Insights
Original analysis
These essays are written for The Housing Future Project. They cite reusable sources, label fact, data, analysis, scenario, and opinion, and do not pretend to be a news wire.
The Past
How we got here: the forces behind today's housing conditionsThere is no single origin story for the housing crisis. High-income cities, informal megacities, and ageing societies arrived at shortage and unaffordability by different routes. The common thread is that homes are produced slowly in the places people most need them.
16 September 2026 · 14 minute read · Stephen S. Jemal
The Present
Housing today: what the evidence actually showsThe present is not a vibe. It is a set of datasets with dates, geographies, and methods. This article stays inside those limits on purpose.
16 September 2026 · 12 minute read · Stephen S. Jemal
The Future
Where we're headed if current conditions persistThis is not a forecast. It is a set of conditional stories: what could follow if construction, incomes, and policy stay near their current paths — and what would have to change.
16 September 2026 · 11 minute read · Stephen S. Jemal
Data
Measuring affordability without fooling ourselvesAffordability looks precise because it is a ratio. The ratio is only as honest as its numerator, its denominator, and its geography.
16 September 2026 · 9 minute read · Stephen S. Jemal