Otis Odell on Housing for Good Podcast
September 25, 2026
Housing for Good features Otis Odell, AIA, LEED AP, on community-centered approaches to attainable housing
Housing affordability is inseparable from access, employment, and quality of life.
The cost of housing extends beyond rent or a mortgage. Long commutes, limited supply, and a widening distance between homes and jobs place additional pressure on workers, families, and the institutions that communities rely upon. Addressing these conditions calls for a broader view of who participates in housing development and how homes are designed and delivered.
Otis Odell, AIA, LEED AP, Principal and National Sector Leader for Housing at HED, explores how modular construction, adaptive reuse, and employer-supported workforce housing can expand the range of attainable options. He also considers why affordability must remain connected to safety, comfort, thoughtful design, and the needs of the people who will call a place home.
In the Housing for Good episode “Building Housing That Works,” hosts Chris Goodson and Karolyn Moore examine the relationship between housing, employment, and community stability. The conversation also looks at local efforts by the McPherson Housing Coalition to explore modular housing and create attainable paths to homeownership in McPherson County.