Housing. Heat. Health.
The Initiative's new tripartite research agenda seeks to connect and engage practitioners, policymakers, governments, and communities to pursue evidence-based and practical solutions.
When: Thursday, February 12, 9 AM–11:30 AM Where: Rajen Kilachand Center, 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Colloquium Room, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities for an Urban Research Incubator – an event showcasing cutting-edge, policy-relevant urban research at BU and sparking new cross-disciplinary collaborations around heat, health, and housing. This event will feature lightning […]
On Wednesday, October 15th, the Initiative on Cities hosted a panel, “Urban Growth and Citizenship Machines,” where Boston University’s Professor Daniel Abramson discussed his forthcoming book, Designing Citizens. The panel also included prominent urban enthusiasts Lauren Mattioli, Anne Gatling Haynes, and Billy Dean Thomas. The conversation focused on the urban renewal project in Boston's Government Center […]
On Monday, October 27, 2025, the Initiative on Cities and the Metropolitan College City Planning & Urban Affairs Program co-hosted a discussion exploring the design and implementation of transit maps. This session of Transportation & The City featured Ken Dumas, Manager of the Central Transportation Planning Staff at the Boston MPO, and Mark Ovenden, broadcaster, […]
By Danielle Mulligan Photos by Ting Wei Li On December 3rd, the Initiative on Cities (IOC) hosted the inaugural BU City Hall Day, building on the success of three cohorts of the IOC’s Public Impact Scholars (PIS) program. The goal of this event was to build relationships between BU faculty and City Hall leaders to […]
This post is part of our #BUandBoston series, highlighting the work and research of BU students, faculty, and staff throughout the City of Boston and the Greater Boston region. Interested in having your Boston-related work featured? Tag us on Instagram or Twitter (@BUonCities) using the #BUandBoston or send us an email at ioc@bu.edu. By Sasa […]
Featuring a book discussion on The Death and Life of Gentrification and the launch of IOC’s Gentrification & Urban Displacement Lab When: Wednesday, February 4, 3:00 – 5:00 PM Where: Rajen Kilachand Center, 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Colloquium Room, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities for the launch of the Gentrification & Urban […]
When: Wednesday, December 10, 2025 | 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET Where: Virtual; Access recording here The Boston University Initiative on Cities hosted a webinar exploring how small and midsize cities are advancing climate action – and the creative strategies they are using to fund and implement it. The event will spotlight findings from a […]
By The Boston Foundation, November 12, 2025 Boston, MA – A new report on the current state of housing in Greater Boston presents a picture of strong construction, a concerning trend in building permits, and critical affordability challenges in the region. The mixed signals are the focus of the 2025 Greater Boston Housing Report Card, […]
GUDL is launching a special, time-limited pilot program to support the development of partnerships addressing gentrification and displacement in Massachusetts.
We invite local organizations and individuals to submit requests for collaboration for a chance to receive seed funding in early 2026.
This pilot aims to foster new, cross-sector partnerships that bridge local knowledge, research, and policy to develop practical, community-driven solutions. Applicants could request to partner with, for example, advocates working on anti-displacement strategies, policymakers implementing anti-displacement policies, or researchers to conduct data analysis or to establish research-practice partnerships.