In every major city in the world there is a housing crisis. How has this happened and what can we do about it? Everyone needs and deserves decent accommodation, but today our homes are transforming into merchandise, making inequalities in the city ever more acute. Profit has become more important than social need. The poor are forced to pay more for worse housing, and communities face violence from displacement and gentrification. The benefits of a decent home are only available to those who can afford it. In defense of housing is the definitive statement by urban planner Peter Marcuse and sociologist David Madden about this crisis. Together they analyze the causes and consequences of the housing problem and detail the need to develop progressive alternatives. The housing crisis cannot be resolved with minor policy changes, they argue. In reality, it has deep political and economic roots, and therefore requires a much more radical response.