#United States #Tempe #housing affordability #Ivory Innovations #Ivory Prize

2026 Ivory Prize Summit: A Call to Action for Housing Affordability

As the issue of housing affordability tightens its grip on communities nationwide, the need for innovative solutions has never been more urgent. The 2026 Ivory Prize Summit, hosted by Ivory Innovations at Arizona State University, is set to bring together a diverse array of stakeholders including housing innovators, policymakers, and developers on October 14, 2026. The summit's focus is on harnessing existing solutions and propelling them into effective action, aiming to address the pressing housing crisis.

An Opportunity for Collaboration

Ivory Innovations, based at the University of Utah, has dedicated itself to tackling the housing affordability challenge through initiatives like the Ivory Prize Summit. With a unique approach that fosters collaboration across industries, the summit will emphasize systemic solutions, encouraging participants to share insights and build vital relationships across various sectors such as policy-making, development, research, and entrepreneurship.

Abby Ivory, co-founder and president of Ivory Innovations, stated, "The most important thing that we can focus on as we seek to solve the broader issue of housing affordability is taking solutions that already exist and share them with the communities that need them the most." This sentiment captures the summit's goal of addressing the multifaceted nature of housing challenges, especially those impacting families struggling for affordability.

Featured Presenters and Insights

Attendees will have access to presentations from prominent figures in the housing sector including:

• - Clark Ivory, CEO of Ivory Homes and Co-founder of Ivory Innovations
• - Chris Herbert, Managing Director of Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies
• - Eric Kronberg, Principal at Kronberg Urbanists + Architects
• - Laurie Goodman, Founder of the Urban Institute's Housing Finance Policy Center
• - Jonathan Lawless, Head of Homeownership at Bilt Rewards
• - Dennis Steigerwalt, President of Housing Innovation Alliance
• - Alison Cook-Davis, Research Director at Arizona State University's Morrison Institute for Public Policy
• - Flavio Bravo and Shawnna Bolick, Arizona State Senators
• - Nicole Newhouse, Director of the Arizona Housing Coalition
• - Anakaren Lemus, Chief of Government Affairs for the Arizona Department of Housing

The summit will also recognize the 2026 Ivory Prize for Housing Affordability winners, whose impactful projects demonstrate successful approaches to address the affordability crisis. Notable honorees include TradesFutures, the Boston Acquisition Fund, and several city initiatives aimed at improving local housing policies and funding routes.

A Platform for Innovation

In a bid to spark creative solutions, the summit will feature presentations from the finalists of the annual Hack-A-House competition, where students present their innovative housing affordability proposals. Streaming opportunities will allow a wider audience to engage in the discussions followed by a voting round for the competition's Grand Prize.

Conclusion

The 2026 Ivory Prize Summit is not just a gathering; it’s a vital platform for igniting constructive dialogue and collaboration aimed at overcoming one of the most pressing challenges of our time: housing affordability. The event will take place at Memorial Union, Arizona State University, and interested participants can find more details about registration and parking at ivoryinnovations.org/ivory-prize-summit. For journalists looking to cover this pivotal event, inquiries can be directed to Anna Burleson, Director of Marketing at Ivory Innovations.

By embracing the solutions presented and fostering community-based actions, the summit strives to offer pathways toward affordable housing for all, directly addressing the urgent needs of families across the United States.