Housing Journalism for Everyone

Housing intersects with nearly every major story journalists cover today—from elections and education to health, climate, business, and public safety. Yet many reporters believe housing is a specialized beat or feel unprepared to cover it responsibly.

This session, led by Princeton’s Eviction Lab, is designed for journalists of all beats and experience levels. Whether you’re a breaking news reporter, investigative journalist, data reporter, audience engagement journalist, or editor, we’ll show why housing deserves your attention—and how to cover it well without necessarily becoming a full-time housing reporter.

In this panel, attendees will learn:

• What’s happening nationally in housing and homelessness, including recent shifts in policy, affordability, and displacement—and how these trends connect to electoral politics and local governance.
• Four to five essential data tools every journalist should know to report on housing, eviction, rent, and homelessness, with a practical introduction to accessible resources and datasets.
• How to find housing stories in any community, including tips for identifying newsworthy angles beyond press releases and official statements.
• Ethical sourcing practices, with guidance on interviewing tenants and unhoused people in ways that minimize harm and avoid stigma.
• Examples of strong housing journalism, highlighting work that has driven accountability, influenced policy, or changed public understanding.

Attendees will leave with concrete tools, story ideas, and a clearer sense of how housing reporting can strengthen their core beat—no matter what they usually cover.

Speakers:

Juan Pablo Garnham is the Communications and Policy Engagement Manager for Eviction Lab, a housing research center based at Princeton University. Originally from Chile, he has worked as a reporter covering cities, housing, homelessness, public policy, and immigrant communities. His work has appeared in The Texas Tribune, Bloomberg CityLab, The Guardian, Univision, and other outlets in the United States and Chile. A central part of his current role involves supporting journalists covering the housing beat, and he has presented on these issues at national events, including the IRE and NICAR conferences.

Camila Vallejo is a bilingual communications specialist with the Eviction Lab at Princeton University, where she’s passionate about making housing research clear, accessible and useful for everyone. Prior to joining the lab, Camila covered housing issues with a social justice lens for Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR) through Report for America.