Press Releases

Steady Gains in Remodeling Activity Moving into 2018

CAMBRIDGE, MA – Healthy and stable growth in home improvement and repair spending is anticipated for the remainder of the year and into the first half of 2018, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. The LIRA projects that annual increases in remodeling expenditures will soften somewhat moving forward, but still remain at or above 6.0 percent through the second quarter of 2018.

Growing Demand and Tight Supply are Lifting Home Prices and Rents, Fueling Concerns about Housing Affordability

Cambridge, MA – A decade after the onset of the Great Recession, the national housing market has, by many measures, returned to normal, according to the latest State of the Nation’s Housing report, released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. Housing demand, home prices, and construction volumes are all on the rise, and the number of distressed homeowners has fallen sharply.

Announcing the 2017 John R. Meyer Dissertation Fellows

Doctoral students studying housing and mortgage markets, homeless youth, technological disruption in housing markets, and how the globalization of call centers is affecting urban development patterns have been named 2017 John R. Meyer Dissertation Fellows by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

Announcing the JCHS 2017 Summer Fellows

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, which advances understanding of housing issues and informs policy through its research, education, and public outreach programs, is pleased to announce its 2017 Summer Fellows:

Renovation Spending Continues to Grow, But More Slowly

Cambridge, MA – Strong gains in home remodeling and repair activity are expected to ease moving into next year, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Number of Older Adults in the US Expected to Surge, Highlighting Need for Accessible Housing and Policy Improvements

Cambridge, MA – By 2035, more than one in five people in the US will be aged 65 and older and one in three households will be headed by someone in that age group, according to Projections and Implications for Housing a Growing Population: Older Adults 2015-2035, a report released today by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. This growth will increase the demand for affordable, accessible housing that is well connected to services beyond what current supply can meet.

As the Housing Recovery Strengthens, Affordability and Other Challenges Remain. Harvard Research Center Releases The State of the Nation’s Housing 2016

Cambridge, MA and Washington, DC – The national housing market has now regained enough momentum to provide an engine of growth for the US economy, according to the latest The State of the Nation’s Housing report released today by the Joint Center for Housing Studies. Robust rental demand continues to drive the housing expansion, and sales, prices, and new construction of single-family homes are on the rise.