As the U.S. housing affordability crisis continues to grow, developers often struggle to navigate the complex financing mechanisms and policies around it. Habitat for Humanity affiliates, historically focused on families at or below 80% annual median income (AMI), face mounting pressure to adapt to the evolving landscape without losing sight of their mission. HumanityLand includes several potential levers for increasing affordable housing for the most vulnerable, including mixing higher income homes and other available incentives into a development scenario.  

Affordable housing can sometimes feel like a roll of the dice for the families that need it and like the deck is stacked against the developers tasked with creating it. HumanityLand, a board game and web application (humanity.land) designed for Habitat for Humanity International by WXY Studio in collaboration with Forsyth Street Advisors, gamifies the experience, demystifying the financing and planning of affordable housing projects.

WXY and our collaborators created HumanityLand to facilitate an engaging, immersive, and hands-on experience to help users understand the complexities of affordable housing development. Players assume different roles when completing a fictional housing project. The process includes setting goals, navigating land acquisition, designing, financing, and creating partnerships to complete the project.

The game uses vibrant visuals and absorbing play mechanics to break down challenges into manageable pieces. The accompanying web app extends its reach, providing a digital counterpart to the board game experience. By focusing on experimentation, both the game and web app allow Habitat for Humanity affiliates to explore different scenarios, experiment, and forge their path to successful affordable developments. 

WXY partnered with Habitat for Humanity International and Forsyth Street Advisors to ensure HumanityLand reflected real-world housing challenges. We tailored the game to address the organization’s evolving needs and market pressures through close collaboration with Habitat affiliates nationwide. This iterative process engaged stakeholders at every step, creating a practical, innovative, and fun tool. HumanityLand’s success at Habitat’s national conferences underscores its value as a shared learning experience. 

HumanityLand has helped Habitat affiliates better understand the many decisions involved in affordable housing development. By gamifying the process, it bridges gaps in knowledge and experience and fosters more equitable conversations around housing policies. Developers leave with actionable insights and renewed confidence in their ability to create affordable housing solutions for the families who need them most.