Penn Institute for Urban Research

05/01/2026

Upcoming Events: Infrastructure Investment for Global Cities -

Global cities and other subnational governments may be able to adopt attributes of America’s muni market structure and create more of a credit-driven culture to drive private investment in badly needed public infrastructure to meet the demands of population growth and climate change. Our expert pa...

04/17/2026

Breaking: Iran says is “open,” but U.S. blockade puts markets on edge.

Join top experts incl. , Julia Coronado, & Natalie Cohen at noon for real-time analysis on economic & fiscal impacts.

🗓 Apr 17 | 12 PM ET
🔗 https://bit.ly/4tLjWYA

Join us Friday, April 17 at noon for a Special Briefing on war,

04/03/2026

Upcoming Events: War, Inflation, and the Impact on the Economy -

Join the Penn IUR for the 21st Annual Urban Leadership Forum: Guiding Urban Futures in Uncertain Times, with remarks by 2026 Nussdorf awardees, Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, and Josué Tanaka, Principal Finance Advisor, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, as well as Penn President Larry ...

04/02/2026

reports that some families are moving away from #529 college savings plans in favor of flexibility amid uncertainty

As 's notes, the value of a 4 year degree is now in question.

Some parents are hesitant to lock money into college-savings accounts, preferring financial flexibility in an uncertain world.

03/31/2026

In , Penn IUR's argues affordability is the core issue in the U.S. housing market despite a resilient mortgage system.

Stability ≠ access. A decade of underbuilding continues to lock out first-time buyers.

🔗 https://whr.tn/4dltHIg

Wharton’s Susan Wachter explains why the U.S. housing market’s core problem is not financial instability, but affordability.

03/26/2026

Mortgage rates briefly dipped below 6%—then came global conflict. In , Penn IUR's () explains how rising rates (now above 6.5%) are already cooling the spring housing market
🎧 https://bit.ly/4c7U6rM

Two days before the start of the war with Iran, mortgage rates dipped below 6% for the first time in three and a half years. Rates topped 6.5% this week.

03/04/2026

Upcoming Events: U.S. Transportation in the New Federalism -

Are you a PhD student at Penn conducting urban research? Join the Penn IUR for a lunch showcasing the range of urban research conducted by Penn’s PhD students. Doctoral candidates from across the University will present lightning talks on their current research. The lunch is an opportunity to crea...

02/05/2026

Upcoming Events: Solutions for the Housing Crisis -

Penn IUR is pleased to join the Penn Political Union to host Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval for a conversation on housing affordability and urban policy moderated by Penn IUR Faculty Fellow Vincent Reina, Founder and Faculty Director of the Housing Initiative at Penn and Weitzman School Plan...

01/13/2026

Upcoming Events: Coping with the new fiscal federalism -

When the pandemic hit, cities around the world turned parking spaces into lively outdoor dining areas known as “streeteries” or “COVID cafés.” This panel brings together researchers and local practitioners studying how streeteries spread across cities, with a spotlight on Philadelphia's exp...

12/11/2025

New Call for Papers on Demographic Dynamics and Housing Affordability for a special issue of Housing Studies edited by , Kwan Ok Lee, , and . Submissions due Feb 1, 2026. Details: https://bit.ly/4rPCZks