Developing a policy simulator of the Israeli housing system: A progress report

Abstract

Since mid-1972, members of the World Institute's Housing Systems Project have been working on a comprehensive analysis of Israeli housing and of some selected problems relating to it. As part of the project, a simulation model is under development. The target is to produce an operational man/machine interaction system focusing on both short and longer range policy issues relating to Israeli housing. As of this writing (August 1973), we have produced a manual version (i.e. non-computerized) of the housing system of Israel to serve as a “first-generation representation”; and have developed a fully-computerized representation aimed at replicating actual housing system dynamics in Israel between 1961 and 1972 (the two latest census years, for which comprehensive data exists). Work is now underway on several adaptations of the simulation, with special interest focusing on human-machine interplay through the use of remote consoles linked to the master computer routines.