♪♪ Housing, or the lack of it, is always at the top of the agenda when discussing our region's future.

Joining us today to tell us about a new approach to building housing and community is local entrepreneur and CEO of Unseen Heroes, Roshaun Davis.

Roshaun, how is your approach to the housing issue unique from all the ones that we're so used to?

You know, that's a good question, Scott.

I- When I look at it from a broad perspective, there is a lack of diversity and equity in development of neighborhoods and commercial corridors and just our region as a whole.

And I think that's the perspective that, you know, I bring to the table with folks that are developers, that are in these different roles of- But what matters about that, Roshaun?

Diversity and equity are not typically terms that are used in relationship to real estate or housing development.

Tell us what that missing link and filling it in brings to the table.

You know, to me, I think it brings a holistic approach.

You know, I get to sit in these rooms with planners who are planning 18 years ahead and they're really fulfilling this prophecy and visioning when they plan ahead, but there's not the right people at the table with them to look 18 years ahead because there's a gap.

Right?

There's a gap of folks who are just trying to get through 2022.

You know, we only got about six weeks left in 2022 and, you know folks are still just trying to get through 2022.

So, they don't have the capacity right now to even think 18 years ahead, two years ahead, a year ahead.

And so, to be able to sit in those rooms and say, "Hey, you have to look at this differently because in 18 years, if you're not- If you're not including people in the conversation right now, then of course it's going to look the same in 18 years."

And so, what we've been doing is, you know, literally speaking with all of these different planners, all of these different folks who are trying to build community, but they're not building it equitably or, you know, with a diverse lens to it, a diverse- And it's not just, you know, skin tone.

It's not just a, you know, class.

It's diversity in all of the different ways that bringing that to the table, they just aren't really doing right now.

And so, in order for us to change the future, we have to start now.

You know?

Unseen Heroes has made its name doing, uh, uh, an eclectic portfolio of... of work, everything from event organizing to placemaking.

I...

I'm curious, what is it that the experience of building your company has brought to you that prepares you to take this next step into an area- in terms of housing and community development- that doesn't seem like a natural transition, maybe superficially?

But maybe there's a different story you can share with us.

Yeah, you know, I always take a step back and look at it from just a simple approach.

You know, my wife and I started Unseen when we were 27, um, grew up in these neighborhoods that we still talk about.

Right?

And when we sit in these meeting and things like that, folks are like, "Oh my God," like, "You... you grew up in Lincoln Village?"

Or, "Oh, my gosh, you... you came from the Avenues on 47th Avenue?"

Like, "How did you-?"

You know, and for us, that was always part of what we were trying to change, is the narrative that these areas are underrepresented.

You know, it's like there are folks like us that are in these neighborhoods every single day, but they're not given the opportunities to show the culturally rich history, the culturally rich lens that we have to bring to the table.

So, when I think about it in that standpoint, it's like we've always been in this conversation.

We just haven't always had the opportunity to actually be heard or be listened to.

And I think as the years go past, you know, we've built enough capacity for people to actually look at us and say, "What do you think?"

You know?

And... and share with us what, historically, Unseen Heroes has been known for within this region and beyond.

People have told us so many different things.

You know, event agency, um, social... social enterprise, um, musician, artist, PR person, marketing- like, people have put a... a lot of different labels on us.

And I think part of our transition in the last two years because of, um, the pandemic was we had to get back to the table and see what we really did.

And when I started to look up, you know, what a community development corporation really does for community, it was like a light bulb moment for all of us.

Like, "Hey, this is what we've been doing this whole time."

It's trying to build capacity in our neighborhoods from within and utilizing the tools, the resources, the creativity, the connections, the collaborations that we have and building up these neighborhoods from within.

And that's never changed.

You know, that's what- [Scott] And... and... and share with us an example or two of some of those initiatives that you all have been involved with or led that would be recognizable to us as we've moved around Sacramento over the past few years.

Yeah.

So I...

I always look at it- Like, I've been looking at it from neighborhood perspectives, right?

So, in Del Paso- this was ten years ago now, um- we did the GOOD Street Food and Design Market over there, where we took an empty warehouse and we transformed it into a modern day marketplace.

Right?

And so, that actually got us the American Planning Association Local Vision Award.

So, we were recognized by the APA ten years ago and didn't even really understand what that meant at the time.

Right?

So, Del Paso, we've been doing work over there.

Oak Park, a lot of folks know us for doing Gather in Oak Park.

And then, that's where we launched our retail concept Display California, which when we started, it was a revolving pop-up concept where we would change out the store every single- or it was eight weeks at a time, six to eight weeks.

We would just flip the entire store to bring a whole new experience.

So, it was our way to, like, get folks to come into the neighborhood and experience something new.

A lot of people know us from the work that we did in Midtown.

We built the Midtown Farmer's Market up from about 20 vendors to about 150 vendors over the last seven years.

Um, so that's, like, our Midtown work.

Um- You also did some work with the Crocker once upon a time, didn't you?

Oh yeah.

Mmhmm.

Mmhmm.

We did, um, ArtMix with Crocker.

We did the ArtMix... Prom with Crocker.

You know, and then, on the political standpoint, you know, we've done, um, you know, the... the mayor's inauguration.

So, we were part of, you know, Mayor Steinberg's inauguration.

We did the Great Sac Give Back for that, which was- You know, I was just talking to somebody about that last... last night, you know, about the impact of that where, you know, we went into all eight of the districts in Sacramento and did, like, a give back and a volunteer day.

Um, we did the governor's inauguration.

So, it- You know, it runs the gamut.

But the thing that we always do is we pull from within these folks that are creative to build these experiences on all those different levels.

You know, when you talk about the Great Give Back and working in all eight districts in Sacramento, a... a lot of the work that is emerging from you and Unseen Heroes today, uh, takes its start, uh, really focusing on historical context.

What role does historical context play in how you think about development?

I always say, like, if- You know, it's... that... that saying, like, "If you don't know your history, you're doomed to repeat it."

If you don't know your history, you don't know how to stand in the present moment.

And so, for us, it's about, you know, we stand on the shoulders of a lot of great people in our communities.

And so, it's always about connecting those pieces.

And just culturally, that's what we do.

You know, as folks of culture, it's like we don't... we don't come into a neighborhood and, like, push everyone out.

Right?

It's like we come into the neighborhood and say, like, "What is here?

What has been here?

What has historically been here?

How do we uplift that?"

How do we turn- you know, just take the little dust off of it and turn it into a nice little gem that's already been here but can shine in a way that's, you know, inclusive for everyone that's in the neighborhood.

You know?

And when you look at the neighborhoods in Sacramento and you're looking at that historical context, uh, the geographic context and... and... and cultural aspects of communities, what is it that you've learned in terms of how it is that, moving forward, you're going to be approaching development that might mean that you'll end up with something different than the way it's typically approached?

I would say, like, thinking from within, you know, like really bringing folks to the table that are from within.

And, you know, a lot of times, what happens is, you know, folks put together a plan, they put together an idea by themselves and then they go into the community after it's all baked and they have the renderings and they have, you know, the building, the architecture- you know, the architect has designed it, they've got it approved by planning- all of these things.

And then, they come into the neighborhood and say, "Hey, this is my idea and this is what I'm going to bring to the table."

Instead, we're taking, uh, a different approach- right?

- and bringing folks to the table from the community while we are in talks of what it needs.

So, we're having the conversations of, like, "What do you feel like you need here?

There are certain things that you deserve.

There are certain things that you deserve in these neighborhoods, but what do you feel like you need?"

And then, let's see if we can build something around that.

Is it a... a local bodega?

OK, well, let's take that empty building right there, revitalize it, and turn it into a local bodega.

You know, is it pathways to, you know, having equity?

Well, let's talk about having, like, a community, um, investment trust where someone can invest $10 or $20 or whatever that they can afford into this trust.

And then, we're buying this building.

You know, so, we're looking at real community ownership opportunities and community say in building before we even come in with, like, this baked plan, you know?

Mmhmm.

So, when you're looking at Sacramento, what's the opportunity that you see in front of us that if we can start to do this right... [Roshaun] Mmhmm.

...it will be different, in terms of what Sacramentans will have... have the chance to live, recreate, work in that maybe we haven't had before?

I think the one thing that can change a lot of what we face is changing the language that we all speak.

You know?

Luckily, we get to sit in different rooms- right?

- where we talk to different folks.

But realistically, it's the language of collaboration on a real level, you know, and getting folks out of the silos that are- they're in.

Right?

But it's language.

Like, if you don't know- Um- From the outside perspective, someone would call me a place maker, right?

Because that's the label that someone put on me.

You know?

And then, because it sounds good, we... we're like, "Yeah!

We're place makers."

You know?

And from the outside perspective, somebody might have put another label on me that said, you know, we're a social enterprise.

And it's like, "Yeah, we're a social enterprise."

But no one really sat with me and actually talked to, like, really understand what we were doing.

Right?

So, when we can come to the table and have all of those different lenses together and not just try and point people out and put them in a box, then I think development will be different.

You know, um, community will be different.

And I think you'll get some of these livabil- you know, these livability things that we all have and we all want in our neighborhoods actually to fruition, instead of someone planning it over here, and then, there's no implementation over here.

And then, there's a gap between, because the plans are so far ahead.

Let's talk about gaps.

[Roshaun] Mmhmm.

[Scott] One of the... one of the things that we have heard increasingly from you- and, uh, and it's growing in the number of people using this term- is something called "the missing middle."

Can you explain to us- what is the missing middle and... and what makes it important for us to talk about?

Yeah.

So, the missing middle is- You know, this goes all the way back to redlining.

Right?

There was neighborhoods that were redlined and they were only allowed to build single units on these lots.

Right?

And so, from that point on, you had only zones where you could build sin... single units.

And so, that then did not allow for there to be diversity in building.

And so, if you could only afford these single family lots, that's how you were able to be in areas like East Sac or Land Park, specifically here in Sacramento.

But with the missing middle, what the opportunity is is to take those single family zoning codes and break them up, so you can build multiple units on these lots again, which bring in a diverse, you know, housing stock so you can have maybe a live-work space, which is a project that we're working on.

Or, maybe you have, you know, a house, and then behind it- because people have the yard- to build an ADU, and then- which is an accessory dwelling unit, um, or, like, an in-law quarters.

So, it allows for multiple different housing stocks to exist on this single lot.

Well, let... let... let me ask you this.

What's at risk if we don't address this missing middle that you're describing?

I think we're going to continue to lose folks to different cities.

Right?

And I- So, that's one piece.

But I also think that there is a lack of generational wealth that gets to be built by folks who deserve to have generational wealth built, because if you just have single lots in certain areas, then it always stays- the value always stays high- right?

- or, you know, the value stays low.

There's no way to diversify and that creates a lot of different reactions.

It... it's a reaction for folks that want to live here, or that creates a reaction in the market place to keep, you know, certain areas high and certain areas low.

You know?

I think we always live in reaction is... is a good way to kind of put it.

When- You are known as someone who's been a member of the creative class here in this region for a number of years.

What special challenges does- do people from the creative class, which, you know, a lot of folks say that we have to retain in order to build on the vibrancy of our city and our region... [Roshaun] Yeah.

[Scott] What... what types of challenges do those folks face when it comes to housing?

Mmm.

I'll...

I'll...

I'll share a story with you.

Um- About 2020, when everything was, like, just first unraveling, you know, with the Coronavirus, it was right after, you know, George Floyd, um, we got a call from our developer partner, uh, Julie Young with Urban Elements.

And she called me and she said, you know, "I want to have a conversation with you.

You know, I see you all get displaced a lot, you know, and I want to...

I want to change that narrative."

So, she's like, "I have a lot on 28th and U, uh, and it's in, um, Newton Booth."

Like, that's the area or, like, right around the corner from, like, the Co-op and places like that.

She's like, "I...

I have this lot.

I've been working with the city on this missing middle housing thing, where we've taken this single lot and we broke it up into eight units or eight separate lots, and I want to help eight different BIPOC creatives own a unit."

And she's like, "I think there's some, you know, ways that we can work in, like, a live-work situation, where they could live upstairs and work at the bottom."

And so, now, you know, then, we started to ideate on it and it's like, whoa, if we could put eight creative people together, and each of them have their own space to, like, work out of, and then they have their... their living upstairs, we can create some nice experiences.

Just imagine the small community, First Friday, where you can walk in to each of their shops and see and purchase from them in this neighborhood, you know?

So, it's like a small neighborhood experience.

And she said, "All right, let's do it."

So, we call the project The Nest as a way to like, launch people, you know, and launch, like, generational wealth.

And she said, "I'm going to give $40,000 to each one of those folks to put on their down payment, so they don't even have to come up with down payment.

All they might have to come up with is closing costs, which is about 5,000, maybe $10,000.

Let's line up a loan partner."

So, we got a loan partner involved with it.

So, we... we were building this pipeline.

And so, I picked 13 of the most creative people that I know in this region.

And some of the folks that, you know, if I were to say their names, you'd be like, "Oh yeah, I know...

I know that person.

I've heard of that person," because they are at the top of our creative class.

And when we went through the loan process, all 13 of them got denied for their loans based on the proof of showing income- [Scott] Really?

They couldn't show their income in the way that fit the loan standards.

Debt, their... their debt ratio.

Um, what else?

Like, taxes.

You know, like, some had tax issues.

Um, and then, there's... there's one other one.

But in all of those, like, it got knocked out, all 13 of them.

I- And I even went over, right?

Like I was like, "OK, if we don't get all eight, let's go to 13 and... and we'll get some."

But we couldn't get enough folks from the creative economy to actually be qualified for this loan.

So, what did you learn from that?

For me, I learned that there is a pipeline issue.

There is a... a larger issue that we have to talk about.

Like, if we're building the capacity for our creative economy, then we have to start with financial literacy.

We have to start with, you know, getting folks involved on a earlier level than, you know, these folks who are probably in, you know, I'd say, thirties, forties.

You know, um, starting that way younger.

We have to work together with these different organizations and these different entities to come up with a clear pathway for our creative economy to stay here.

You know, because what happens is we get opportunities elsewhere or there's that support elsewhere, in other cities where the creative economy- You can be an artist and move to Miami and kill it, you know, and... and be supported and get funding and have your art sold for millions of dollars, um, because that creative economy is already there and it's... it's supported.

Whereas here, it's- it flies under the radar.

You know, like, I've existed in the creative economy for 14 years of my life, and it's been no walk in the park every single day.

You know?

And so, the more opportunities that we can have for folks in the creative economy to actually be looked at as, like, our creativity is actually capital.

That's, like, the big thing, is, like, our creativity is looked at as like we're just artists and we don't, you know, we don't have financial sense or... or... or things like that, um, when, realistically, our creativity is capital.

Folks that- When there's a... a problem or when there is an issue, they come to artists, they come to creatives first and foremost to try and solve it Right?

So, you know, I think about when all the riots were happening here in Sacramento over George Floyd, they came to artists and they said, "Hey, can you put your art on my windows so that folks don't bust it out?"

And it's like, "OK, so now our art is valuable.

Now our... our creativity is valuable because now, you feel threatened or you feel that there's a need for it."

You know?

Right.

So... so, we understand that- the importance of addressing the middle- missing middle and also the challenges of the creative class within our region.

Where- Are there any successes that you can point to, that kind of show the way to us, as to what we need more of right now in Sacramento and the type of thing that you're going to be doing in the future?

Yeah, I think we just need more collaboration, and that's one of the things that we've been building the capacity for.

You know?

Like, after telling that story to, um, you know, folks in the city of Sacramento, uh, Danielle Foster- she's the housing policy manager here- she was like, you know, "We're going to fill that hole."

And so, she... she's bringing to the table, um, the Financial Empowerment Center that the city has.

So, that's a free resource for anyone in the city to go to the Financial Empowerment Center and be able to work on their financial capacity.

Right?

And so, when you pair that with what we're doing with The Nest, then you have- Now, folks can go to the Financial Empowerment Center first, get their capacity up, and then come to us and say, "Hey, I'm ready to go and I know I'm ready to go."

And then, we're also bringing bank partners to the table that are really going to look at their loan process.

And, you know, the- Whether you call it predatory, like, whatever you, you know, want to call it, like, changing the narrative and changing the way that they even are able to administer loans and coming to... to the table and saying like, "Hey, yeah, I know that this- Back in the day, this is what we did, but now we're going to try and fix that."

So, now we're bringing that to the table.

So, I say all of that to say it's like collaboration, in that way of looking at the entire picture, is key.

And that will be the thing that changes things.

In our... in our final moments, tell us what's next.

What... what project are you working on right now that you're most excited about, that will- we will see in the coming months and years, that will embody what it is that you're trying to achieve?

Yeah, I think there's a project that I can share with you.

It's on 15th and G in Mansion Flats.

So, it was a empty lot for years upon years- I mean, we're talking 15 plus years- and, you know, we're developing it with a partner, Urban Capital, um, and we turned it into a temporary use space.

So, we took this empty lot and we re-imagined it and said, "What if we used this lot and made an outdoor dining experience?"

and put Rasheed, um, he is the owner of a... a company called Naija Boy Tacos So, he's this Nigerian American that's making authentic Nigerian food, um, and he will eventually go into the bottom of what they will build as a- I think it's a 32 unit housing, um, complex in the middle of, you know, Mansion Flats with this retail at the bottom.

So, it's this mixed use, you know, development.

But what we're doing- we're doing it different, right?

We're collaborating with Rasheed who has a small business.

We're collaborating with us, who is this creative agency.

We're collaborating with the developer, who has the funding to build.

And then, we're using it now as a temporary space.

And then, Rasheed gets to build his capacity.

He gets to make money now.

And then, in a year, when the building gets built, he'll be able to be underneath and still have all of that equity from being in that space two years before.

And then, what we're working on with them inside of the buildings is how do we change even the lease to own- you know, like, the leases.

Right?

And so- [Scott] The model... the model, itself.

[Roshaun] Yeah, the model itself [Scott] We're going to have- And we're going to have to leave it there.

OK. [Laughs] We got a lot.

All right.

And that's our show.

Thanks to our guest and thanks to you for watching Studio Sacramento.

I'm Scott Syphax.

See you next time right here on KVIE.

♪♪ All episodes of Studio Sacramento, along with other KVIE programs, are available to watch online at kvie.org/video.