Resources

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.

Research
Guides
Toolkits

Advancing Narratives for Housing and Care in a Reactionary Landscape

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

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Framing/Messaging Guidance: Housing/Asylum-seekers and migrants

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

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Guía de Encuadre/Mensajes: Vivienda/Solicitante de Asilo y Migrantes

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

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Abbreviated Field Guide for Narrative Change

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

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Recommendations for supporting storytellers

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

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Narrative Essentials

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

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Words to Embrace and Replace

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

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Swayable Narrative Message Test

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

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Public Opinion Research on Homeless Messaging

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

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Summaries of Partner 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

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Partner Research and Resources

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

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.

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Shift The Bay: Seize The Narrative

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!

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Homelessness and Housing Narrative Change and Messaging Resources

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.

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Barriers to Progress

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.

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