Making more affordable housing is challenging, but it's far from impossible.

Kyle Ransford (Cardinal Investments) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to offer a practical look at operating in today's multifamily market. The conversation covers Ransford's path from early-90s dealmaking to building a portfolio focused on workforce and affordable housing across Southern California.

Ransford explains how Section 8 functions in practice, from lease-up timelines to tenant stability. He also argues that strong management, often more than physical upgrades, drives value in a given property, especially in smaller buildings. The episode also explores rising operating costs, the realities of owning in Los Angeles, and why expanding condo development and homeownership could help ease supply constraints.

Highlights include:

• A realistic view of Section 8 housing's challenges and opportunities
• The top upgrades tenants feel first, from air conditioning to in-unit laundry
• Why property management drives value in the majority of acquisitions
• The growing gap between operating costs and achievable rents
• How condo development and liability reform could unlock more housing supply

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives

What does it actually take to rebuild after a disaster—and who gets to build back?

Longtime Altadena resident and development professional Joel Bryant (Bronzeville, Inc.) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) to cover the real-world mechanics of post-wildfire rebuilding. Drawing on his decades of experience in multifamily projects, Bryant explains how homeowners are navigating surveys, insurance constraints, permitting, and construction costs while detailing the small but meaningful milestones that signal progress.

The conversation transitions from the practical to the systemic: how the permitting process has evolved since the fires, what it takes to secure approvals quickly, and why architects play a critical role in keeping projects on track. As rebuilding efforts gather momentum, a central question remains: rebuilding for whom?

Highlights include:

• The step-by-step process of rebuilding a home after wildfire loss
• How projected timelines are playing out in Altadena
• Why permitting speed depends as much on people as on portals
• How insurance limits shape design and feasibility
• ADUs, density, and the future of Altadena's commercial corridors
• Preserving community identity while rebuilding at scale

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives

What's driving the uneven recovery at the core of California cities, and how is that impacting housing and investment?

Sean Burton (Cityview) joins Richard K. Green (USC Lusk Center for Real Estate) discussing the forces and fundamentals reshaping urban markets. The conversation moves from post-pandemic population shifts and the surge in AI-driven demand to the regulatory dynamics influencing Southern California development.

Highlights include:

• Why San Francisco may be turning a corner and whether an AI boom can sustain it.
• How concerns about regulatory risk have chilled investor sentiment in the City of Los Angeles.
• Where supply–demand imbalances are creating long-term opportunities.
• What San Diego got right to accelerate permitting and development.
• The latest progress in rebuilding after the LA County wildfires.

More: https://lusk.usc.edu/perspectives