Domestic

News August 1, 2026 Wachter on how the American Dream is faring at 250 Susan Wachter featured in Yahoo Finance on how the American Dream is faring as the U.S. turns 250  Housing
News July 30, 2026 Susan Wachter on the Great Postponement Hard work isn’t enough to achieve the American Dream anymore, says Penn IUR's Susan Wachter.  Housing
News July 29, 2026 Wachter on The State of the American Dream at 250 Susan Wachter writes on the state of the American Dream at 250 in Knowledge at Wharton. Housing
News June 12, 2026 Sellers are pulling homes off market at fastest pace in years. Here's why. Penn IUR's Susan Wachter notes a "re-freezing the housing market" in a recent piece by ABC News. Housing
Announcement June 10, 2026 Transportation Initiative at Penn Welcomes Nadine S. Lee as a Senior Strategic Advisor The Transportation Initiative at Penn (TRIP) announces the appointment of Nadine S. Lee, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), as a Senior Strategic Advisor Urban Development
Article May 19, 2026 Susan Wachter Testifies Before Congress on the Future of Housing Finance and Credit Risk Transfer On April 22, 2026, Penn IUR Co-Director and Wharton Professor Susan Wachter testified before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services, offering expert analysis on how credit risk transfer (CRT) mechanisms can strengthen the resilience and transparency of the U.S. housing finance system. Housing
May 6, 2026 There Are More Shelter Beds Than Ever. It’s Not Enough. Penn IUR Faculty Fellow Dennis Culhane featured in The New York Times' Headway newsletter "There Are More Shelter Beds Than Ever. It’s Not Enough." Housing
April 23, 2026 Testimony on “Credit Risk Transfers: Stability & Transparency in the U.S. Mortgage System” Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter testifies before the Committee on Financial Services U.S. House of Representatives on Diversifying Risk: Benefits of Reinsurance and Credit Risk Transfers.  Housing
Announcement April 13, 2026 Former Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter Launches Public Service and Policy Initiative at University of Pennsylvania Penn IUR and Weitzman School of Design is launching a Public Service and Policy Initiative with former Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. Urban Development
May 15 2026 Past Event Organizing DNA: How Neighborhood-Level Power Drives Today’s Movements Speakers:  Daniel Betancourt Emily Dowdall Jasmine Rivera Senator Nikil Saval Martin Trimble State & Local Finance
News March 22, 2026 President Trump’s portable mortgage push may let you keep your 3% rate — experts say it might backfire. What to do now Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter on how interventions in the housing finance system must balance mobility with market stability Housing
Videos March 20, 2026 How Fannie and Freddie Can Help Make Housing Affordable In a new video produced by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter discusses the historical significance of the American mortgage system in fostering economic equity. Reflecting on the post-war era, she notes that the "great explosion of economic productivity in America was shared by America's households," largely due to the stabilizing force of the fixed-rate mortgage. This innovation provided a shared promise "that growth in our economy is not just for the elite," but for everyone—a standard she argues we must innovate to ensure for the future. Housing
March 4, 2026 How Even Mortgage Rates are Impacted by the War in the Middle East Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter on how the rise in oil prices contributes to increased inflation leading to increased mortgage rates Housing
News February 25, 2026 The Housing Market Is Tilting Back Toward Buyers Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter on the nationwide shift toward a buyer’s market. Housing
Mar 26 2026 Past Event Special Briefing on Transportation Opportunities & Challenges in the New Federalism Speakers:  William Glasgall Leslie Richards Eryn Hurley Baye Larsen Robert Poole Naomi Renek Lauren Schapker State & Local Finance
Article January 20, 2026 Expert Voices 2026 | The Great Experiment: Cities and the Federal System Experts share their perspectives on how America’s unique federal system has shaped national and metropolitan development across 250 years. Eugénie L. Birch Susan Wachter Urban Development
Feb 19 2026 Past Event Special Briefing on Addressing the Housing Crisis: Innovative Solutions from Across America Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Hannah Blitzer Eric Goldywn Laurie Goodman Paul Steenhausen State & Local Finance
mayor janet cowell headshot
Advisory Board Member Mayor Janet Cowell
Mayor, Raleigh
State & Local Finance
News January 6, 2026 Waymo, meet Pittsburgh: Are driverless taxis ready for Steel City streets? Penn IUR Faculty Fellow Erick Guerra on how Waymo's technology fits into the U.S. traffic safety crisis. Urban Development
Podcasts December 20, 2025 Special Briefing on the Outlook for 2026: How States & Cities Will Adapt to Wrenching Change As a year marked by fiscal uncertainty and shifting federal priorities comes to a close, state and local governments are grappling with structural changes. Join William Glasgall, Penn IUR Fellow and Volcker Alliance Public Finance Adviser, and Susan Wachter, Co-Director of Penn IUR and Wharton professor, and our expert panel as we discuss how federal retrenchment, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven growth, and sharply rising municipal market borrowing market will shape state and local finances in the year ahead. Panelists include Torsten Slok, Partner and Chief Economist at Apollo Global Management; Matt Fabian, Partner at Municipal Market Analytics; and Eric Kim, Senior Director for U.S. Public Finance Ratings at Fitch Ratings. Torsten Slok Matt Fabian Eric Kim State & Local Finance

Don’t miss the latest from Penn IUR. Subscribe to Urban Link.

Providing expert commentary on urban topics and highlighting Penn IUR's research in the context of pressing urban issues.

scholarly voices cover dark blue with light blue lines
Urban Scholarship Penn Scholars Inspiring Urban Policy
greening vacant lots PHS
From Research to Action Philadelphia’s Green Transformation
2025 urban leadership awardees with president jameson
Celebrating Urban Leadership 2025 Nussdorf Urban Leadership Prize Winners