Stat: 49%: The share of Americans who say the availability of affordable housing in their local community is a major problem, compared to 39% in 2018.  Story: Montana has been rapidly attracting new residents for more than a decade and during the COVID-19 pandemic the pace only accelerated. Housing prices there have tripled in some cities just as in many other states that have seen an influx of people.  In this episode, we hear from Montana state lawmakers Daniel and Katie Zolnikov about the bipartisan legislation they championed to address rising concerns about access to housin ..read more

Stat: 12%: From 2017 to 2022, Minneapolis increased its housing stock by 12% while rents remained flat. Story: Minneapolis is drawing positive national attention for the city’s approach to curbing soaring housing costs. In this episode, we hear from Meg McMahan and Jason Wittenberg from Minneapolis’ Office of Community Planning and Economic Development about the city’s history of disparities in zoning policies and the strategies they’re implementing to secure more housing for residents. We also hear from Margaret Kaplan, president of the statewide Housing Justice Center, about how th ..read more

Stat: 70%: The share of Americans who think young adults today have a harder time than their parents’ generation when it comes to buying a home. Story: Putting a roof over their heads is a struggle for many Americans. Rising house prices, restrictive zoning, increasing rents, and a lack of small mortgages are some of the hurdles facing people who want a safe and secure place to call home. In this episode, Alex Horowitz and Tara Roche, directors of The Pew Charitable Trusts’ housing policy initiative, join us to discuss some of the challenges—and how to overcome them—for those pursuing hom ..read more

Rising rents, escalating home prices, and limited housing supply. They are some of the forces pushing the American Dream of homeownership out of reach for many. Increasingly, there is bipartisan support to find a way forward. In this season, After the Fact explores these trends and the challenges individuals and families face in finding housing that’s affordable and accessible . We also speak with experts and policymakers who are trying to help more people find a place to call home ..read more

Story: Over most of last year, “After the Fact” looked at how people are restoring and building community at a time when the nation is divided and exhausted. From faith leaders to community activists, and from academics to policymakers, we found rich voices who offered stories of people coming together. At a time of division, they showed that unity is possible—and, in fact, is happening in many places, probably even near you. As the new year begins, this special episode shares reflections from these change-makers and maybe even offers you a chance to become one of them.   ..read more

Stat: 57%: The percentage of Americans who believe that partisan conflicts receive too much attention these days. Story: A majority of Americans say partisan fighting gets too much attention while important issues facing the country get too little. In the final episode of our season on polarization, Utah Governor Spencer Cox says elected officials can do better at bridging our political divides. He is chair of the National Governors Association and leads an initiative called Disagree Better* that is aimed not at ending disagreements, but in improving dialogue, building understanding, and respe ..read more

Stat: 79%: The share of Americans who believe access to the internet and social media has made people more divided in their political opinions.  Story: Social media plays a significant role in society, but data shows that most Americans believe it negatively affects our democracy and contributes to polarization. In this episode of “Beyond Polarization,” we hear how high school senior Eli Tillemann is helping his classmates learn how to embrace diversity of opinions. We also speak with Heidi Hernandez Gatty from Dialectic, an organization that is working with students and others to help pr ..read more

Stat: 65%: The share of Americans who say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics. Story: Political polarization has become overwhelming for the majority of Americans, with most agreeing that more attention is being paid to partisan fighting than solving the nation’s problems. But there is hope. In this episode of “Beyond Polarization,” we speak with experts from Pew Research Center about how Americans view politics and opportunities to find common ground. We also talk to Mónica Guzmán about how her organization, Braver Angels, is teaching people how to dismantle divis ..read more

Stat: An inaccurate “double”: Both Democrats and Republicans imagine that almost twice as many of their political opponents hold more extreme views than they really do, according to a study by More in Common. Story: During times of increased polarization and increasing stresses on democracy, researchers are studying how to break down partisan divides and address misconceptions among members of the public. In the first episode of “Beyond Polarization,” Columbia University professor and author Peter T. Coleman shares what he has learned from his career spent fostering civil dialogue among people ..read more

If discussing politics feels different today, that’s because it is. Pew Research Center reports that 65% of Americans say they always or often feel exhausted when thinking about politics because of the country’s deep partisan divisions. As polarization increases and trust declines, how can we move forward together?    We speak with researchers and bridge builders from across the political and generational spectrum in a new season of “After the Fact.” They share how they are facilitating civil dialogue, bridging divides, and protecting our democracy in the process.  ..read more