The Housing-Health Connection: Atticus Jaramillo, Assistant Professor of Planning and Real Estate Development

Seven Questions with Atticus Jaramillo, Assistant Professor of Planning and Real Estate Development

 
"It’s an exciting time to research the housing-health connection because federal and state agencies are ramping up efforts to integrate affordable housing and healthcare services."
  

Assistant Professor Atticus Jaramillo joined the College of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture this fall after serving as a visiting assistant professor in Wisconsin. He earned his Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Jaramillo’s research focuses on housing and community development planning, with a particular focus on affordable housing and health.

What brought you to CAPLA and the University of Arizona?

I could not pass up the exciting opportunity to teach planning and real estate at a top-notch Hispanic Serving Institution. Previously, I worked as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee. Before that, I worked for several years as a researcher at the Center for Urban and Regional Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Tell us about your current research and what you find most exciting in this work.

My current work mainly focuses on the housing-health connection. I’m especially focused on best practices for helping residents of affordable housing work towards optimal health. It’s an exciting time to research the topic because federal and state agencies are ramping up efforts to integrate affordable housing and healthcare services. Not only do these efforts keep me busy as a researcher, but they also hold great promise for residents of affordable housing.

What are you teaching this semester, and what do you most enjoy about teaching?

This semester I’m teaching Affordable Housing and Community Development.

Though it’s a bit of a cliché, the students really are what makes teaching enjoyable. Their perspectives and questions keep class fresh and have helped me become a better teacher and scholar.

How do you bring your research into your teaching?

I try to create assignments and class activities that allow students to engage with the same thorny policy questions that my work focuses on. I also try to expose students to some of the technical skills I use in my research work.

Beyond research and teaching, what are your passions?

I think I’ve watched enough movies to officially call myself a cinephile. I also love to play my guitar. Now that I’m in Arizona, I’m also hoping to get back into some outdoor hobbies, including hiking, biking, tennis and golf.

What advice do you have for students exploring urban planning and real estate development?

Try to find balance in everything you do. Throw yourself into your studies, but also take time to rest. Engage with high-level theories, but also develop practical skills. Focus on building a specialization within your chosen field, but also familiarize yourself with other specializations. Through balance, you'll become a well-rounded practitioner.

Though you're new to the college, what does the CAPLA experience mean to you?

The word that comes to mind is privilege; it’s an extraordinary privilege to spend my days with brilliant students, staff and scholars. I feel fortunate to be here and am doing my best to take advantage of the opportunity.

Learn more about Atticus Jaramillo and discover ways you can support CAPLA faculty research and creative scholarship.