Coming Together for a Game of Rent Workshop

By: Stuart Emmons

The Housing Committee of AIA Philadelphia hosted a Game of Rent event on May 14, 2026, at BEX – Brandywine Experience - in Center City after months of planning. About 60 community members, including developers, government leaders, housing advocates, students, contractors, engineers and architects attended to play the game. The Game of Rent is a game designed by Kelsey Oesmann, AIA, that she customizes to cities nationally, in this case Philadelphia, with the goal to build awareness of housing insecurity for people who rent. Before starting the game, City of Philadelphia housing leaders Emily Persico and Saundra Malanowicz gave the attendees an update on Philadelphia’s H.O.M.E. Program. 

Then the games began. Tables of 7-8 people played over a board that was a map of the entire City, and for the purposes of the game – each person was being dislocated and needed to find new housing. Through drawing cards, each person drew a profession, a salary, and members of their household: some who could contribute to rent (working or retired adults on social security), some who needed financial support (children). Game players then calculated the rent they could pay (30% of household income) and then took turns drawing cards for available rental housing in many of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods. Dice were rolled, cards were drawn (much like life’s uncertainties), and brought good news for some with housing success, so-so news for some (like long commutes), and bad news for others. Some players just couldn’t find any housing that fit their household size and income.

The reasons for people having difficulty finding housing were revealing. They included:

• The dearth of 3-bedroom rental apartments in the city (needed for families with 3+ children, multi-generational families, or other larger households)
• Bad credit and/or criminal record
• Section 8 and other housing assistance had long waiting lines and did not align with the need to find housing rapidly.
• Bad luck – selecting cards or rolls of the dice that hampered their housing search.

People who found housing more readily included:

• Single adults with a living-wage monthly income.
• People with forgiven student loans.
• Good luck - selecting cards or rolls of the dice that eased their housing search.

And even though the Game of Rent touched on many important and salient issues – attendees, through table discussions, added even more criteria and challenges to the housing search including:

• Insufficient funds for housing up-front costs – security deposits and several months’ rent.
• Quality of housing
• Neighborhood safety
• Quality of schools in a neighborhood for families with children
• Access to Transit

Quotes from the evening: “It was an informative workshop because you realize that not everyone “gets good life cards”. Marquise Bailey (Constituent Service Advisor for PA House Speaker Joanna McClinton)

“This game is something I deal with everyday…I need a copy because the information is key for our staff and constituents to understand these issues”. Shinel Riviera-Brown (Constituent Service Advisor for PA House democratic caucus)

The Game of Rent event impacted attendees in various ways. Many commented that the event gave them more awareness and empathy for people experiencing housing challenges. There was a consensus that finding housing in Philadelphia is too hard for most people. The joy of having children or an extended family many times results in increased challenges to find housing. The system favors single adults or couples with family wage jobs.

The Housing Committee of AIA Philadelphia was established to provide an avenue for discussion, exploration, and continued education on all aspects of housing with a specific interest towards Philadelphia and the surrounding region, and we invite you to keep in touch for future events the committee sponsors.

City leaders Emily Persico, Deputy Director at Philadelphia Dept. of Planning & Development and Saundra Malanowicz, AICP, Program Manager at the City of Philadelphia Division of Housing and Community Development

Housing Committee Group Photo

Overhead photo of the event