Many things have changed in the last 18 months. Whether from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic or the growing call for equality, the way we perceive the world around us is forever changed. We have become more resilient in the face of adversity and many businesses have made permanent changes.

One industry I keep mulling over is the housing rental market. A roof over one’s head is rather one of the essentials. Where we live fundamentally means something to us, practically and emotionally. Yet for years, rental housing has been struggled to meet renters where they are. Issues including for-profit mentality, unforgiving power dynamics, and a lack of innovation often stand in the way of a more humane approach to housing that all people deserve.

Our team is guided by one unified mission: To build stronger communities through payment innovation. We do this by creating solutions that promote financial confidence and keep people in their homes. The link between strong households and strong communities is undeniable, and the security of home and the connection to community has never been more important. Setting aside this year’s many trials, houselessness (no longer called homeless – language matters) is an unnecessary evil in a society as wealthy and evolved as ours. But rather than dwell on what should be, our team is hard at work building impact-driven solutions and the business infrastructure to sustain them.

The concept of Circa was born over a year ago. We did not anticipate a pandemic, but we saw a need for inclusion and equity. We saw a need to give people more control over their financial lives - to be able to pay important bills, when they want, how they want. With almost half of Americans unable to sustain a $400 financial shock, we recognized that residents need better solutions.

In 2020, amidst a financial and health crisis, residents are increasingly in need of dignity and respect, driving property owners to recognize that the traditional rent collection model must change. Before this year, many people in America needed support, but now that need has become a requirement that property managers cannot ignore. With this motivation to shift a centuries-old industry-standard, property managers are more receptive to meeting residents' needs. That's why we built Circa. Our mission - to empower people by giving them the tools to live financially resilient lives - is needed more today than ever before. Now is the time!

It turns out that stable housing is one of the most important predictors of almost everything else: financial, physical and mental health. It predicts likelihood of getting or keeping a job and is the foundation of our communities. At its core, the Circa landlord/renter product transforms the rent-collection model. The financial structure of the product is good for both landlords and renters. The relationship and two-way communication is central to the concept. And payment smoothing allows renters to have more payment flexibility in response to increasing income volatility. Circa does not solve our deeper economic problems. But, the solutions we offer are needed now more than ever.

In addition to the profit story, EppoPay resonates as a social good, particularly for those supporting lower income tenants. That motivates us. Last week Facebook joined Apple and Google in an effort to combat the San Francisco housing crisis. They collectively pledged $4.5B to ease the housing shortage. Actually, the “housing crisis” is throughout the country and is caused by a host of trends, including low supply, aging structures, affordability, inclusion and community. We need policy and strategies to support the underserved. EppoPay’s innovative payment smoothing system is getting attention. We have been invited to join the housing crisis discussion with the City of New York. Our system will make a difference for cost-burdened tenants living in metro centers across the country. We're on it!