Urban across the Country

Urban’s researchers partner with state and local leaders to provide the evidence, tools, and support they need to improve lives and strengthen communities. This work includes strategic advising to translate research into action, program evaluations to measure effectiveness, and research and data analysis to inform decisionmaking. Our experts develop custom data tools and modeling to support equitable resource allocation and lead community-engaged research and convenings to ensure policies reflect local priorities.

Use this page to explore Urban’s work. Search by region to see examples of our research, and filter by evidence and products to narrow results by topic or type of work.

Dive deeper into your state and community with our data tools. View highlighted tools below, select “Data tools” under “Filter by Product Types,” or head directly to our data tools page.

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State and community data tools
Explore our work by state
Photo of a suburban neighborhood from a bird's eye view
Fair Chance housing laws attempt to reduce barriers to affordable housing for people with criminal records. States could make these laws more effective by improving outreach, education, and enforcement.
A woman on a wheelchair in a hallway.
New federal policies promoting involuntary institutionalization threaten the right to the home- and community-based services for disabled people and older adults that keep them out of institutional care and off the streets.
A row of residential single family homes.
For borrowers to benefit from new credit scores that incorporate rent payments in mortgage underwriting, the new scores must be implemented with clear guidance, standardization in pricing frameworks, and robust data disclosure practices.
An older woman working on her laptop.
Ninety years after the Social Security Act was signed into law, the program remains popular but needs modern retooling to continue to support beneficiaries with low incomes and disabled adults.
Students studying around a table.
This interview with Governor Polis explores the governor’s motivation for launching the Let’s Get Ready Initiative and his vision for its continued impact.
Case Study The Farm Animal Welfare Movement’s Corporate Campaigns
This case study examines the evolution and impact of corporate-focused strategies in animal advocacy with a specific focus on farm animal welfare. Historically, 19th- and early 20th-century humane movements largely overlooked farm animal suffering, an oversight exacerbated by the mid-20th century's