Two studies by the FrameWorks Institute chart the communications landscape that housing advocates must navigate to convey the role quality, affordable housing plays in public heath, educational equity, and economic justice. The studies find that housing is often positioned as just another market commodity, which leads people to assume differential access to housing is inevitable and not possible to reform. The studies also find that the challenge facing housing advocates is not to convince the public that the system is broken, but to convince people that it can be fixed. FrameWorks, a recipient of the MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, recommends that advocates do a better job of talking about the broader positive impact housing affordability has on educational attainment, workforce participation, and health.
