At the Smart Cities Connect Conference Expo in Raleigh, North Carolina, our team brought a different perspective to the conversation around innovation: what if the true measure of a “smart” city isn’t just efficiency or advanced technology, but how well it supports the health and well-being of its communities, especially at the neighborhood level? Our panel explored how smart city initiatives can better serve residents by centering community voices from the very beginning. We shared about our...

Can increasing homeownership help prevent neighborhood decline? HSHE research expert, Margaret Dewar, PhD and HSHE Director Roshanak Mehdipanah, PhD, studied three Detroit programs that sold publicly owned homes to very-low-income residents found that 86% of participants remained owner-occupants after 5–6 years. These properties showed signs of better condition and lower vacancy risk compared to some alternatives. But there’s a catch: many homeowners struggled to afford major repairs and...

Read our new publication on how Michigan health systems are stepping beyond traditional care to address housing as a key driver of health: Michigan housing initiatives involving health systems: A narrative review led by HSHE research expert, Kim Rollings, PhD . A review of media reports (2015–2024) found 27 health systems involved in 36 housing initiatives—from rental assistance and home repairs to building affordable housing. These efforts span diverse populations and range from small...