Description

In this episode of The Comms Exchange, hosts Rachel Ledet and Christianne Brunini sit down with Sarah Harjung, Director of Design at Wilshire Pacific Builders, to explore the hidden design decisions that shape affordable housing communities.

With more than 20 years of interior design experience, Sarah now leads multifamily renovation projects across the country, working at the intersection of design, construction, and compliance. She shares how thoughtful material choices, durable products, and creative design solutions can improve resident experience while keeping projects within strict budgets and regulatory requirements.

The conversation dives into how design teams approach renovations of older properties, balance aesthetics with long-term maintenance, and create community spaces that residents actually use. Sarah also shares lessons learned from historic renovations, the value of collaboration with contractors and vendors, and why durability is one of the most important design strategies in affordable housing.

Whether you're a developer, architect, designer, or housing advocate, this episode offers practical insights into how design decisions impact the long-term success of multifamily housing.

Key Takeaways

• Affordable housing design is about durability and long-term performance, not just aesthetics.
• Renovation projects often require creative solutions to meet ADA and modern building standards.
• Material choices such as quartz countertops and luxury vinyl plank flooring can reduce maintenance costs over time.
• Community spaces are where designers can create the most meaningful resident impact.
• Successful projects require collaboration between designers, contractors, vendors, and ownership teams

For more information visit https://wilshirepacific.com/