-add-low-cost-housing
8. Techstars Atlanta: https://techstarsatlanta.com/
9. AARP Study: Making Room: https://www.aarp.org/livable-communities/housing/info-2018/making-room-housing-for-a-changing-america.html