Press Releases

Cambridge, MA – Strongly accelerating growth in home improvement and repair spending is expected heading into 2017, according to the newly re-benchmarked Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The new and improved LIRA projects that home remodeling spending will increase 8.6% by the end of 2016 and then further accelerate to 9.7% by the first quarter of next year.

Cambridge, MA and Washington, DC – Multifamily housing construction has accelerated to its fastest pace in nearly 30 years but has still not been sufficient to meet surging demand. Rental vacancy rates are now at their lowest point since 1985 and inflation-adjusted rents are rising 3.5 percent annually.

CAMBRIDGE, MA. – The number of households spending more than 50 percent of their income on rent is expected to rise at least 11 percent from 11.8 million to 13.1 million by 2025, according to new research by Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies (JCHS) and Enterprise Community Partners Inc (Enterprise).

Cambridge, MA - The fledgling U.S. housing recovery lost momentum last year as homeownership rates continued to fall, single-family construction remained near historic lows, and existing home sales cooled, concludes The State of the Nation’s Housing report released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. In contrast, rental markets continued to grow, fueled by another year of large increases in the numbers of renter households.

CAMBRIDGE, MA - In the wake of events in Ferguson, Staten Island, and around the country, three organizations at the Harvard Graduate School of Design will come together on the evening of WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8 to host an interactive conversation about the role of urban design in social justice and equity.  Sponsored by the Joint Center for Housing Studies, The Loeb Fellowshi

CAMBRIDGE, MA – In the aftermath of the Great Recession, the U.S. home improvement industry has fared much better than the broader housing market, according to a new report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and David T. Ellwood, Dean of the Harvard Kennedy School, announced today that Dr. Christopher E. Herbert has been appointed Managing Director of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, effective January 1, 2015. In making this announcement, the Deans noted that Herbert is a nationally recognized scholar and researcher with great depth of experience in housing analysis and public policy.