Housing Solutions Lab
Helping cities plan, launch, and evaluate equitable housing policies
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Peer Cities Network
The Peer Cities Network (the Network) is a year-long cohort experience that brings leaders of small and midsize cities together. Cities can expect to learn about the latest housing policy research and innovative approaches to practice and build their internal capacity to accomplish their housing goals.
What we offer
The Network provides local leaders access to policy experts, tailored technical assistance designed to support their progress on a specific policy initiative or program, and recurring engagement with a group of similarly situated cities to foster shared learning and exchange.
Network content and focus vary from year to year. Previous cohorts have focused on pandemic-related emergency housing needs and exploring housing policy topics, such as land use and zoning reforms; eviction prevention; rental and security deposit assistance; access to homeownership; efforts to increase access to low-poverty, opportunity-rich neighborhoods; and efforts to address vacant, abandoned, and deteriorated housing.
Image: A sample of cities the Housing Solutions Lab has assisted.
How it works
During the program, city teams attend bi-monthly virtual sessions of 60 to 90 minutes. These meetings include brief presentations from housing policy experts and facilitated discussions among Network participants to provide progress updates, reflect on challenges and ask questions, and share lessons learned from local innovations.
Teams should expect to spend between five and 10 hours per month outside of meetings and with technical assistance providers as they work on projects. The Lab typically accepts applications to the Network between February and April each year.
To learn more information about the cities participating in the current Network, check whether the application process for our current year is still open and to apply, visit our FAQs page.
If you have questions about this learning opportunity, contact Director of City Engagement Jess Wunsch at jess.wunsch@nyu.edu. You can also sign up for our mailing list here.
