Corrections Policy
We will get things wrong. When we do, we fix them openly. This page explains what we treat as a correction, how to report one, and how you can tell that an article has changed since it was first published.
What counts as a correction
A correction fixes an error in something we presented as fact: a misstated law or program rule, an arithmetic mistake, a mislabeled chart, a misattributed source, a figure described as actual that was illustrative, or a claim a cited source does not support. Corrections also cover errors in the inputs to a model when the article stated the input as a fact rather than as an assumption.
A correction is not the same as a disagreement about an assumption. If an article assumes a 6.5% interest rate and a reader believes 7% is more realistic, the article is not wrong; it is answering a question under stated conditions. We welcome that feedback, and it may lead us to add a sensitivity or a note, but we do not log it as a correction.
What counts as an update
An update changes an article for reasons other than error: new data has been published, a program has changed, a link has broken, a passage has been clarified, or a section has been added. Updates are noted on the article with the date and a short description when they are material to the analysis. Minor copy edits that do not change meaning are made without a note.
How to report an error
Write to corrections@housingunpacked.com with the article title or link, the passage in question, and what you believe is wrong. If you are pointing to a source, please include it. We read every report. We aim to acknowledge reports within a few business days and to publish a correction as soon as we have verified it.
You do not need to be certain. If something looks off, tell us; we would rather check ten reports that turn out to be fine than miss one that is not.
How corrections are displayed
When we correct an article, we change the text and, where the change affects a modeled figure, every dependent figure, chart and takeaway in the piece. A correction notice then appears on the article, listing the date and a plain description of what was wrong and what was changed. The notice stays on the article permanently. We do not remove articles to avoid correcting them, and we do not silently overwrite.
If an error was significant enough to change the conclusion of an article, we say so in the notice and in the article’s summary, and we mention the correction in the next newsletter.
How dates work
Every article shows a published date, which never changes, and, once it has been materially changed, an updated date. The updated date reflects the most recent correction or material update. Cosmetic edits do not move it. Because our modeled figures depend on assumptions rather than on a data release, an article without an updated date is not stale; it is still answering the same question under the same stated conditions.
Errors in tools and calculators
If we find an error in the shared model described on the Methodology page or in an interactive tool, we correct the model, note the change on the Methodology page, and review every published figure that depended on it. Articles affected receive their own correction notices.