There are many ideas for helping solve America's housing affordability crisis, but Diana McIver and Kathy Laborde are actually doing the work to make housing more attainable and build communities across a wider spectrum of homeowners.

McIver has served as a consultant for nonprofits developing Section 202 senior housing and as a private developer, creating a combined 15,200 affordable housing units.

Laborde's non-profit Gulf Coast Housing Partnership develops affordable multifamily rental communities with complementary commercial space.