Urban sprawl, serious problems of the inner city, segregation by ethnic and economic groups, and the impression that the largest cities are getting too large and too densely populated were all factors which provided motivation for a conference that would focus on 'housing/health research'. The conference was held to bring together housing and health research people with those who design, develop, build, rebuild, manage, regulate, and otherwise influence housing and its environment, in order: to exchange knowledge, to identify areas for study, to recommend priorities, and to stimulate research in and the application of knowledge to the provision of healthful housing and neighborhoods. The need for such a conference was clearly indicated by the magnitude of the problem and the nature and scope of proposed solutions.