On Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. Jonathan Reckford, president and ceo of Habitat for Humanity International, will give a major address at Harvard University. His speech, Three Myths About Affordable Housing, will take place at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and is the 12th Annual John T. Dunlop Lecture at the school, sponsored by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies and supported by the National Housing Endowment.

Reckford’s speech will address common misconceptions about affordable housing and what business leaders, policy makers and the public can do to address the need for affordable housing in the United States. “If the housing community is going to influence people to take action, we must dispel the myths about affordable housing and create a compelling common narrative that demonstrates how shelter issues affect everyone,” said Reckford.  

“We’re pleased and honored to have Jonathan speak here at Harvard,” noted Eric Belsky, managing director of the Joint Center. “The work that Habitat for Humanity does, both in the United States and around the world, embodies the commitment that John Dunlop had to housing and its importance as a platform for human development. Through his exemplary leadership, Jonathan has advanced the cause of suitable, affordable housing in remarkable ways.”

The lecture, which is free and open to the public, honors a distinguished member of the Harvard community, the late Professor John T. Dunlop. In addition to serving as Chairman of the Economics Department and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Dunlop was United States Secretary of Labor during the Ford administration. He had a lifetime career in mediation, arbitration and dispute resolution, and a commitment to the nation's construction industries and housing. He served as chairman of the Construction Industry Stabilization Committee and played a role in the establishment of the National Institute for Building Sciences, and was inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame by the National Association of Home Builders in 1986.

The speech will be held at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Gund Hall, Piper Auditorium, 48 Quincy Street, Cambridge, Mass.