Princeton NJ Non-Profit Announcements

Housing Policy Economist Dr. Jenny Schuetz to Speak at Housing Initiatives of Princeton's Spring Event

Princeton, New Jersey - As the housing shortage continues to grip Mercer County and much of the nation, renowned economist Dr. Jenny Schuetz will share her considerable insights at Housing Initiatives of Princeton's (HIP) annual Spring Gathering on Sunday, May 4. The public is invited to join Dr. Schuetz, author of Fixer Upper: How to Repair America's Broken Housing Systems, for an afternoon of food, jazz, libations, and a solutions-focused conversation on how to help local families who are housing insecure. 

For tickets and sponsorship information visit https://www.housinginitiativesofprinceton.org. All proceeds support HIP's mission to help local families and individuals facing eviction, housing instability, and homelessness to build toward a sustainable future via stable housing, improved employment, and a network of support services.

In Mercer County, homelessness is up 31% over the prior year (NJ PIT Count). "The conversation on how to remove barriers low-income families face to securing homes is especially critical at this moment," says HIP Board Chair Tom Pinneo. "We are delighted to host Dr. Schuetz, who is leveraging her research to help drive policies that will provide housing to more families." 

"We are at a crisis point," Dr. Schuetz told Ezra Klein, as a guest on his podcast, after the release of her book. "And the current approaches [to homelessness] are not working. They are not scaling up, but we haven't tried something that's radically different." 

At the May 4 event, Dr. Schuetz will dig into the challenges to housing affordability and supply, including updates on macroeconomic conditions; policy changes that could help Princeton, based on what she has noted in other mid-sized communities and college towns; and how to change state and local relationships around housing policy, including the Mount Laurel decision and current statewide proposals for New Jersey. 

Dr. Schuetz brings more than 25 years of experience to this discussion, as a housing policy economist, professor, and author. She has worked with the Federal Reserve Bank, Brookings Metro, and currently leads Arnold Venture's efforts to expand the housing supply and make it easier to build more and different types of housing. She received a Ph.D. in public policy from Harvard University, an M.A. in city planning from M.I.T., and a B.A. in economics and political and social thought from the University of Virginia.

Housing Initiatives of Princeton has been assisting local families and individuals for 24 years, by providing transitional housing and emergency eviction prevention services. In 2024, HIP's Eviction Prevention Program helped 350 Mercer County children and adults remain in their homes or secure a new one. Last year, HIP's Transitional Housing Program helped 30 parents and children move from homelessness toward a permanent, affordable home of their own, with improved employment, financial stability, and the necessary support services to succeed long term. HIP also advocates locally and at the state level for policies and initiatives to increase access to housing for low income families.

The results from intervening at the moment a family is experiencing a crisis with their housing are transformational. HIP's 2023-24 Impact Study, led by two Princeton University interns, indicated that 92 percent of families helped over the last 13 years through HIP's Transitional Housing Program are still living in stable housing today, 100 percent are employed, and 100 percent said they are better off financially. Respondents also said that their children had benefited from the academic and enrichment support HIP provides. Further, 94% of families HIP helped over the past year through their Eviction Prevention Program were still living in the homes that HIP helped them keep or secure.