In many large cities in the US, there is a crisis caused by a shortage of affordable housing options. This has led to a host of social challenges. In this series called “How We Are Helping To Make Housing More Affordable,” we are talking to successful business leaders, real estate leaders, and builders, who share the initiatives they are undertaking to create more affordable housing options in the US.

As a part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Johnathan Sublet.

Executive Director of Topeka, Kansas-based, SENT Inc. (SENT), Johnathan Sublet leads the non-profit organization working to boost community development through mental health, housing, education, and wellness programs. Under Sublet’s leadership, SENT is projected to reach $2.5 million in revenue for 2025, and has led the successful development of 29 affordable housing units and the launch of key community projects, including SENT Prep Academy, the Southside Filling Station, and the Southside Wellness Clinic.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?

Growing up in a single-parent home in an under-resourced neighborhood, I found my time in school to be a safe haven. Through elementary school and into high school, I had several mentors inspire me to fulfill my dreams and provide for my own family one day. Specifically, in seventh grade, two engineers visited my science class and explained what they did — I was so intrigued. After graduating 11th in my high school class of 600+ students, I found myself at the University of Tulsa studying chemical engineering on a scholarship. […]

Read the full feature here.