Urban Wire

Community Engaged Methods

Community Voice Is Expertise

Four principles can help create an environment that fosters community engagement in research and policy analysis.

Taxes and Budget

Increasing the Child Tax Credit Could Drastically Reduce Child Poverty

The pandemic has made some lawmakers reconsider the amount of credit available and the way it’s delivered.

Housing and Housing Finance

Five Ways Communities Can Ensure COVID-19 Vaccines Reach People Experiencing Homelessness

It’s critical for communities to create a vaccination plan to reach all people experiencing homelessness—and not just people in shelters.

Income and Wealth

Americans’ Credit Health Improved during the Pandemic, but There’s More to the Story

Though forbearance and other policies may have temporarily stabilized credit health, there is reason for concern about other aspects of financial health.

Job Market and Labor Force

Immediate Actions Policymakers Could Take to Support the CC/ECE Workforce

Without efforts to stabilize the child care field and to address the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, we risk permanent job loss.

Poverty, Vulnerability, and the Safety Net

Poverty Results from Structural Barriers, Not Personal Choices. Safety Net Programs Should Reflect That Fact.

The social safety net is fundamentally inequitable.

Education and Training

Policymakers Should Consider New Ways to Use Federal Dollars to Help K–12 Students

Federal dollars make up a small share of K–12 education funding, at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated existing inequities in student achievement. An influx of federal dollars could help.