Events

What is the state of housing design in the US? In particular, how are architects of new single- and multi-family housing responding to issues such as the warming climate, the affordability crisis, increasing regulations and construction costs, and the demand for new unit types that better reflect today's demographic realities? These questions will be the focus of a half-day event marking the release of The State of Housing Design 2023, a new book that examines themes in housing design, explored through over 100 recent buildings in the US.

In this talk, Gregg Colburn, an Associate Professor of Real Estate in the University of Washington’s College of Built Environments, will discuss findings from Homelessness Is a Housing Problem, a book he co-authored that tests a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a city, and what types of policies could address the problem

Have millennials led a back-to-the-city movement or have they, like previous generations, been moving to the suburbs? In this talk, Hyojung Lee will discuss a forthcoming article examining this question.

The CARES Act allowed households with federally-backed mortgages to temporarily halt their payments for up to 18 months without fees or penalties. This presentation will assess whether these provisions helped stabilize and stimulate economic activity.

Although accessory dwelling units (ADUs) can address a host of housing challenges, zoning and land-use regulations often stymie homeowners who want to build them. In this talk, Ellie Sheild, a student research assistant at the Center, will discuss her research on how these efforts might inform policymaking about ADUs in Massachusetts, where, in the absence of state guidelines, most cities and towns still restrict their construction

Adults 65 and older are the fastest-growing age group of people who experience homelessness, and those 50 and over who are experiencing homelessness often exhibit conditions associated with much older age such as memory loss, falls, and functional impairment. In this talk, Samara Scheckler, a research associate at the Center, will discuss new research on housing insecurity and homelessness for older adults in Boston.

Graduate students from GSD, HKS, and other schools at Harvard are invited to learn about the Center and the support we provide students via teaching, fellowships, research grants, and other offerings.

In this presentation, Daniel McCue and Alexander Hermann, senior researchers at the Center, will review the findings of this year's State of the Nation's Housing report (released in June) and more recent data showing increases in house prices, rents, and interest rates.

US housing markets continue to cool but home prices and rents remain high, leaving millions —including a disproportionate share of people of color—struggling with housing cost burdens, priced out of homeownership, or without shelter at all.

Allowing landlords, employers, and other important gatekeepers to access information on criminal records can create serious barriers to housing, jobs, and other opportunities.