Changing the Mindset of Homelessness with Jenna Juniper

By: Ana Melikian, Ph.D. | Posted in: Podcast Episodes | May 5th, 2023

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“It takes a team, a village, a nation to move this needle of building more housing and getting individuals out of homeless shelters into stable housing.”
– Jenna Juniper

Jenna joins me today to discuss the personal experiences that led her to work in—and advocate for—affordable housing. She describes how having access to housing enabled her to turn her life around.

She explains how the pandemic has affected the cost of living and what it will take to expand affordable housing. She also highlights how volunteers, advocates, and housing workers can better help vulnerable people by taking care of their own well-being and underscores how moments of pause and reprieve can help vulnerable people unlock their potential.

This week on The Mindset Zone:

Jenna’s story, mission to end homelessness, and passion for expanding affordable housing

The role of inner work in unlocking human potential

Humans as connecting and collaborative beings

Evolving the conversations around homelessness and affordable housing

Why basic needs like housing are critical to doing inner work and unlocking human potential

Ana’s PIE method and why moments of pause are critical to vulnerable people

Why helpers, volunteers, and advocates need to also take care of themselves as they help others

Guest:

Jenna Juniper is a national speaker and housing consultant. She is the President and CEO of the Housing Consultants of America, an organization of affordable housing consultants, auditors, and trainers. Over her 16-year career, Jenna has successfully partnered developers with nonprofits, implementing and sustaining critical and supportive services on low-income properties across the nation. Before her role as President and CEO at the Housing Consultants of America, Jenna worked as the Director of Compliance & Hearing Officer at Gorman & Company. She graduated from DeVry University with a Bachelor’s in Computer & Information Systems and holds over a dozen affordable housing designations, including the HOME Compliance Specialist designation issued by the National Center for Housing Management.