Housing

Everyone knows that good housing costs too much. But this isn’t changing policy. Different frames are important in addressing this issue and getting it right.

Although concern around housing costs is a regular feature in our public and media conversation, little changes in how the system works.

Framing can help. An affordability frame leads people to think in terms of personal budgets and individual responsibility. An availability frame, on the other hand, points people to the role of public policy in providing access.

The housing equity narrative needs to shift in its balance between “problems” and “solutions”. The movement’s challenge isn’t to convince the public that the system is broken; the challenge is to show that it can be fixed.

Explore guidance on how to frame housing, homelessness, and related issues here.

Featured Work

Report

“You Don’t Have to Live Here”: Why Housing Messages Are Backfiring and 10 Things We Can Do About It

Housing is the starting point for life trajectories—often determining who has access to good jobs, good food, safe parks, or effective schools. But this perspective is difficult for the public...

Report

Finding a Frame for Affordable Housing

Findings from reframing research on affordable housing and community development.

External article

Getting over the right message about the link between poverty and housing is vital

In this commentary in the Guardian, FrameWorks CEO Nat Kendall-Taylor discusses research on how the British public thinks about poverty and how it intersects with and applies to messages about...

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Framing Resource

Explaining the Social Determinants of Health

Here are helpful things to keep in mind when you’re trying to explain why some demographic groups experience better or worse health outcomes than others.

Report

Where We Thrive: Communicating about Resident-Centered Neighborhood Revitalization

This strategic brief offers guidance—in the form of a comprehensive framing strategy—that community builders can use to share their successes, communicate the challenges they face, and...

Report

Research Methods Supplement – Where We Thrive: Communicating about Resident-Centered Neighborhood Revitalization

A description of research methods and supporting data, offered in supplement to the Where We Thrive Strategic Framing Brief

Toolkit

Where We Thrive: Communicating about Resident-Centered Neighborhood Revitalization

If you want to build support for place-based initiatives and communicate effectively about neighborhood revitalization—and in the process change the public narrative about the root causes of...

Report

Talking about homes: the foundation for a decent life

This report, supported by the Nationwide Foundation and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, explores how people think about homes, and how we can shape a new story – building public understanding...

Report

Talking about homes: research methods supplement

This supplement provides detailed information on the research informing FrameWorks’ strategic brief on addressing the obstacles in public thinking about housing in the UK and leverage the openings.

Report

Communicating about housing in the UK: obstacles, openings and emerging recommendations

We need a new conversation about housing in the UK, to build greater public support and action to deliver quality homes for all.

Report

Communicating about Intergenerational Urban Poverty and Race in America: Challenges, Opportunities, and Emerging Recommendations

Emerging and longstanding solutions focused on what each neighborhood needs, crafted in collaboration with the communities that would benefit from those solutions, bring hope and new possibilities...

Report

Moving from Concern to Concrete Change: How to build support for more social housing

The most effective way to build public support for creating more social housing is to frame it as a way of tackling poverty.

Report

Moving from Concern to Concrete Change: Research Methods Appendix

This supplement provides detailed information on the research that informs FrameWorks’ strategic memo on social housing.

Frame Testing Recommendations

Piecing It Together: A Communications Playbook for Affordable Housing Advocates

How can we lead more productive public conversations about inclusive housing policy, community development, and affordable housing? This playbook helps us reframe.

Report

Finding a Frame for Affordable Housing

Findings from reframing research on affordable housing and community development.