Beyond the Resume Podcast with Andrew Germansky (Building Housing that Heals)

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Beyond the Resume

Chris Papa and Lisa Flicker

104 episodes

1 day ago

Co-hosted by industry veterans, Chris Papa and Lisa Flicker, the weekly Beyond the Resume Podcast features interviews with some of the best known real estate experts in the U.S. By exploring how they built their successful careers and the impact they have made to the communities around them we hope to educate and inspire anyone building or thinking of building a career in real estate. Join us as we go Beyond the Resume.

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All content for Beyond the Resume is the property of Chris Papa and Lisa Flicker and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

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Beyond the Resume Podcast with Andrew Germansky (Building Housing that Heals)

Beyond the Resume

37 minutes 31 seconds

4 months ago

Beyond the Resume Podcast with Andrew Germansky (Building Housing that Heals)

In this episode of Beyond the Resume, hosts Chris Papa and Lisa Flicker sit down with Andrew Germansky, Senior Vice President of Real Estate at Westhab, a leading nonprofit affordable housing developer and shelter operator in New York. Andrew discusses his journey from history major to housing leader, the innovations Westhab is bringing to affordable and supportive housing, and why ending homelessness requires bold thinking, public-private partnerships, and a reimagined approach to shelter development.

From shelter design innovations to why affordable housing is national infrastructure, this conversation dives deep into what it takes to develop housing that heals and stabilizes communities.

Chapters

(00:00) Meet Andrew Germansky + Westhab’s Mission

Andrew reflects on joining his first podcast and introduces Westhab’s work across affordable housing, shelters, and services in NYC, Westchester, and Rockland.

(05:29) Building Better Shelters: Zoning, Pushback & Equity

Andrew explains NYC’s shelter models, the "fair share" placement philosophy, and how Westhab works to integrate shelters into underserved neighborhoods with dignity and purpose.

(11:14) Who Experiences Homelessness — and How We Help

The discussion breaks myths about homelessness, highlighting Westhab’s case management approach, family-focused shelters, and the holistic services that help residents transition into stability.

(14:35) From History Major to Housing Developer

Andrew shares his path from studying history to affordable housing, his early roles at Omni New York, and the career pivot that led him to lead real estate development at Westhab.

(18:49) Nonprofit vs. For-Profit Development: Collaboration & Trade-offs

A thoughtful exploration of the relationship between private capital and mission-driven development — and why both are essential to solving the housing crisis.

(27:40) Designing Without Red Tape: Parking, Politics & Possibility

If zoning and budgets weren’t barriers, Andrew says we could build far more housing — especially by eliminating parking mandates that waste space and increase costs.

(32:36) Projects, Podcasts & People Who Inspire

Andrew highlights Dayspring Commons as his most meaningful project, shares real estate podcast recs (like BiggerPockets), and names the mentors who shaped his leadership style.

🎧 Call to Action:

If you care about affordable housing, ending homelessness, or purpose-driven careers in real estate, don’t miss this episode. Subscribe for more deep dives with the people building a better future—one community at a time.

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Links

YouTube: https://youtu.be/aAVJHYxkjN4

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/35ZJGLT

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3I3nkG9

Web: https://www.jacksonlucas.com/podcast/andrew-germansky