Gain insights from our staff and partners on the latest in narrative research and grassroots communication. Hear stories from real people who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity.
If you would like to share a story or unique insight into the housing crisis forcing so many of our neighbors into homelessness, reach out to us at info@housingnarrativelab.org.
10/08/2025
By Gillian Gaynair Try something with me: Do not think about swimming in clear, turquoise water. Do not think about the jellyfish you see while swimming in clear, turquoise water. What was in your mind for you when you read those sentences? Did you imagine something other than clear, turquoise water and jellyfish? Probably not....
10/01/2025
The stories we tell and hear have a powerful way of shaping our world. I first saw this in a Portland coffee shop, where the narratives of the youth I worked with changed my perspective on what community means, and would shape the course of my life to come. In high school, I volunteered at...
07/11/2025
At the Housing Narrative Lab, we are on a mission to get the housing world to speak plainly. If we could put it on a bumper sticker, it would say, “Keep It Simple Superstar."
05/22/2025
At the Lab, we know that everyone — from advocates and politicians to celebrities and social media influencers — has a role in shaping the national conversation about housing and homelessness. The stories and messages we share can inform how the press covers these issues, what the public believes and how people feel about solutions....
02/25/2025
We live in a new era, and the stories we tell, who tells them and the platforms we share them on are shaping the narrative landscape. That’s why the Housing Narrative Lab and the NYC Fund to End Youth & Family Homelessness launched the I ♥️ Home: NYC Story Exchange. Together, we are showing what...
02/12/2025
A friend recently shared a page from a lovely children’s book he’s reading to his newborn baby about what it means for each of us to be a good ancestor. The page reads, “Be a good ancestor with your words. Words become expressions; expressions become stories; stories become narratives; narratives become truth.” – Leona Prince...
01/17/2025
20 years after Hurricane Katrina, natural disasters are creating even more need for housing and emergency planning as climate change fuels homelessness A note to readers: Fariha Tayyab’s blog post was written in the final months of 2024 before tens of thousands of Los Angeles residents lost their homes in wildfires. With each new disaster,...
12/05/2024
What does it take to change a big narrative? It takes many stories, shared consistently over time, that reach broad audiences. That is how we begin to shape people’s understanding of big social problems like homelessness and unstable housing, and what we can do to solve them. This year, our Housing Narrative Awards spotlight stories...
10/03/2024
How three of our partners use narrative research and message guidance. Author: Grover Wehman-Brown Narrative research is a powerful tool in building broad, strong support for the changes we need to create a world where we all can thrive. That said, sometimes people in the housing and advocacy field feel that certain recommended messages or...
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