In a new @gsd.harvard.edu magazine essay, @magdamaaoui.bsky.social & @airbrycki.bsky.social unpack how the Massachusetts’ MBTA Communities Act is playing out across the state. While compliance with the law looks high, their research shows more nuance. www.harvarddesignmagazine.org/articles/mbt...

Declining immigration is undermining national population growth, per the @harvard-jchs.bsky.social State of the Nation's Housing report, and my most recent blog post explains how that breaks down on the local level: www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/declini....

Massachusetts needs more housing, especially in walkable, transit-served neighborhoods. Recent policy reform has focused on zoning, but building codes play a key role in what kind of housing gets built. Join us July 14 for a new @bosindicators.bsky.social report. www.tbf.org/Events/2026/...

From 2014-2024, the number of apartments renting for under $1,000/mo dropped by a third. “It's a function of a lack of supply pushing up rents generally, and the fact that building new has gotten so bloody expensive,” says our managing director Chris Herbert. www.marketplace.org/story/2026/0...

The 2026 State of the Nation's Housing report is out, and the headlines are telling. Check out the key takeaways from @harvard-jchs.bsky.social www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/ten-tak...

“The 2026 report… reveals a market where activity remains subdued, demand is weakening, and high costs are sidelining many would-be buyers and renters.” www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/ten-tak... Via @harvard-jchs.bsky.social

Home prices are up 54% since 2020!

In 2021, about 2 million new households formed. In 2025, that number decreased by almost a half. What could that mean for the housing market?

High costs and short supply are hurting the U.S. housing market, as household growth slowed for the third straight year in 2025. Our managing director Chris Herbert discussed the new report on @cbsnews.com yesterday. www.cbsnews.com/video/househ...

Our State of the Nation's Housing livestream is kicking off now, still time to join us! www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/sta...

Why so many Americans can’t afford housing anymore

“The 2026 report… reveals a market where activity remains subdued, demand is weakening, and high costs are sidelining many would-be buyers and renters.” www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/ten-tak... Via @harvard-jchs.bsky.social

As cost burdens for renters reached another record high, 20.7 million homeowners were cost burdened in 2024 as well, a whopping increase of 4.0 million households since 2019. Try the interactive maps in our new State of the Nation's Housing report, out today: www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...

Home prices are up 54% since 2020, and the median existing single-family sales price is 5x the median household income. Meanwhile, 22.7 million renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing. Our new report is out today; 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 @ 𝟰𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗧. www.jchs.harvard.edu/state-nation...

Our 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 report, out today, reveals 22.7 million cost-burdened renters, record-low mobility, and home sales at 30-year lows as Americans struggle with affordability. www.msn.com/en-us/money/...

Next Mon, June 22, @samarascheckler.bsky.social will join this @habitat-org.bsky.social event, 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 to share the work our Center is doing on Black intergenerational homeownership. Register to attend: shorturl.at/iGlbc

Delighted to announce that two @harvard.edu PhD candidates have been named 2026 Meyer Fellows: Seetha Davis is a PhD candidate @hsph.harvard.edu and a medical student at @harvardmed.bsky.social. Shira Li is a PhD candidate at Harvard Business School. www.jchs.harvard.edu/press-releas...

Property management companies play an important role in the rental market, and are critical for tenants, but we know surprisingly little about how their portfolios differ and how concentrated the industry really is. @airbrycki.bsky.social www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/landsca...

“While the number of people experiencing homelessness fell for the first time since 2016, driven largely by a decrease in people staying in shelters, the decline was modest and homelessness remains well above pre-pandemic levels.” - @harvard-jchs.bsky.social

#MapMonday: how did sheltered homelessness change by state in Jan 2025? Per @airbrycki.bsky.social, an overall decline was driven by drops in NY, IL, CO & MA, offsetting increases elsewhere, including a hurricane-related jump in NC: www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/homeles... @harvard-jchs.bsky.social

While the number of people experiencing homelessness fell for the first time since 2016, driven largely by a decrease in people staying in shelters, the decline was modest and homelessness remains well above pre-pandemic levels writes @airbrycki.bsky.social. www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/homeles...

US housing is under strain: affordability is worsening, sales are at 30-year lows, inventory and vacancies are up, cost burdens have again hit record highs, and federal aid is underfunded. Join us 𝗪𝗲𝗱, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳 for The State of the Nation's Housing 2026. www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/sta...

The winners of this year’s 𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘇𝗲 are: Ehao Wu for "Sponge City and Impermeable Housing Value" and Sebastian Rodriguez Leon for "A Comprehensive Revision to Colombian Policy Tools for Improving Housing Conditions." @gsd.harvard.edu @harvardkennedy.bsky.social Congratulations!

With funding from our Center, 23 students from across @harvard.edu will 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗦 at public agencies, nonprofits, and innovative for-profit orgs. @gsd.harvard.edu @harvardkennedy.bsky.social www.jchs.harvard.edu/press-releas...

Our Center seeks applications for a 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 to research topics related to home improvement and repair markets, housing preservation and adaptation, disaster recovery and climate resilience, demographics and finances, housing policy, and more. www.jchs.harvard.edu/research-ass...

Persistent unaffordability and economic uncertainty are squeezing US housing, with high costs, slumping demand, and profoundly underfunded assistance. Join us for the release of our 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻'𝘀 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 report on 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟭𝟳 𝗮𝘁 𝟰𝗽𝗺 𝗘𝗧. www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/sta...

The legislation, which had been stalled amid Republican divisions, passed overwhelmingly, signaling an eagerness in both parties to address affordability in an election year. @rondakaysen.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/2026/05/20/u...

Remodeling projects are increasingly devoted to necessary fixes, says @sophiawedeen.bsky.social. In 2023, nearly half of all home improvement spending (49% or $197 billion) went toward replacements that affect a home’s safety and function—like roofing, windows, HVAC. www.realtor.com/news/trends/...

According to a new @nytimes.com editorial, cities and towns need to make two principal changes to bring down housing costs: 1) Loosen zoning laws to allow more multifamily homes. 2) Make it easier to build where it is already legal. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

Starting in about 20 mins, still time to join us!

TODAY @ 12:30 pm ET 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁-𝗢𝗰𝗰𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗘𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 How do those building and operating affordable housing assess the performance of their buildings? We'll discuss resident-centered evaluations and the management & delivery of affordable housing. mailchi.mp/harvard/toda...

There are two ingredients to rent burden: income and housing costs. It's possible for rents to go up and rent burdens go down if incomes are rising faster. But we haven’t seen that in America where rent increases have outpaced income growth. @airbrycki.bsky.social. www.nytimes.com/2026/05/13/h...

Announcing the winners of the 2026 Ivory Prize!!!!!🏆 The City of Chattanooga TradesFutures The City of New Rochelle The City of Boston: Boston Acquisition Fund @housing.boston.gov We’re excited to recognize these visionaries tackling the housing crisis! www.ivoryinnovations.org/ivory-prize

How can we tell whether affordable housing truly serves its residents? Next 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟱, join us for a conversation about how resident-centered post-occupancy evaluations (POEs) can be integrated into the delivery & ongoing management of affordable housing. www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/pos...

Spending on remodeling will grow by just 0.5% in the coming year, which is well below the rate of inflation. Projected challenges include the cost of materials and the availability of labor, our Rachel Bogardus Drew tells @marketplace.org. www.marketplace.org/story/2026/0...

Home improvement spending is projected to slow sharply in early 2027, according to our LIRA. Remodeling follows the housing market, so without a construction rebound, we’re likely to see remodeling spending remain in this low-growth range for the near future. www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/remodel...

Older adults need services and supports, which eat into budgets, says @jenmolinsky.bsky.social. If we want an interconnected, intergenerational, robust, supportive community, we need housing options that meet all of those needs. @theharvardcrimson.bsky.social www.thecrimson.com/article/2026...

How do we know if affordable housing works for those who live in it? On Friday, May 15, we'll examine how resident-centered post-occupancy evaluations can move us beyond design intent to improve the delivery and management of affordable housing. 👉 Register: www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/pos...

This project is so amazing. I live in @cambridgemass.bsky.social and ride my bike by there often. I never noticed it! Just kept seeing the old mansion house on Mass Ave.

Social housing isn’t public housing with a new name. It’s a different way to think about land, funding, design, and who our cities and housing are for. Four researchers sat down for a @gsd.harvard.edu roundtable discussion. @magdamaaoui.bsky.social www.harvarddesignmagazine.org/articles/soc...

𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻! We are hard at work on our next State of Housing Design book, and we’re eager to hear from people involved in the design, production, and/or regulation of housing that tackles affordability, sustainability, density, etc. 👉 shorturl.at/B3B64

“We’re seeing house prices growing low single digits, basically, less than inflation,” says our director Chris Herbert. “And so while we say that house prices haven't fallen, they are falling in real terms after we account for inflation.” @marketplace.org www.marketplace.org/story/2026/0...

Many older adults face a dual burden of housing and care costs, says @samarascheckler.bsky.social. And the consequences can be severe, as deferred repairs erode home equity, and as deteriorating conditions can harm health and increase social isolation. www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/r...

In a new paper, @airbrycki.bsky.social and her coauthors show that when you include tax credits, SNAP, and energy assistance, fewer low-income renters appear cost-burdened, underscoring how these policies can reduce burdens & improve the well-being of renters. www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/governm...

Beyond offsetting financial woes, shared living arrangements among older adults can help combat social isolation, said @jenmolinsky.bsky.social. Homeowners over 80 are more likely to live alone than those in other age groups. @bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com/2026/04/24/b...

Our historian & longtime Cambridge resident Alexander von Hoffman argues that we need to build and preserve modest single-family homes through zoning reform, small-lot development, ADUs, public land strategies, and policies to stop teardown-to-mansion pipelines. www.jchs.harvard.edu/blog/disappe...

For the third year in a row, landlords filed more than 1.2 million evictions across the 30+ cities and 10 states we track monthly. Break down the numbers with us below in our 2025 annual report 🧵 evictionlab.org/ets-report-2...

Intergenerational housing isn’t a niche idea anymore—it’s emerging as a powerful response to soaring housing costs, social isolation, and gaps in care. Thanks to Krista Sykes @gsd.harvard.edu for a great article about our recent Living Together by Design event: www.gsd.harvard.edu/2026/04/inte...

🔔 We have 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗟𝗜𝗥𝗔) and, due to ongoing delays in the availability of underlying data, the forthcoming LIRA has been 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝘂𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. Read the revised LIRA: www.jchs.harvard.edu/press-releas...

Session proposals are now being accepted for the 2026 I’m HOME Conference. The conference will be held from September 16 to 17 in Detroit and will highlight policy and technical advancements in the off-site housing industry. Proposals are due by May 14: go.lincolninst.edu/l/153411/202...