Student Spotlight: Sophie Roe & Winston Tang

Sophie Roe is a student at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health undertaking a Master of Public Health in Health Policy due to graduate in 2025. Sophie is also a medical student at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine due to graduate in 2026.

Winston Tang is pursuing a dual degree at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Harvard Graduate School of Design, a Master of Public Policy and Master of Urban Planning due to graduate in 2026.

Tell us a little about your background, when and why you started to work in homelessness and housing?

Sophie: I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and my interest in homelessness began in high school, influenced by my father’s work as a criminal lawyer. Going to Pomona College outside of Los Angeles, I was struck by the stark contrast between my lush college campus and the highly visible homeless encampments just 5 minutes away. This led me to join community engagement efforts, including food delivery and employment support initiatives. Through this, I saw how homelessness creates barriers to employment and healthcare.

Wanting to learn more, I studied health policy and interned at Boston Healthcare for the Homeless Program, where I witnessed the critical need for medical care in this population. Now, as a medical student, I’m passionate about addressing the mental and physical health challenges of people experiencing homelessness and hope to dedicate my career to improving their access to care.

Winston: Housing has always been my primary interest. Fascinated by creating spaces since childhood, I studied architecture in undergrad and designed an affordable housing project for Washington, D.C. This sparked my passion for housing and infrastructure, leading me to work for a clean energy company and later for a Canadian Member of Parliament, where I focused on housing, homelessness, and infrastructure in downtown Toronto during the post-COVID crisis.

Now, I’m pursuing a dual degree in public policy and urban planning.  I want to find the common denominators of housing, green infrastructure and sustainable development.

You recently organized the first Housing Infrastructure, Policy, & Design Symposium at Harvard. What were some of the key messages you took away from the speakers?

Sophie: I learned a lot about development and some of the latest trends in the field. One big takeaway for me was just how crucial it is to have a mix of housing types that serve different income levels in a community. I didn’t fully appreciate before how much of an impact this has. A researcher studying the “missing middle” in a Boston neighborhood highlighted how the lack of mixed-income housing is fueling major income inequality. If we don’t address this, we’re just making the housing crisis worse.

Winston: Yes, and maybe just for those who aren’t aware,  the “missing middle” refers to multi-family housing types like duplexes, fourplexes, and small apartment buildings (typically 2-4 stories tall)—filling the gap between single-family homes and large apartment complexes. While single-family zoning alone cannot meet housing demand, missing middle housing is often restricted by zoning laws, making it difficult to build. Large developments also face permitting and financing challenges, but the lack of smaller-scale, incremental housing options exacerbates the affordability crisis.

Sophie: Another thing that really stood out was how Massachusetts is using Medicaid to support housing initiatives. The state was among the first to leverage 1115 and 1915 waivers to fund things like first and last month’s rent, housing search services, and other essential support. The Community Support Program for People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness (C-SPEC), which helps people dealing with behavioral health challenges and substance use disorders, has really simplified the process for accessing housing support. A key aspect of the program is that individuals with mental illness who are placed in housing are connected to individuals with lived experience who support them through moving into their new homes. This helps address the issue of chronically homeless people struggling to adjust to a new way of life in stable housing. The program also has funding to help folks with medical needs stay in their homes and remain healthy.

I also found the conversation with the Health and Shelter Alliance’s Joyce Tavon really eye-opening. The housing crisis isn’t just about Mass & Cass, it’s affecting rural communities too. Fall River, MA, for example, has a significant unhoused population, a housing affordability crisis, and shortage of rental units for low-income renters. One approach that’s been working is forming partnerships with private developers. We need to think beyond just urban centers when we talk about housing solutions.

The Mayor of Braintree brought up a huge issue: Not In My Backyard-ism (NIMBYism).
NIMBYism refers to opposition by residents to proposed developments in their local area, often related to housing, shelters, or other community services — especially when those developments are seen as beneficial for the broader community but perceived as undesirable in the immediate neighborhood. It’s one of the biggest obstacles to affordable housing projects. City council meetings can get downright hostile, with people strongly opposing affordable housing and, by extension, the people who need it. This kind of opposition is just as much of a barrier as funding itself.

Winston: Another topic that came up frequently during the forum was technology, particularly modular construction. It was also a major topic during discussions in DC, where both parties view it as a potential “low-hanging fruit” solution to the housing crisis. Modular homes and AI-driven innovations are being discussed as both short- and long-term policy strategies.

When it comes to policy, collaboration is key. All three levels of government—local, state, and federal—need to work together. Cities and towns play a critical role in zoning and planning, while state and federal governments are essential for broader funding and policy changes.

The housing and homelessness crisis isn’t just about building more homes. There are major intersections with health and climate issues too. Take natural disasters—wildfires in California and floods in North Carolina have made the crisis even worse by driving up  insurance rates and construction costs. Insurers have reduced coverage in high-risk areas, making homeownership more expensive, while rising rebuilding costs have slowed housing supply growth. It’s not just about zoning and building; we need to tackle these other factors at the same time.

Another big theme from the symposium was the uncertainty surrounding the second Trump administration and the new HUD secretary. No one really knows what’s going to happen at the federal level, and that uncertainty could have big consequences for funding. If things stall at the federal level, state and local governments will have to step up even more. Interestingly, in some Republican-led states like Utah and Florida, there’s strong bipartisan agreement on housing policies. That could be a model for other states to follow.

What role do you see for students in addressing homelessness?

Winston: I see the role of students in three ways: awareness, discussion, and action.

First, raising awareness is essential—ensuring students across all fields understand the housing crisis and its broader impact.

Second, discussion matters. It’s not enough to just be aware; people need to talk about these issues. In the U.S., homelessness has become a politically divisive topic. Liberals tend to advocate for a housing-first approach, viewing it as part of a broader social issue, while conservatives often argue for employment-focused solutions. These discussions are healthy, but they need to be thoughtful and avoid the trap of pure partisanship. Students should develop the skills to navigate these conversations in a productive way.

Finally, action is key. Students can get involved through internships, volunteering, or campus groups like the Harvard Kennedy School Homelessness Caucus. There’s also room for more initiatives, such as symposiums and policy tracks focused on homelessness. There’s much more we can do, and students have the power to drive real change.

Sophie: Students play a crucial role in starting conversations about the affordable housing crisis, which is happening in real time but isn’t always emphasized in our curriculum. While we analyze past policy challenges, housing is an urgent issue we’ll face in our careers, making it essential to bring into discussions.

Engaging with policymakers at all levels is key, as federal and local challenges differ, yet leaders across the political spectrum recognize housing as a major crisis. Equally important is listening to individuals who have experienced homelessness, challenging biases and deepening our understanding of root causes.

Homelessness and affordable housing must be discussed together. In cities like Boston, policies like right-to-shelter make homelessness less visible, but research shows a direct link between housing costs and homelessness rates. As students, we should focus conversations around homelessness and housing on the direct correlation between high housing costs and high rates of homelessness. These are literally the same challenges we face paying for our rent, which underscores how close we all are to homelessness. In starting these conversations, we must also remember that stigma and negative stereotypes are driving this crisis in tandem with flawed policies.

Ultimately, the focus must be on systemic solutions, not just charity. Real change requires policy shifts that address affordability and accessibility, and students have a role in pushing these conversations forward.

Winston: At Harvard, it’s been amazing to see students from different schools—like the Chan School of Public Health and the Law School—share an interest in housing and homelessness. Typically, each school operates independently, but there’s a real opportunity to form a broader coalition across the Harvard community and across universities. Since homelessness is a multifaceted issue, bringing together experts from diverse backgrounds would be incredibly valuable.

Additionally, incorporating an international perspective could be beneficial. At the symposium, we had housing policymakers from Botswana, Canada, China, and the U.S. discuss the crisis through different national lenses. While not all solutions are directly transferable, we can draw inspiration from countries like Japan and Singapore, which have successfully addressed housing challenges. Understanding global approaches could help inform better strategies here in the U.S.

How can students get involved at Harvard?

Winston: students can get involved with the HKS homelessness caucus, which includes opportunities to volunteer with homelessness shelters. Students can also engage with the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, which hosts events and produces research related to homelessness, for example a recent talk by a UCLA researcher discussing how AI can be used to address homelessness.

Sophie: students can also contact me to get involved in the Chan Coalition to End Homelessness (CCEH). The coalition’s goal is to serve as a central hub through which Chan students can get connected to volunteering and engage in organizing & advocacy for human rights-focused approaches to addressing homelessness that align with the stated goals and desires of people with lived experience or “expertise” in homelessness. 

Winston: There are also opportunities at other Harvard schools including the Tenant Advocacy Project at the Law School which is a Student Practice Organization providing advocacy for current and prospective public housing tenants and mobile voucher holders in the greater Boston area.

Sophie: Of course, students should also sign-up to the Initiative on Health and Homelessness (IHH) mailing list for events and programming. There are also opportunities for students to volunteer with both the Y2Y and Harvard Square Homeless Shelters in Cambridge.

Contacts

Sophie Rowe: sophieroe@hsph.harvard.edu

Winston Tang: winstontang@hks.harvard.edu

Alissa Ji: alissaji@hks.harvard.edu (HKS homelessness caucus)