HomesAndBuildings.com is for–
▸ first-time homeowners, people who want to renovate or spruce up their place, or those whose homes have problems with roofing, plumbing, banking, or other issues
▸ building professionals
▸ tenants, students, kids
▸ people looking for work, careers, internships, or mentors in the homes/buildings sector
▸ business people looking to connect
▸ people looking for a winterized tent and people looking for inspiration

The website is free and has no ads (except for the Google searches).

Key People:
▸ Barry Koren, AIA, PhD, founder:
I grew up in Harlem, in New York City, in an apartment above my parents' Mom and Pop grocery store. Many years later, in 2000, I became active in progressive national politics. I've now concluded that the solutions to many of the significant problems we have in the US will come from people talking with and helping one another. This website is a step in that direction.

I became registered as an architect in 1971 and have subsequently worked for large and small architectural firms, a city department of community development, a not-for-profit organization doing grass-roots organizing, and a large corporation. My PhD is from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and focused on the question of why people stay in or move from a racially changing urban neighborhood.

My personal mission is this. By the year 2030 -- when my grandsons will be 22 and 19 yrs old -- to create a world or place where most people can sit around their kitchen table with loved ones and eat locally grown, wholesome food. And where there are no more garbage trucks because people have become masters of unwasting.

More about what's behind this kitchen-table stuff on the Family & Community Resiliency page which includes a personal journal about resiliency that I've just started called Barry's blog
 

For me, this website is a step in carrying out this vision.

▸ Lisa Kayser.
Lisa has put the meat on the bones for the website. She seeds the website with links, images, videos, blogs, classifieds, and Q&A. And she has made the website as user-friendly as it is. For example, she along, with her very able assistants -- Zach and Bryce Kayser -- have put together the kids' page and uploaded engaging photos.

▸ Viktor Denischik.
Viktor is the artistic, technological guru behind the website. Viktor has helped us move this site way beyond the original concept. He has built the structure of the website and it's face. He's our chief explorer, finding and implementing new features and new ways we can expand the site. And whenever we're stuck, he finds the way out and moves us ahead.

▸ Felice Bassuk.
Felice is a screenwriter and film producer and Barry's life-time partner. She's been in on this site before it was even a glimmer of a possibility. She's our chief editor and Barry's confidant. Without Felice's support, this website would not be possible.

▸ Lynne S. Williams.
Lynne is the long-time, very smart, very creative associate of Barry's who helped him develop and launch the initial concept for the website. She and Barry designed the original logo for the site.

▸ Emory Mead.
Emory is an artist in every crevice of his soul and the very talented artist who did the graphic design for the website.