Jack's Internship supporting the Bilt Foundation
A Student Leader's Journey into Affordable Housing and Financial Empowerment
I'm a senior undergraduate student at the University of Utah, pursuing an honors degree in economics and political science with a pre-law focus. Currently, I hold the position of Student Body President for the Associated Students of the University of Utah (ASUU). Throughout my four years on campus, I've been actively engaged in various leadership roles, spanning previous ASUU administrations, Ivory Innovations, the Daily Utah Chronicle, the Business Economics Society, the Sigma Chi Fraternity, and numerous other campus clubs and committees.
Jack’s Experience at Ivory Innovations: An Introduction to the Affordable Housing Ecosystem
My experience at Ivory has been truly enriching, highlighted by a fantastic internship opportunity with one of our affiliated companies, Bilt Rewards, this past summer. During my time at Bilt, I had the privilege of supporting Jonathan Lawless, Head of Homeownership, in launching the pilot phase of the Bilt Foundation. In addition to contributing to projects exploring private equity models for homeownership and data collection, I actively participated in weekly meetings with various Bilt teams, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the company's internal workings.
The Bilt Foundation: Reducing Evictions and Providing Support to Renters
The Bilt Foundation is built upon the pillars of accessibility and visibility, with a primary mission to connect renters with resources aimed at reducing evictions. Leveraging the knowledge and dedication of local nonprofits, this foundation seeks to mitigate evictions and provide support to renters facing crises. Through our web intake system and the Bilt Payment Center, we are committed to delivering prompt assistance to renters, alleviating the responsibilities of property owners, and facilitating connections between nonprofits and those in need.
Bilt Rewards: Revolutionizing the Rental Market and Empowering Renters
Our partnership with Bilt Rewards significantly enhances the foundation's scalability and reach within the renter community. Bilt Rewards is a pioneering loyalty program designed to offer renters financial benefits and rewards. Members have the opportunity to accumulate loyalty points and benefit from free rent reporting to all three major credit bureaus, thereby strengthening their credit history. Bilt Rewards is revolutionizing the $600 billion/year rental market as the first-of-its-kind rewards and payments program, empowering over 109 million renters nationwide to improve their credit while earning rewards on rent payments, all with no fees for either renters or landlords.
Key Takeaways: Financial Empowerment for Renters and Addressing Housing Affordability
In this dynamic landscape, I was excited to work for a company that blends innovation, social impact, and financial empowerment. I learned about the credit card industry, the importance and scalability of rewards programs, the needs of renters in a post-covid economy, and the growing problem of affordability in rental housing.