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Beyond the Resume Podcast with Janea Jackson (Housing with Heart)
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👀 YouTube: https://youtu.be/uqwoJ0Rdq7U • 👂 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/35ZJGLT
In this episode of Beyond the Resume, hosts Chris Papa and Lisa Flicker sit down with Janea Jackson, CEO of HomeRise, for a candid and deeply insightful conversation about leadership, legacy, and the urgent work of supportive housing in San Francisco.
With roots in sociology and urban planning, Janea shares how her early experiences—from working in public schools to redeveloping military bases in Japan—shaped her bold, people-first approach to community development. She breaks down the realities of housing formerly unhoused residents, the growing crisis among elders, and how her team is building operational resilience in uncertain times.
If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to lead a mission-driven organization in a moment of political backlash, economic pressure, and social fragmentation — this conversation is your blueprint.
Chapters
(01:03) – Inside HomeRise: More Than Housing
Janea introduces the scale and services of one of SF’s largest permanent supportive housing nonprofits.
(03:55) – A Teacher’s Perspective on Systemic Barriers
From Pasadena classrooms to geographic segregation — and the awakening that changed everything.
(06:40) – Housing the Unseen: Elders on the Edge
Why seniors are the fastest-growing unhoused group — and how HomeRise is stepping in.
(09:44) – From L.A. to Penn to Oahu: A Nonlinear Path
Janea reflects on the winding journey that prepared her to lead with clarity and conviction.
(13:00) – Policy, Resistance, and the Fight for PSH
Navigating the political attacks on supportive housing — and what resilience looks like.
(15:25) – Training for ICE Raids and Mental Health Crises
How HomeRise is proactively preparing staff and residents for social and legal threats.
(19:00) – Changing NIMBYism One Relationship at a Time
Why community connection is the antidote to judgment — and how storytelling can shift narratives.
(22:35) – The Treasure Island Vision: Design, Dignity, and Hope
From SRO renovations to biophilic towers — a reimagined future for supportive housing in SF.
(26:45) – Hiring, Mentors, and Building a Mission-Driven Board
What Janea looks for in people — and how her leadership reshaped HomeRise’s future.
“We’re building community. Full stop. That takes all kinds of people, from all kinds of paths.”
– Janea Jackson
“Our systems are failing elders. We’re seeing seniors come straight from homes to cars to the street.”
“You can’t run a mission without a margin. I treat this nonprofit like the business it is.”
“If you do this work without therapy, you’re crazy. You need space to carry this weight.”
“We want people to see our residents as people. That’s not branding — that’s humanity.”
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Links
YouTube: https://youtu.be/uqwoJ0Rdq7U
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/35ZJGLT
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3I3nkG9
Web: https://www.jacksonlucas.com/podcast/janea-jackson
affordable housing, Janea Jackson, HomeRise, permanent supportive housing, San Francisco homelessness, nonprofit leadership, urban planning, housing for seniors, mission-driven leadership, real estate social impact
101 episodes
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