HUD Announces Final Four Teams in 2024 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition

Graduate student teams at UC-Berkeley, UMD-College Park, and Harvard University advance in HUD design challenge

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is pleased to announce the four finalist student teams that will present their final projects as part of HUD’s eleventh annual Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition (IAH). For the 2024 competition, HUD has partnered with the Madison Community Development Authority in Madison, Wisconsin.

The finalist teams represent the following universities:

• University of California-Berkeley (two teams)
• University of Maryland, College Park
• Harvard University

“HUD is honored to work with some of our country’s greatest budding minds to develop new, creative ways to build affordable housing,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “This competition drives innovation, imagination, and inspiration – three traits we need to ensure one day each American will have access to the housing they deserve.”

Each year, HUD's IAH competition invites graduate students enrolled in accredited educational institutions in the United States to form multi-disciplinary teams to respond to an existing affordable housing design and planning issue. This year's competition challenges teams composed of graduate students in architecture, planning and policy, finance, and other areas to address social, economic, environmental, design, financial, and construction issues in addition to an affordable housing design challenge.

After the submission of initial applications from teams across the country, a jury of five industry representatives selected the student team finalists. These finalists will visit the site of the affordable housing design and planning project in Madison, WI to further refine their projects. In April, all jurors and finalists will travel to Washington, D.C. for the final competition event at HUD Headquarters. At this event, the four finalist teams will present their revised project solutions in front of the jury and an audience. Following the presentations, the jury will deliberate and select the winners and runners-up. The winning team will receive $20,000, the runner up team will receive $10,000, and the remaining two teams will receive $5,000 each. The event will also be streamed live via webcast.

The competition’s final presentation and awards ceremony will be held Thursday, April 18, 2024, from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. EST. HUD will host the event in the Department’s Brooke Mondale Auditorium at HUD’s Weaver Building (451 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20410).

More information on the webcast and event registration will follow. For any questions or concerns, contact the HUD User Help Desk at helpdesk@huduser.gov or 1-800-245-2691.