Episode 14
RJ Fishman on Reinventing Emergency Housing and Creating a New Asset Class
RJ Fishman — Chief Strategy Officer, Artanis Emergency Communities
45:37
RJ Fishman, Chief Strategy Officer at Artanis Emergency Communities, joins me to break down a radical new approach to disaster response housing.
After the LA wildfires destroyed over 10,000 homes, RJ and his team asked a bold question: What if private industry could do it better than FEMA?
In this conversation, we cover how "emergency communities" were born, why modular housing is now safer and faster than stick-built homes, the economics of disaster recovery, working with state governments in North Carolina, Texas, Florida, and more, and the deeper mission behind providing a real home to families in crisis.
RJ also shares how meditation, Judaism, and Sinatra all played a role in shaping the company's vision — and why this new asset class may be the future of affordable housing.
Key Takeaways
- 1Private industry can respond to disaster housing faster and better than government programs
- 2Modular housing is now safer and faster to build than traditional stick-built homes
- 3Emergency communities represent a new asset class in real estate investing
- 4Working with state governments requires understanding their unique procurement processes
- 5The mission-driven approach to housing crisis victims creates both social impact and returns
What This Episode Explains
- How multifamily investments are evaluated, acquired, and managed
- How real estate operators scale their businesses and portfolios
- Insights from RJ Fishman's experience as Chief Strategy Officer, Artanis Emergency Communities
- Private industry can respond to disaster housing faster and better than government programs
- Modular housing is now safer and faster to build than traditional stick-built homes
This episode features a conversation with RJ Fishman on The Wealth Clock with Steven Weinstock.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sparked RJ Fishman's emergency housing company?
After the LA wildfires destroyed more than 10,000 homes, RJ and his team at Artanis Emergency Communities asked whether private industry could respond to disaster housing faster and better than FEMA, leading them to build what they call "emergency communities" using modern modular construction.
Why does RJ Fishman say modular housing is now safer than traditional stick-built construction?
He argues that modern modular building methods have advanced to the point where they can be both faster to deploy after a disaster and structurally safer than traditional on-site stick-built construction, while working directly with state governments in places like North Carolina, Texas, and Florida.
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Full Episode Transcript
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About RJ Fishman
RJ Fishman is the Chief Strategy Officer at Artanis Emergency Communities. His team is pioneering a new approach to disaster response housing, working with state governments across the country to provide dignified housing solutions for families in crisis.
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