Solving America’s housing crisis: A Q&A with Marcia Fudge, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
Presented jointly with the Initiative on Health and Homelessness at Harvard Chan School; Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies; Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative; and the Government Performance Lab at HKS
At least 40 million American households—including half of all renters—spend more on housing than they can afford. Many lower-income renters are just scraping by, often sacrificing necessities like food and healthcare to pay the rent. And the number who are homeless is surging: 770,000 people, according to a 2024 count, many of whom have jobs but still can’t afford housing. Marcia Fudge, former secretary of Housing and Urban Development, spoke with Howard Koh, chair of Harvard Chan School’s Initiative on Health and Homelessness, about the forces driving the housing crisis and ways to make housing more affordable.
SPEAKER
Marcia Fudge, Former U.S. Secretary for Housing and Urban Development, and Richard M. and Ronay A. Menschel Senior Leadership Fellow, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
MODERATOR
Howard Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
