In the Media

Research on whether age-segregated housing leads to improved health or quality of life is scant and dated; it’s not a subject that lends itself to controlled studies. “It’s still an open question,” said Jennifer Molinsky, director of the Housing an Aging Society program at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

When we cornered Chris Herbert, director of Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, he humored our endless speculation about more restrictive zoning, NIMBYism and environmental regulation in blue counties. And then he gently explained the more mundane reality: It all boils down to land availability.

If you’re unsure of what to look for or want a more detailed review of your home, experts recommend bringing in a professional. A $150 tax credit can be used for an energy audit, said Carlos Martin, a researcher at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“This surge over the past two years has just been such a shock to the affordability levels of potential homebuyers,” said Daniel McCue, senior research associate at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

“It’s that weird combination of stability and security,” Carlos Martín, the project director for the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University, said. “We have a very unique way of thinking about housing. It is associated with a lot of our cultural imagery in this country, as well as our financial situation.”

Jennifer Molinsky, who directs the Housing an Aging Society Program at Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, thinks there won’t be a “great senior selloff” in the housing market, but she worries about where aging boomers are going to live.

The publication of a new research paper from the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University has provided policymakers with a useful nationwide assessment of different state-level policies regarding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) in the United States.

Homeowners spent $489 billion on improvements and repairs over the 12 months ending in September, according to Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies, a 5.4% gain over the previous period on top of a 17% gain the year before.

Jennifer Molinsky, project director of the Housing an Aging Society program at the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, said advocacy for aging adults at the county and city levels — where most zoning decisions are made — is essential to creating more housing that is accessible for older adults.

To afford that, a household would need an annual income of almost $300,000 for the single-family home, or more than $255,000 for the condo, to cover mortgage and other costs, said Daniel McCue, senior research associate at Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.