The Housing Narrative Lab develops data-driven and research-based communications tools. Our approach delivers trusted information about housing insecurity and homelessness to advocates, journalists and policymakers. Find our current research below.
This document provides a brief overview of the messaging and public opinion research conducted among residents of Tulsa, OK, Omaha and Lincoln, NE and statewide in Minnesota. We hope the information will support national and regional advocates in their work to build broad support to solve the challenges of housing affordability and homelessness.
Research
The Housing Narrative Lab, in partnership with the National Homelessness Law Center and Lake Research Partners, conducted national research in early 2024 to understand what the public thinks about efforts to arrest, fine and ticket people who experience unsheltered homelessness and identify messaging that builds support for effective, compassionate solutions.
Research, Guides
These messages aim to support your communications about homelessness, housing, asylum seekers and migrants. With many communities facing a sudden influx of asylum seekers we are seeing vulnerable groups being pitted against one another, and blamed for increases in unsheltered homelessness.
Guides
Estos mensajes tienen como objetivo respaldar sus comunicaciones sobre personas sin hogar, vivienda, solicitantes de asilo y migrantes. Dado que muchas comunidades se enfrentan a una afluencia repentina de solicitantes de asilo, estamos viendo cómo se enfrentan grupos vulnerables entre sí y se les culpa del aumento de las personas sin hogar.
Guides
Housing Narrative Lab developed this free mini guide to help the field create impactful messages, use language that connects with audiences and employ strategic communication techniques to bring about real change.
Guides
Highlights key findings from our national narrative research project and provides essentials and tips to keep in mind when crafting messages, as well as guidance on words and phrases to avoid.
Research, Guides
In consultation with people with lived experience and experts in the field, Housing Narrative Lab compiled this list of recommendations for supporting those who have experienced homelessness or unstable housing in sharing their story.
Guides
National and grassroots organizations and the philanthropy community have undertaken various narrative research projects. While the research and approaches vary, they share commonalities we can use to build narrative power. Here are essentials highlighted in all of the research.
Research
Sample messages with links to images and videos that start from a place of connection through the common values.
Toolkits
The words we all use matter – whether speaking or writing – we build narratives with words and images. Here’s a handy guide about important language choices based on a lot of recent research, including the Lab’s.
Guides
Eight steps to help you write an effective op-ed to reach your audience and goals, and ultimately build your narrative.
Guides
The third phase of our national narrative research project tested 30-second video clips to determine framing we can experiment with to mobilize the base, persuade the persuadables and neutralize the opposition.
Research
The initial stage of the narrative and messaging research project identified and probed the status quo narrative of “personal responsibility” and identified values and messaging targets for a new homeless narrative focused on social responsibility and the root causes of homelessness.
Research
Lake Research Partners analyzed Twitter conversations about homelessness and housing among both the general public and reporters covering these issues.
Research
Housing Narrative Lab pulled out the highlights from some key research studies from our partners in these short summary documents. See full research reports linked below.
Research
Housing Justice Narrative Initiative
In-depth public opinion research by Community Change, Policy Link and Race Forward points to ways to intensify support for housing justice policies—and to a few danger spots to avoid.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI)
This white paper outlines research conducted by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative’s (CZI) Public Opinion and Survey Science research team, in partnership with CZI’s Housing Affordability team, to identify a unifying narrative to shift attitudes and values in support of housing reforms across California.
Invisible People
Comprehensive research on how the public perceives people experiencing homelessness.
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. and Frame Works Institute
In this paper, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. and Frame Works Institute lay out the challenges that advocates face and use new research conducted by the FrameWorks Institute to put forward evidence-based messaging recommendations that can be used to advance a strong affordable housing and community development agenda.
Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH)
In partnership with a diverse range of organizations from all over the Bay Area and spanning multi-industry, issues, and audiences, the Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California (NPH) is working to advance research-driven and field-practiced strategies, tactics, and messages that will help us seize this powerful moment to drive new narratives for our movement!
Funders Together To End Homelessness San Diego
A one-year campaign to determine which messaging is most effective conducted by Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego and Mixte Communications.
Funders Together to End Homelessness
Funders Together to End Homelessness compiled a list of resources, past and current research projects, and programming focused on homelessness and housing messaging that can help guide funders as they look to implement narrative and messaging campaigns in the community to build both political and public will to end housing insecurity.
Invisible People
In this report, Invisible People seeks to delve deeper into the intersections between homelessness, housing, and policing, and explore how people’s perceptions and experiences impact their views about homelessness.
