Over the last decade, housing affordability has become a key concern for households, policy makers, planners alike.  Escalating housing costs, stagnant real incomes, and structural shifts in housing systems have made access to adequate and affordable housing increasingly unequal. This session invites contributions that explore the drivers of housing (un)affordability, the role of housing policy and planning, and the socio-spatial implications of these dynamics across different urban, regional, and national contexts.

We invite contributions at multiple spatial scales, from local neighborhood effects to national housing regimes and transnational investment flows. The session seeks to foster dialogue between scholars examining affordability as both an economic and spatial problem, and those addressing how planning interventions and housing policies can mitigate or exacerbate affordability pressures.

We further welcome theoretical, empirical, and methodological contributions that advance understanding of what drives or mitigates housing (un)affordability and how it can be measured.  Topics may include, but are not limited to, the influence of market regulation and rent controls, the governance of affordable housing provision, ownership of real estate, financialization and institutional investment, short-term rentals, and gentrification processes.

By integrating insights across disciplines and scales, this session aims to deepen our understanding of the complex relationships between housing markets, planning, and policy. It seeks to advance the debate on how planning and governance can effectively respond to the economic inequality and socio-spatial consequences of affordability crises in contemporary housing systems.

If you would like to submit your abstract on this topic, you will find detailed information on these pages:

• Registration
• Conference Fees
• Call for Papers
• Submission Deadlines
• Online registration portal MY.CORP

Accepted papers (reviewed and non-reviewed) are published in the conference proceedings and assigned a DOI.