Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies’ Post

One element of the building code that is receiving increasing attention is the requirement for more than one staircase in buildings over 3 stories and with 12+ units. A new report out today (livestream @ 9am ET), examines whether relaxing this requirement could unlock both more housing and more appealing types of homes, especially in urban areas. https://lnkd.in/eEK7Fd6W

Immigrants "cannot be blamed for the recent surge in home prices and rents that took off in 2020 and 2021," says our managing director Chris Herbert. That was when immigration reached its lowest levels in decades because of the pandemic. When immigration started to surge in 2022 and peaked in 2023, growth in home prices and rents slowed dramatically. Trends in interest rates and the pandemic-induced demand for housing were mostly responsible for the recent trends in housing costs. https://lnkd.in/eUFZgKeQ

Happy 100th birthday to President Carter from everyone our Center who puts on a hard hat each year to help Habitat for Humanity International in its mission to build homes, communities, and hope.

Today @ 1pm ET: Kevin F. Adler joins us at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to discuss his book, When We Walk By, which recasts chronic homelessness as a byproduct of twin crises: the failure of both our social services systems and our humanity. In person + online. https://lnkd.in/e_MYvYzf

Record-high home prices and interest rates have priced many out of homeownership, but they are also putting pressure on a growing number of existing low-income homeowners who have few avenues to turn to for help and whose ability to keep their homes is in jeopardy, writes Daniel McCue in a new Shelterforce article. https://lnkd.in/ekumHkjR

Social determinants of health, including socioeconomic and environmental factors, drive over 80% of health outcomes. Research from our NeighborWorks America-funded Gramlich Fellow Aleksandra Czulak suggests that partnerships for health equity can improve both health system capacity and health outcomes. https://lnkd.in/eA_-K37u

A new paper written by our Gramlich Fellow (and recent Harvard University Graduate School of Design graduate) Haewon Ma, and co-published by NeighborWorks America, explores how nonprofit housing organizations are using ADUs to expand affordable housing, especially for smaller households, older adults, and cash-strapped homeowners. https://lnkd.in/dpnK6DUT

About 77% of older adults want to age in their current home, which requires an objective assessment of the home, honest discussions with family, and a realistic financial plan. Delaying preparation—or not preparing at all—makes the difficult task of aging at home even harder. https://lnkd.in/eYm64YNK

Join us Thursday, October 10 at The Boston Foundation for the release of a new report exploring the potential for allowing single-staircase designs, particularly in smaller, urban parcels, to unlock more affordable, space-efficient housing. In-person and online @ 9am ET. https://lnkd.in/eMxVDpQi