“No society can be fully understood without the locations of its members.”
I have this quote (from “Crabgrass Frontier,” the seminal history of the American suburbs) pinned to a wall behind my desk. It sums up why I love covering housing for The New York Times, and I never seem to run out of things to write about. Housing is everything. This is where we live and raise our families. For most people, it is the largest store of wealth. Whether you own your property, rent or sleep outside, where you hang your head determines a large part of your existence.
Over the past few decades, and especially since the pandemic, housing has gone from a symbol of American strength to an everyday crisis. Aspiring homeowners become long-term tenants. People are living in increasingly cramped households, the supply of illegal housing has skyrocketed and the number of homeless camps has multiplied. People are fleeing expensive states for cheaper ones – which in turn has led to housing problems in the cities where they end up.
There have also been new opportunities: The rise of home offices has allowed many people to relocate to cheaper housing markets and has led a number of families to quit their 9-to-5 jobs and remodel their property or become landlords. In California and elsewhere, the legalization of backyard homes has inspired a number of homeowners to become developers by building small rental units on their properties.
Over the past few years, I've covered virtually every aspect of America's housing crisis, from the officials in statehouses trying to combat it to the people suffering its consequences. I write about renters and landlords, developers and environmentalists, public and private housing—even trying to build a new city from the ground up.
My stories are thematically diverse and come from all over the country, but the common thread is that they are rooted in the accounts of people and the places where they are created. That's why I want to hear from you. I want to know what types of housing pressures you have struggled with and how it has affected your life, your family, your friendships, and your community. And I want to know what stories or topics you think need more attention. The articles I write are inspired by the stories people tell me.
I have read all submissions. I also keep checking back to ask more questions and make sure my facts are correct before I publish anything. I will not publish anything without your express consent and will not use your contact information for any other purpose or share it outside of the newsroom. If you would like to submit information anonymously, please visit our Tips page.