Reveal
A wide range of research methods can draw from public data, on-the-ground observations, and interaction with community members to understand current and future housing issues impacting communities. Research themes may address the housing market, housing conditions, inventories, and other data points to reveal the housing story specific to a particular place – and may be part of an exploratory process that lays the groundwork for next steps or projects.
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Reimagining Housing Futures: Community-Centered Brownfield Redevelopment in Salt Lake City, Utah
Stakeholder/Partners: The Other Side Village, Technical Assistance to Brownfields, U.S. EPA Location: Salt Lake City, UT Area of Focus: Housing to Brownfields Department/Courses Involved: Landscape Architecture and Regional and Community Planning Project Funding: EPA TAB PIs: Susmita Rishi and Shakil Kashem Executive Summary: This poster presents findings from an ongoing…
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Zoned out: land use policy and the unhoused in Des Moines, Iowa
Stakeholder/Partners: Unhoused Community of Des Moines Location: Des Moines, IA Area of Focus: XYZ Department/Courses Involved: XYZ Graduate Student: Bethany Stock MRCP 2025 Mentor: Dr. Susmita Rishi Executive Summary: According to a recent HUD report, at least 582,500 Urban Americans are unhoused on any night. The US Midwest, known for…
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Integrating hemp in a replicable model for affordable, low carbon housing: a zero carbon microhome prototype for the Kansas Flint Hills
Stakeholder/Partners: Habitat for Humanity of the Northern Flint Hills, Prairie Band Agriculture Location: Manhattan Ogden, KS Area of Focus: Hempcrete, Hemp Insulation, Zero Carbon Construction Department/Courses Involved: Architecture Project Funding: K-State 105 Engagement Initiative Executive Summary: Homes in the U.S. account for a substantial share of energy use and emissions,…
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Building Codes and Housing Resilience: Homeowners’ Perceptions on Sustainable Rebuilding
Stakeholder/Partners: Displaced Homeowners (study participants) Location: 2018-2020 (California), 2021-2024 (Kansas) Timeline: 2018-2024 Area of Focus: Disaster Displacement, Building Codes, Housing Resilience, Rebuilding Department/Courses Involved: Interior Architecture Executive Summary: Assistant Professor of Interior Architecture Mariana Junqueira presented a paper titled “Building Codes and Housing Resilience in California: Displaced Homeowners’ Perceptions on…
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Better Housing Consortium First Open Meeting
Introduction The Kansas Better Housing Consortium kicked off its first open meeting with a warm welcome and lunch at noon. Attendees had the opportunity to network and share their enthusiasm for the consortium’s mission before diving into the day’s agenda. In attendance were diverse stakeholders invited by APDesign faculty and…
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![Double-Wide Lives: realities of chasing the American dream in its mobile home parks [MHPs]](https://better-housing.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/rish_jenningsmhp_header.jpg?w=1024)
Double-Wide Lives: realities of chasing the American dream in its mobile home parks [MHPs]
Stakeholder/Partners: Various Manhattan, KS Mobile Home Park Residents Location: Manhattan, KS Area of Focus: Mobile Home Parks Department/Courses Involved: Regional and Community Planning Masters Thesis. PI: Dr. Susmita Rishi Graduate Student: Kylee Jennings MRCP 2024 Executive Summary: Today, the US faces an unprecedented housing crisis where in no State can…
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Lean Tech, High Performance: Balancing Affordability and Technology in Net Zero Housing
Area of Focus: Affordable Housing Technology, Net Zero Housing Department/Courses Involved: Architecture Author: Michael Gibson, AIA, NCARB, LEED A.P. Executive Summary: U.S. homes, with a median age nearing 50 years, are part of a convoluted legacy of production methods prioritizing inexpensive materials and straightforward construction. Consequently, residential buildings end up…
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Transforming Issues in Housing Design
Area of Focus: Housing Research Editor: Assoc. Prof. Kutay Gular, Interior Architecture Executive Summary: Transforming Issues in Housing Design delivers a comprehensive vision for the design, philosophy, psychology, efficiency, and constitution of housing. This collection of articles explores many of the most pressing and relevant issues related to the ongoing transformation…
Kansas Better Housing Consortium 