UNDERSTAND
RESEARCH & EVIDENCE
Better decisions begin with understanding the system, the evidence and the context in which change needs to happen.
Housing and urban challenges are shaped by interconnected demographic, economic, social, environmental, spatial and institutional forces. Understanding these relationships—and how they differ between countries, cities and communities—is essential before policies, investments or interventions are designed.
Dr Orna Rosenfeld provides strategic research, comparative analysis, evidence-building and foresight to governments, cities and international institutions. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience across 56 countries, she combines international perspective with close attention to institutional and local context, helping clients understand what is changing, why it matters, what can be learned from elsewhere, and where action may be needed.
Research can support a specific policy or investment question, establish the evidence base for a new strategy or programme, or examine emerging challenges and their implications for housing systems and cities.
STRATEGIC & COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
Dr Rosenfeld undertakes research designed to make complex housing and urban questions understandable and actionable.
Her work ranges from focused analysis of specific policy questions to major comparative studies spanning countries, housing systems and institutional contexts.
A particular strength is international comparative analysis: identifying patterns, differences and transferable lessons while recognising that policies and practices cannot simply be transplanted from one context to another.
Research draws on quantitative and qualitative evidence, policy and regulatory analysis, literature and document review, case studies, stakeholder knowledge and international practice.
Featured work
Social Housing in the UNECE Region — UNECE
Comparative analysis of social housing systems, models and trends across 56 countries published by the United Nations.
Affordable Housing across the EU — European Commission
Comparative research on definitions, governance and approaches to affordable housing across the EU27 for the EU Urban Agenda Partnership for Housing.
EVIDENCE & SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Dr Rosenfeld helps clients establish the evidence needed to define problems, understand systems and make informed strategic choices.
Her approach examines housing and urban challenges within their wider institutional and spatial context—connecting questions of housing supply and affordability with governance, finance, land, planning, investment, energy, demographic change and social needs.
Depending on the assignment, this can include evidence reviews, policy and regulatory analysis, benchmarking, stakeholder and institutional analysis, mapping of existing initiatives, identification of gaps and opportunities, and synthesis of international evidence.
The objective is not simply to produce or collect more information, but to identify what the evidence means for the decisions a client needs to make.
Featured work
Affordable Housing, State Aid & SGEI — European Commission, DG COMP Housing systems evidence and comparative analysis supporting European work on affordable housing and State Aid.
New European Bauhaus Investment Guidelines — EIB/JASPERSForward-looking guidance connecting investment with sustainability, inclusion and quality of place.
FORESIGHT & EMERGING CHALLENGES
Research must also help institutions understand not only where housing systems are today, but where pressures and opportunities are emerging.
Dr Rosenfeld uses foresight to examine the forces reshaping housing and cities—from demographic and societal change to climate transition, technological disruption, changing investment conditions and evolving expectations of governments and public institutions.
Rather than predicting a single future, foresight is used to identify emerging trends, risks and uncertainties; examine their implications; and test whether today's assumptions, policies and investment priorities remain fit for purpose.
This forward-looking perspective is informed by nearly three decades of international research, policy and evaluation experience, allowing emerging challenges to be considered against evidence of how housing systems and cities have evolved across different contexts.
Featured work
EU Housing Sector & COVID-19 — European Investment BankEU27 analysis of housing needs, affordability pressures and implications for future housing investment.
Social Housing: Models, Trends and Challenges — UNECE
Identification of emerging housing challenges and policy implications across the UNECE region.