If we need housing, focus on the people building it
Someone recently told me that success isn’t defined by how much you have accomplished, it’s defined by how much you’ve helped others achieve.
I’ve been lucky in my career to find people who are big supporters of me. I credit a lot of my success to other people who have helped open doors for me, invited me to work on projects and helped me identify my strengths. Most of the time, these people have been older than me and more established, and most commonly that is what would be expected.
It’s rare to find to this quality in someone who is a young up-and-comer, especially someone who demonstrates this holistically.
B.C. Business recently announced its list of 40 notable people under 40 years old. One of the winners is my colleague Kaela Schramm. It’s impressive that Schramm has procured millions of dollars and is a catalyst in bringing thousands of new affordable homes to people across British Columbia. She is the reason thousands of families, individuals, elders and seniors are securing safe, affordable housing in B.C. during this tight rental market.
At any age this would be a mighty feat, but at only 32, it’s nothing short of amazing. Schramm is the director of projects and planning for M’akola Development Services, an Indigenous non-profit development, consulting and project-management firm.
She has built of team of planners and project managers whose goal is to build affordable housing.
“Working with and learning from Kaela has been an inspiration to me in my role and helped our organization better serve communities across B.C.,” said Kevin Albers, CEO of M’akola Development Services. “She’s built such a strong and successful team, and a lot of our success stems from Kaela’s drive and ability to lead a team.”
I have been following the news on the tent cities on Vancouver Island. There are new stories daily, and everyone is talking about how this problem has to be solved. There is no Band-Aid solution, and the issue is complex. One statement that is repeated daily from a wide range of sources is: “We need to build more housing.”
I know housing can’t be built fast enough, but we should be putting some of the focus on people such as Schramm, who not only devotes her career to developing more housing, but is building a team of experts who make these types of projects happen.
“One of my favourite moments was seeing the families move into our Goldstream Avenue building. That moment of impact on those families’ lives after years of working to plan and build those homes was so moving,” said Schramm.
Schramm works with First Nations, Indigenous organizations, non-profits and community groups, helping them navigate government funding calls and the development process, and also assisting with the ongoing property-management support.
Schramm is a powerful leader and wise beyond her years. She works hard to build up everyone around her, enhance their success and highlight their capabilities. She knows that the goal is creating more housing, and the stronger the team is, the more efficient they will be at getting more housing built.
People who are great leaders are always so dedicated to building up their team, that they move the spotlight onto others. I think it’s important to highlight people who are doing what they do for the right reasons.
When I saw the submission call for this award, I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving. It wasn’t hard to get letters of support, because anyone who has worked with Schramm knows she’s the real deal.
“We are all stronger when we work together, and the type of leader Kaela is, is the type of leader I strive to be,” said Margaret Pfoh, CEO of Aboriginal Housing Management Association, who submitted a letter of support to the application. “Kaela comes from a place of inclusiveness, and she knows that everything we do comes 360 degrees.”
Pfoh is another strong leader, passionate about housing and also about supporting those around her.
These two women are demonstrating that success stems from building a team through support, encouragement and dedication to the cause.