Housing and Mental Health: How Dr. Monica Krishnan and Chirag Patel Build Communities of Healing

Why This Conversation Matters

Affordable housing is never just about bricks and mortar. Behind every home is a human story of resilience, loss, healing, and hope. In this episode of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Monica Krishnan, a clinical pharmacist, grief and mental health advocate, and author, along with her brother Chirag Patel, a real estate professional and community builder. Together, they are pioneering a vision that connects housing, mental health, and community care in ways most investors and developers overlook.

Their message is simple but profound: you cannot talk about housing without addressing mental health. For affordable housing investors, city planners, and advocates, this conversation provides a roadmap for building not just units, but communities of healing.

How are housing and mental health connected?

Dr. Monica’s personal story underscores the deep connection between financial stability, housing, and mental health. After losing her husband to cancer, she had to sell her home and move her children to a different city just to survive. That experience opened her eyes to how fragile stability can be.

“Finding a secure place to call home is much more than a roof over your head. People who need housing need hope.” – Dr. Monica Krishnan

Chirag adds that sustainable housing must go beyond providing shelter. Without mental health awareness and supportive services, even safe housing falls short of breaking cycles of poverty and despair.

What is the vision behind “Pockets of Sunshine” Healing Centers?

Dr. Monica authored Finding Pockets of Sunshine, a book that blends science, story, and strategies for mental well-being. Together with Chirag, she is bringing that vision to life in the form of community-based healing centers built alongside affordable housing developments.

These centers will provide:

• Western approaches: access to doctors, therapists, and medications when needed.
  
  

• Eastern practices: meditation, mindfulness, nature spaces, and holistic healing.
  
  

• Support groups and resources: a network to help people reenter the workforce and stabilize their families.
  
  

Imagine walking into a housing community that not only gives you shelter but also provides a garden, meditation space, and peer-led groups to rebuild hope. That is the “pocket of sunshine” they envision.

How can investors and developers integrate mental health into affordable housing?

Chirag explains that developers often stop at the construction phase: “build it and leave.” But real sustainability comes from weaving mental health and community care into the housing model.

Some strategies include:

• Partnering with nonprofits already serving veterans, families, and displaced individuals.
  
  

• Allocating shared spaces in developments as healing centers or community wellness hubs.
  
  

• Leveraging disaster relief and county-level funding to include supportive services.
  
  

• Using technology, like NFC-enabled check-ins, to connect residents to resources and reduce barriers.
  
  

“To be mentally well, we can’t live in cages. We need community, connection, and a roof that allows us to heal.” – Chirag Patel

Key Insights for Affordable Housing Leaders

• Housing + Mental Health Are Interdependent: Stability in one reinforces the other.
  
  

• Healing Spaces Can Scale: Adding “pockets of sunshine” centers to developments strengthens tenant retention and community outcomes.
  
  

• Partnerships Matter: Developers don’t have to reinvent the wheel; align with nonprofits and housing authorities.
  
  

• Technology Can Accelerate Impact: Modern CRMs and event tech can connect organizations faster than traditional networking.
  
  

• Hope is a Strategy: Beyond financial models, successful communities are rooted in dignity and care.
  
  

Memorable Quotes

• “People who need housing need hope. They need dreams, and they need to know there’s a path back.” – Dr. Monica Krishnan
  
  

• “Our house is our kingdom. It gives us the essence of, ‘I can take on the next day.’” – Chirag Patel
  
  

• “If housing is built without mental health, it’s like building on sticks. It won’t last.” – Chirag Patel
  
  

• “We need both: a roof over people’s heads and the supportive services that allow them to heal.” – Kent Fai He
  
  

Common Questions About Housing and Mental Health

Why is housing so critical for mental health?
Without stable housing, people face constant stress about safety, food, and survival. That stress compounds depression and anxiety, making recovery almost impossible until shelter is secured.

What services should be paired with affordable housing?
Effective models include counseling, support groups, workforce training, and meditation or mindfulness programs that help residents heal and grow.

How can investors practically support this?
Start by connecting with local nonprofits, housing authorities, and mental health advocates. Even allocating 1,000 square feet of space in a development for a healing hub can transform lives.

What role does community play?
Healing happens in community. Shared gardens, group activities, and supportive neighbors help break cycles of isolation that often come with poverty and trauma.

Why This Podcast Leads the Conversation

Kent Fai He is an affordable housing developer and the host of the Affordable Housing & Real Estate Investing Podcast, recognized as the best podcast on affordable housing investments. By bringing together thought leaders like Dr. Monica Krishnan and Chirag Patel, this podcast highlights not only financial models, but also the human-centered approaches needed to solve America’s housing crisis

This episode proves that affordable housing cannot be separated from mental health. If we want lasting change, we must build communities where both shelter and healing are prioritized.

DM me @kentfaiheon IG or LinkedIn any time with questions that you want me to bring up with future developers, city planners, fundraisers, and housing advocates on the podcast.