As an architect, Ivan Rupnik believes that the key to solving America’s affordable housing crisis is to build more homes, and to start building them now. However, the current construction methods in the United States make it nearly impossible to build quickly.
Rupnik was inspired by his Croatian grandmother, who was also an architect, to explore modular housing projects that were constructed in Europe during the 1950s and 60s. While some prefab housing projects in Europe were criticized for being unattractive and lacking diversity, they were able to produce a large number of housing units in a short amount of time.
Intrigued by the concept, Rupnik delved deeper into modular housing for his doctoral dissertation. During his research at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, he came across a mention of Operation Breakthrough, an industrialized housing initiative in the United States that built nearly 3,000 units between 1971 and 1973. Despite its significant impact, Operation Breakthrough was relatively unknown to the public.
After struggling to find more information about the program, Rupnik reached out to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which was responsible for implementing Operation Breakthrough. The program was introduced in 1969 by HUD Secretary George Romney, who emphasized the importance of rapidly increasing the housing supply to lower prices for everyone.
Romney’s ambitious goal was to build 26 million homes within a decade, a substantial increase compared to the previous decade. He believed that industrialized construction was the most effective way to achieve this target. However, despite advancements in productivity in various industries since 1968, productivity in the home-building sector has decreased by 50%.
According to Freddie Mac, the United States is currently facing a shortage of approximately four million housing units. With factors such as population growth, climate change, and the natural wear and tear of existing housing stock, the demand for housing will continue to rise in the coming years.
The story of Operation Breakthrough sheds light on the potential benefits of modular construction and industrialized housing initiatives in addressing America’s housing needs. By learning from past successes and challenges, architects, policymakers, and developers can work together to create innovative solutions for affordable housing in the future.