Brad Blake is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Blake Griggs Properties, a private commercial real estate development and services company based in Danville, California. Mr. Blake has been involved in the development of more than $1 billion of multi-family, mixed-use and retail projects over the past 35 years. Blake Griggs Properties focuses on development, investment and operation of multi-family, mixed-use and retail projects with a typical size of $50-350 million primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area and secondarily in other west coast in-fill markets.

In this episode Brad gives us his insights into the current market and where he is currently focused to create value. Learn from one of the top leaders in the CRE Development world through this insightful podcast. 

Commercial Real Estate Development Insights & Strategies: Brad Blake (Blake Griggs Properties)

We pay tribute to the late Mike Davis to explore the ongoing ecological crises facing Southern California and the socio-political dynamics that shape our responses to disaster. This is an intellectual tour de force as Davis goes deep in this recording from 1995 at the architectural school SCI-Arc, where he taught at the time. He outlines the history of damage caused by natural disasters in Southern California. Popular culture seems fascinated with the destruction of Los Angeles, and most recent events have breathed life into that narrative. 

Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 

Davis discusses the complexity of California’s Mediterranean climate, arguing for a new “environmental epistemology.” He calls for a rethinking of California’s resource and disaster planning. Noting the extreme hydroclimatic shifts throughout California history, he suggests a disruption of capitalist hydraulic civilization in California is inevitable–and here we are. We are in serious need of an environmental rethink in any rebuilding–or rewilding–plans.

For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 

More Mike Davis: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/tribute-to-the-late-urban-history-provocateur-mike-davis/

Sources:
Full show of Mike Davis 1995 Presentation from SCI-Arc https://youtu.be/evJpgKQ6YWU?si=oPJ_rzpI-45oIHys 

Mike Davis, who passed away in 2022, was a writer and urban theorist who is most known for his work demythologizing the fractured wild-urban landscape of Southern California. Once a meat cutter and a truck driver, he was Professor Emeritus at University of California, Riverside, a Macarthur Fellow, and the author of more than 20 books. He is best known for his investigations of power and social class in works such as City of Quartz: Excavating the Future in Los Angeles (1990) and Late Victorian Holocausts (2001). In this show we focus on his book, “The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster.”


Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 247
Photo credit: Ecology of Fear cover

Mike Davis On Southern California’s Landscape of Disaster

As we head into times where rising temperatures, superstorms, and mega-fires dominate the headlines, what has happened to our disaster-averting solutions? In this episode, we explore 'The Carbon Conundrum' and rethink our relationship with nature. 

Join host Jack Eidt as he features a discussion with post-humanist philosopher Báyò Akómoláfé and environmental leader and author Paul Hawken, moderated by Alex Forrester, Board Member of the Schumacher Center for a New Economics and Co-Founder of Rising Tide capital. They delve into the failures of current climate strategies, the pitfalls of solutionism, and the importance of reconnecting with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. This enlightening conversation challenges listeners to reconsider their approaches to environmentalism and climate action.
 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url

Paul Hawken [https://paulhawken.com/] starts ecological businesses, writes about nature and commerce. He has written nine books, including six national and NYT bestsellers: ‘Growing a Business’, ‘The Next Economy’, ‘The Ecology of Commerce’, ‘Blessed Unrest’, ‘Drawdown’, and ‘Regeneration’. His latest book, ‘Carbon, The Book of Life’, is available from Penguin RandomHouse in February 2025.

Paul is the founder of Project Drawdown and Project Regeneration (https://regeneration.org/), which is the world’s largest, most complete listing and network of solutions to the climate crisis. 

Báyò Akómoláfé  Ph.D., [https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/] rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is a posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home (North Atlantic Books) and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak. Bayo Akomolafe is the visionary founder of The Emergence Network, a planet-wide networking project and inquiry at the edges of the Anthropocene that seeks to convene new kinds of responsivities, sensuous solidarities, and experimental practices for a posthumanist parapolitics. He currently lectures at Pacifica Graduate Institute, California. He sits on the Board of many organizations.

A frequent keynote speaker and guest lecturer, Dr. Akomolafe’s critically popular expression, “the times are urgent, let us slow down,” with which he attempts to frame new concepts (such as ontofugitivity, the Afrocene, iatropolitics, curapoiesis, white syncopation, ecocognitive assemblage theory, postactivism and parapolitics) that reframe and renaturalize human action, agency, and responsibility in an immanent, agonistic worlding of possibilities for life-death. 

Dr. Akomolafe is a Member of the Club of Rome and an Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance. He is currently writing his third book, ‘An Ocean of Milk: Morality, Desire, and the Monster at the Edge of the World’.



Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.


Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 249
Photo credit: Carbon book cover

The Carbon Conundrum: Rethinking Our Relationship with Nature

In this episode, we welcome back architect Carl Welty to discuss fire-resistant construction and alternative materials. With the increasing threat of wildfires, Carl shares his insights on regenerative design and the importance of working with nature to create resilient communities. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how we can rethink architecture to better protect our homes and environment.
 
Support the Podcast via PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url 


Carl discusses the principles of passive solar design, which prioritize energy efficiency and thermal comfort without relying on mechanical systems. The conversation also addresses the current building codes and their evolution in response to recent wildfires. Carl highlights the significance of fire-resistant construction and the materials that can be utilized to enhance safety. He encourages listeners to consider alternative materials, such as steel framing, which offers advantages over traditional wood in terms of durability and fire resistance.
 
For an extended interview and other benefits, become an EcoJustice Radio patron at https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio 
 
Check out our interview with Carl Welty from 2023: https://wilderutopia.com/ecojustice-radio/designing-architecture-and-landscapes-with-natures-ecological-wisdom/

Resources:
Modern homes generate 200x more smoke and burn 8x faster than 50 years ago:
https://www.ctif.org/news/200-times-more-smoke-and-8-times-faster-burning-rate-50-years-ago#:~:text=Kissner%20said%20today's%20house%20fires,has%20less%20than%20two%20minutes.
  
See an additional article that explains why modern homes burn down faster:
https://fsri.org/research/new-comparison-natural-and-synthetic-home-furnishings
  
“Wood Is Not the Climate-friendly Building Material Some Claim it to Be”
https://www.wri.org/insights/mass-timber-wood-construction-climate-change#:~:text=2)%20Harvesting%20wood%20is%20not,of%20using%20wood%20for%20construction.
  
Old Growth Wood: Old vs. New Growth Trees 
https://brenthull.com/article/old-growth-wood
  
Logging study reveals huge hidden emissions of the forestry industry
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2215913-logging-study-reveals-huge-hidden-emissions-of-the-forestry-industry/
  

Trees make Rain – there is Science now to Prove It!
https://www.learningfromnature.com.au/drought-proof-increasing-rainfall/

Carl Welty. Ecological Architect and Principal of Carl Welty Architects [https://carlweltyarchitects.com/]. has over 35 years of experience in the field of architecture and is based in Southern California. Carl's experience includes projects with difficult sites and complex structural requirements; a passive solar house that is Certified LEED Platinum; a Water Education campus that embodies important and timely water issues. He designs buildings that are twice as energy-efficient as typical green buildings by incorporating simple, time-tested, climate-appropriate design principles.

  
Jack Eidt is an urban planner, environmental journalist, and climate organizer, as well as award-winning fiction writer. He is Co-Founder of SoCal 350 Climate Action and Executive Producer of EcoJustice Radio. He writes a column on PBS SoCal called High & Dry [https://www.pbssocal.org/people/high-dry]. He is also Founder and Publisher of WilderUtopia [https://wilderutopia.com], a website dedicated to the question of Earth sustainability, finding society-level solutions to environmental, community, economic, transportation and energy needs.
  

Podcast Website: http://ecojusticeradio.org/ 
Podcast Blog: https://www.wilderutopia.com/category/ecojustice-radio/ 
Support the Podcast: Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ecojusticeradio
PayPal https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=LBGXTRM292TFC&source=url  
Executive Producer and Host: Jack Eidt
Engineer and Original Music: Blake Quake Beats
Episode 250
Photo credit: Carl Welty Architects-Wild Heritage Partners

Building Resilience: Fire-Resistant Design for a Safer Future

Tonight, Thursday, July 24th, at 6 pm on The Brian Crombie Hour I interview ✅ Darryl Frankfort. ALL my 🎤 podcasts and 🎦 video casts can be accessed any time on my web site https://briancrombie.com which holds repository of all my shows. 📌 Darryl Frankfort, President and Founder of DealCore Properties, shares insights on Toronto’s housing crisis and his focus on luxury rentals as a rare bright spot in today’s market. Known as one of the city’s top developers, he discusses the challenges of real estate development, policy shifts, and the need for strong leadership. His projects in Forest Hill and the Bridle Path offer large luxury suites, filling a gap in a market crowded with small units. A new Bayview development features 2,500–3,000 sq. ft. suites with premium amenities, including concierge and valet services. Drawing inspiration from New York condos, he emphasizes durable brick construction. Darryl also critiques the condo market’s overreliance on flipping and small units, noting how speculation, high fees, and misaligned investor expectations have led to falling prices and stalled developments.

📺 Videos: https://briancrombie.com/video-gallery
🎧 Podcasts: https://briancrombie.com/podcasts-the-brian-crombie-hour
📻 The Brian Crombie Hour airs nightly at 6 PM on Sauga960AM
📌 Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2Oioec8

#briancrombie #DarrylFrankfort #TorontoRealEstate #LuxuryRentals #UrbanDevelopment #HousingCrisis #RealEstateInvestment #DealCoreProperties #SmartDevelopment

Darryl Frankfort | Luxury Rental

WHERE TO BUY
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47VQQGV
Audiobooks: https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/783548
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/homes-for-living-jonathan-tarleton/1145583499?ean=2940192534021
Libro.fm: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780807018156

ABOUT
A tale of 2 NYC affordable housing co-ops’ struggle over privatization, public goods, and the future of American housing

The American Dream of homeownership is becoming an American Delusion. As renters seek an escape from record-breaking rent hikes, first-time buyers find that skyrocketing interest rates and historically low inventory leave them with scant options for an affordable place to live. With home valued more than ever as a commodity, even social housing programs meant to insulate families from cut-throat markets are under threat—sometimes by residents themselves.

In Homes for Living, urban planner and oral historian Jonathan Tarleton introduces readers to 2 social housing co-ops in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Longtime residents of St. James Towers and Southbridge Towers lock horns over whether to maintain the rules that have kept their homes affordable for decades or to cash out at great personal profit, thereby denying future generations the same opportunity to build thriving communities rooted in mutual care.

With a deft hand for mapping personal histories atop the greater housing crisis, Tarleton explores housing as a public good, movements for tenant rights and Indigenous sovereignty, and questions of race and class to lay bare competing visions of what ownership means, what homes are for, and what neighbors owe each other.

A Selection from "Homes for Living: The Fight for Social Housing and a New American Commons"

Tonight, Monday, July 28th, at 6 pm on The Brian Crombie Hour I interview ✅ Eric Lombardi. ALL my 🎤 podcasts and 🎦 video casts can be accessed any time on my web site https://briancrombie.com which holds repository of all my shows. 📌 Eric Lombardi stands at the forefront of urban development and advocacy as the founder and president of More Neighbours Toronto, a volunteer organization committed to ending the housing crisis. Professionally, he specializes in strategy management consulting in the finance and technology sectors. Eric Lombardi talks about our housing crisis and inter-generational inequity.

📺 Videos: https://briancrombie.com/video-gallery
🎧 Podcasts: https://briancrombie.com/podcasts-the-brian-crombie-hour
📻 The Brian Crombie Hour airs nightly at 6 PM on Sauga960AM
📌 Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2Oioec8

#briancrombie #HousingCrisis #MoreNeighboursToronto #UrbanDevelopment #AffordableHousing #IntergenerationalEquity #HousingAdvocacy #CityBuilding #TorontoHousing #EricLombardi #PolicyAndProgress

Eric Lombardi | Housing Generational Inequity

Tonight, Monday, July 28th, at 6 pm on The Brian Crombie Hour I close the show detailing some of my own concerns about inter-generational inequity. ALL my 🎤 podcasts and 🎦 video casts can be accessed any time on my web site https://briancrombie.com which holds repository of all my shows. 

📺 Videos: https://briancrombie.com/video-gallery
🎧 Podcasts: https://briancrombie.com/podcasts-the-brian-crombie-hour
📻 The Brian Crombie Hour airs nightly at 6 PM on Sauga960AM
📌 Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2Oioec8

#briancrombie #HousingCrisis #MoreNeighboursToronto #UrbanDevelopment #AffordableHousing #IntergenerationalEquity #HousingAdvocacy #CityBuilding #TorontoHousing #PolicyAndProgress

Brian Crombie | Inter-Generational Inequity

Short episodes about the Ostrava-360 program — what this initiative is, why it was launched, and how it can still be used today.
The program started in the early 2000s as part of a comprehensive plan for the city’s development. Now many participants are returning to complete projects that were left unfinished.

In this podcast you’ll find a simple step-by-step explanation: where to find information, what documents to prepare, where to apply, and how to check the current status.

🎧 Audio in Czech language.

Ostrava360 Outdoor Advertising Ban Regulation 2_2020

Tonight, Friday, August 29th, at 6 pm on The Brian Crombie Hour I conclude the show detailing some of my own concerns about inter-generational inequity. ALL my 🎤 podcasts and 🎦 video casts can be accessed any time on my web site https://briancrombie.com which holds repository of all my shows. 

📺 Videos: https://briancrombie.com/video-gallery
🎧 Podcasts: https://briancrombie.com/podcasts-the-brian-crombie-hour
📻 The Brian Crombie Hour airs nightly at 6 PM on Sauga960AM
📌 Subscribe to Brian’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2Oioec8

#briancrombie #HousingCrisis #MoreNeighboursToronto #UrbanDevelopment #AffordableHousing #IntergenerationalEquity #HousingAdvocacy #CityBuilding #TorontoHousing #PolicyAndProgress

EcoJustice Radio presents environmental and climate stories from a social justice frame, featuring voices not necessarily heard on mainstream media.

Our purpose is to amplify community voices, broaden the reach of grassroots-based movements, and inspire action. We investigate solutions for social, environmental, and climate issues with an eye to advance human health, steward wild landscapes, and solve the climate crisis across the USA and the world.

Featured weekly on KPFK Los Angeles and KPFT Houston, and found on all major podcast apps. We are nationally syndicated through the Pacifica Network and PRX and heard on public radio stations across the US and downloaded in over 25 countries.

Co-hosts Jack Eidt, Carry Kim, and Jessica Aldridge present a broad range of perspectives: land defenders and water protectors; Indigenous leaders, front/fenceline community spokespeople; youth organizers; ecosystem and land stewards; regenerative farmers and permaculture specialists; spiritual and faith leaders; environmental health advocates and practitioners; documentary filmmakers; climate scientists; and political decision makers.

EcoJustice Radio [http://EcoJusticeRadio.org] is produced by SoCal350.org since 2017. 

Tune in live to KPFK Radio Thursdays from 4 to 5 PM (PT) at 90.7 FM Los Angeles, 98.7 FM Santa Barbara, 93.7 FM North San Diego, 99.5 FM Ridgecrest-China Lake, or KPFK.org. 

We also are featured on KPFT Houston from 4 to 5 PM (CT) at 90.1 FM or KPFT.org and other public radio stations on the Pacifica Network.

Brian Crombie has 20 years of corporate experience, a depth of knowledge in all facets of finance, strategic planning and corporate / business development for a wide breadth of companies in several industries. Brian has deep political, community and charitable involvement as well.

Bringing top professionals in the commercial real estate industry to present insights and discuss their views on the market today. We aim to have topics that are both interesting to people new to real estate and seasoned professionals looking to enhance their practice.

New tracks tagged #UrbanDevelopment