The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded one of its first HSI Center of Excellence grants to create the Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability.

The new center will address the interconnected issues of housing security, climate, and health, according to a press release. The Arizona Research Center for Housing Equity and Sustainability, or, ARCHES, will be co-located at ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy and the University of Arizona Drachman Institute with support from 19 key personnel at ASU, UA, Northern Arizona University, and University of New Mexico.

The center’s research on housing security will inform equitable housing growth and production to support Hispanic and underserved households. Research topics in this area include factors affecting housing security in Hispanic communities, access to homeownership, and evaluating shared equity homeownership, affordability mandates, home-based businesses, and public education campaigns to mitigate housing insecurity.

On climate, ARCHES researchers will identify housing innovations for resilience in the arid Southwest. Projects will investigate how building codes and housing finance regulations affect the quality and climate resilience of housing stock and will provide recommendations and solutions to improve housing conditions, increase climate resilience, and expand housing access for Hispanic and other underserved communities.

Finally, ARCHES researchers will study the linkages between housing and health, including how to create healthy homes and support aging communities. In this area, ARCHES scholars will uncover connections between housing quality and health outcomes, with attention to demographic and ecological contexts.

“I am excited to launch this center by collaborating with interdisciplinary researchers and building community partnerships to inform solutions to housing issues related to access, climate, and health in Arizona and the southwest,” Alison Cook-Davis, research director of Morrison Institute and co-director of ARCHES, shared in a press release.

Research from the new center will have a particular focus on Hispanic and underserved communities in the region. A community advisory board will inform research directions and development strategies as the research agenda evolves.

ARCHES will also partner with the Southwest Fair Housing Council, Chicanos Por La Causa, and Home Matters to Arizona in research and community engagement activities.