About this episode
Zeb Lowe interviews developer Austin Tunnell about how the built environment influences community and daily life.
On this episode of Power House, Zeb Lowe sits down with developer Austin Tunnell to explore a bigger question than housing itself: how the built environment shapes the way we live. Austin shares his unconventional path into real estate, from accounting to the Peace Corps to hands-on construction, and the realization that much of modern development is optimized for efficiency, not human connection. He argues that today’s neighborhoods often prioritize cars, uniformity and short-term returns at the expense of community and daily life. The conversation explores an alternative approach: building walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods designed for long-term value, human interaction and quality of place. But that approach comes with real tension—because traditional financing models, comps and investor expectations don’t naturally reward it. For professionals in housing, the takeaway is clear: what gets built isn’t just real estate—it’s the foundation for how people live, connect and build their lives. Related to the episode: Zeb Lowe’s LinkedIn Austin Tunnell's LinkedIn The Power House podcast brings the biggest names in housing to answer hard-hitting questions about industry trends…
People in this episode
Host: Zeb Lowe
Guest: Austin Tunnell
Topics covered
- housing
- built environment
- community
- real estate
- neighborhood design
Keywords
- walkable neighborhoods
- mixed-use development
- human connection
- long-term value
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: The Power House
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