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Public Policy and the Workforce Housing Crisis, Part 1, with Kyle Wingfield, Georgia Public Policy Foundation

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Public Policy and the Workforce Housing Crisis, Part 1, with Kyle Wingfield, Georgia Public Policy Foundation (North Fulton Voices, Episode 6)

This episode of North Fulton Voices is part one of a two-part interview with Kyle Wingfield, President and CEO of the Georgia Public Policy Foundation. Led by Jack Murphy and Nancy Diamond of the North Fulton Improvement Network, the conversation focuses on the pressing issue of workforce housing affordability in the North Fulton region as well as the State of Georgia generally. Key insights include the impact of government regulations on housing costs, the definition and challenges of middle-income housing, and the broader implications of local policies on housing affordability. The episode emphasizes the need for community engagement and innovative public policy solutions to address the workforce housing crisis in North Fulton.

North Fulton Voices is presented by the North Fulton Improvement Network. The show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Kyle Wingfield, President and CEO, Georgia Public Policy Foundation

Kyle Wingfield is a native of Dalton and graduate of the University of Georgia. He joined the Foundation as president and CEO in April 2018 after spending nine years as an opinion columnist for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has also worked for the Wall Street Journal, based in Brussels, Belgium, from 2004 to 2009, and for the Associated Press, based in Atlanta and Montgomery, Ala., from 2001 to 2004.

At the AJC, Kyle wrote often about state politics and policy, focusing especially on education and school choice, transportation, health care, and state and local taxation. He is a frequent guest on GPB’s “Political Rewind” show and was a finalist for the Reason Foundation’s Bastiat Prize for Journalism in 2013. Kyle’s weekly column continues to appear in 10 newspapers around the state.

Kyle received the UGA Grady College’s John E. Drewry Young Alumnus Award in 2006, was named to the UGA Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2012 and is a member of UGA’s Board of Visitors. He is a member of Leadership Georgia’s Class of 2018 and, as an Eagle Scout, remains an active volunteer in Scouting.

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Georgia Public Policy Foundation

The Georgia Public Policy Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, nonpartisan research institute with a mission to improve the lives of Georgians through public policies that enhance economic opportunity and freedom.

The Foundation believes that sound public policy is grounded in facts, an understanding of economic principles, and core values of the free enterprise system—economic freedom, limited government, personal responsibility, individual initiative, respect for private property, and the rule of law.

Since 1991, the Georgia Public Policy Foundation has conducted rigorous research and analysis of state public policy issues, striving to educate citizens, policymakers, and the media. The Foundation remains state-focused, independent, non-partisan, and market-oriented in its approach.

Each year, the Foundation hosts over a dozen events across Georgia, providing opportunities for members to discuss pressing issues with leaders in politics, education, media, and business. Past speakers include Presidents of the United States, U.S. Speakers of the House, Supreme Court Justices, U.S. senators, representatives, presidential candidates, ambassadors, state officials, governors, members of the national media, and local business leaders.

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Topics Discussed in this Episode

00:00 Introduction and Series Overview
00:53 Welcome to North Fulton Voices
01:18 Discussing Workforce Housing
01:39 Data on Housing Affordability
04:35 Interview with Kyle Wingfield, Georgia Public Policy Foundation
05:46 Kyle Wingfield’s Background
07:15 The Importance of Respectful Disagreement
11:57 Government’s Role in Housing Costs
16:47 Local Regulations and Their Impact
19:25 Comparative Analysis of Housing Regulations
26:33 Challenges and Solutions for Workforce Housing
31:13 Conclusion and Next Steps

North Fulton Improvement Network

The North Fulton Improvement Network (NFIN) is a think tank made up of community leaders from a variety of sectors, focused on missing middle housing and the livability challenges confronting North Fulton. We come from the six cities making up the northern half of Fulton County, Georgia — Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Milton, Mountain Park, Roswell, and Sandy Springs — and are working to address the widespread yet little-known financial vulnerability across the region. With stakeholders from sectors including business, nonprofit, faith, government, and citizens, we center our work on five areas of impact, seek to educate the public about these issues, build a network of individuals and organizations with innovative private and public solutions, and connect resources to those in need.

The leadership team of NFIN is Jack Murphy, Nancy Diamond, and Kathy Swahn.

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Jack Murphy

Jack Murphy is a volunteer with The Society of St. Vincent de Paul and is Chair of the North Fulton Improvement Network. He is also in his 21st year of working for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.

He has served on both the National and Georgia Boards of The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, responsible for Diversity, Advocacy, & Systemic Change. Jack is currently the national SVDP chair of Systemic Change and Advocacy.

Jack received a BA in psychology from Belmont Abbey College and a M.Ed. from UNC-Greensboro.  Jack and his wife, Nancy, a retired elementary school principal, have two grown daughters and two grandchildren. They live in Alpharetta, Georgia.

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Nancy Diamond

Nancy Diamond is a Project Manager with Schmit & Associates, a real estate development firm, creating town center revitalization in communities all around the metro area.

Nancy served 8 years as a Roswell City Council Member, including a term as Mayor Pro Tem, with liaison positions with Community Development, Transportation, Recreation & Parks, and Public Safety.

In addition to her work with the North Fulton Improvement Network, Nancy has been active in area non-profit organizations, including board leadership positions in the STAR House Foundation, WellStar North Fulton Hospital, and the Roswell Rotary Club.

A native of Atlanta and a 42-year North Fulton resident, Nancy worked at Turner Broadcasting in the early years of CNN, then became a freelancer in sports television graphics. While raising her two daughters, she worked from home, first developing a corporate gift service, and later as a mortgage loan originator.

Nancy and her husband, Glenn, now relish the role of grandparents to 8-year-old Owen.

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About North Fulton Voices

While North Fulton County is one of the most desirable places to live in the United States, the region faces a growing crisis: a severe shortage of housing options for middle-income employees, particularly essential workers such as first responders and teachers. North Fulton Voices, presented by the North Fulton Improvement Network, is the go-to source for in-depth analysis and discussion of missing middle housing and the livability challenges confronting North Fulton. Listen as we understand the implications of this problem, explore innovative solutions, and examine why providing these housing options is vital for North Fulton’s future. The show is sponsored and offered as a service to the community by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

Sponsor for North Fulton Voices: John Ray and Business RadioX – North Fulton

The North Fulton Voices show series is proudly sponsored by John Ray Co. and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.

John Ray is a podcast show host and producer and owns the North Fulton (Georgia) affiliate of Business RadioX®.

John also operates his own business advisory practice, Ray Business Advisors. John’s services include advising solopreneur and small professional services firms on their value, their positioning and business development, and their pricing. His clients are professionals who are selling their expertise, such as consultants, coaches, attorneys, CPAs, accountants and bookkeepers, marketing professionals, and other professional services practitioners.

John is the author of the #1 nationally best-selling book, The Generosity Mindset:  A Journey to Business Success by Raising Your Confidence, Value, and Prices.

John is the host of North Fulton Business Radio and The Price and Value Journey. North Fulton Business Radio, the longest-running podcast in the North Fulton region of Georgia, features a wide range of business and community leaders. The Price and Value Journey is devoted to solo and small firm professional services providers and covers issues such as pricing, value, and business development.

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