A large body of research has demonstrated that apartment buildings and other types of multifamily housing can provide many benefits to a community, especially when built in high-demand areas where housing is badly needed. Multifamily housing can boost economic opportunity and foster growth while improving affordability; by increasing the availability of housing near jobs, stores, and transportation, it can also reduce commute times, traffic, energy consumption, and water usage.
In 2025, state legislatures enacted unprecedented reforms to improve the availability and affordability of housing, with lawmakers in Texas, Washington, and Montana leading the way with major successes. These states passed bills that target multiple regulatory barriers to increased housing—from parking requirements to building codes—demonstrating how individual reforms can cumulatively bring substantial policy change.
As artificial intelligence grows in popularity, new data centers must accommodate the systems’ enormous need for energy. At the same time, household energy usage is rising throughout the United States. These increasing demands for electricity are stressing our nation’s aging electric grid.
The urgency to build more homes grows as the nation confronts a widespread housing shortage, estimated at 4 million to 7 million homes. To combat this problem, policymakers are embracing manufactured housing—homes built in a factory according to a federal standard—as a fast and efficient solution for communities that need new single-family homes.
Most Americans buy their homes using mortgages, but millions take different approaches. Some pay with cash, others inherit properties from family members, and still more use alternative financing arrangements. Alternative financing is often used by homebuyers who are unable to get a mortgage, either because their property does not qualify for a standard loan or because a shortage of small mortgages makes it difficult for them to access financing. Instead, these buyers turn to alternatives that can be risky and costly, with few consumer protections.
In one of the world’s most urbanized coastal environments—the waters around Hong Kong—pressure from human activities is threatening the vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, known locally as the Chinese white dolphin.
It’s not exactly news that Americans are mistrustful of their federal government. What you may have heard less about is that trust in some historically respected institutions has also taken a hit in the post-pandemic years.
A new federal grant program may offer states throughout the U.S. an opportunity to expand and improve access to behavioral health services in rural communities as states prepare for the programmatic and budget implications of recent changes to federal Medicaid policy.
When the federal government imposes tariffs on imports, the effects often ripple far beyond cargo ships and customs offices. Tariffs have the potential to significantly influence state budgets by increasing uncertainty in economic forecasts, raising the costs of public projects, and disrupting revenue streams.
According to a recent national poll by The Pew Charitable Trusts, respondents with disabilities are far more likely to have engaged with the court system (49%) than those without disabilities (29%). Despite legal requirements to provide reasonable accommodations for court users with disabilities, and calls from court leadership to enhance access for all, the accessibility needs of people with disabilities often go unmet.
The ocean’s coral reefs support an estimated 25% of all known marine life yet are threatened by rising ocean temperatures and bleaching. In this “After the Fact” episode from our recurring “From Lab to Life” series, we look at ways scientists are pioneering efforts to save corals.
Human immune systems are intricate disease-fighting networks that begin forming in utero—in the womb before birth—to keep us healthy. Research shows that a mother’s environment and exposures during pregnancy can significantly affect how an infant’s immune system develops.
