Washington State University and University of Idaho students are invited to participate in the Hack‑A‑House competition to tackle the challenge of affordable housing in the Pacific Northwest.
Students from any major are invited to participate in the 24‑hour hackathon-type event, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 1 in Carpenter Hall on the Pullman campus. The competition’s winning team will receive a trip to the Hive Conference, a national housing conference held in Austin, Texas in early December.
The way in which Americans finance and build housing has not changed much in the last century, said Ryan Smith, director of WSU’s School of Design and Construction and organizer of the event. One in four renters in the U.S. spends half of their income in rent, and median home prices are rising faster than inflation, particularly in the Pacific Northwest. The housing shortfall nationally is estimated at 7.3 million units.
“The lack of housing affordability is hindering people from accessing opportunity and stability,” said Smith.
The Hack‑A‑House competition will allow students to explore housing affordability challenges with leading experts in the field as well as to envision innovative solutions to housing finance, policy, design, and construction.
The event is sponsored by Ivory Innovations and Ivory Homes, Utah’s leading home building company. Visit the Hack‑A‑House website for more information and to register for the hackathon.
