The Housing Policy Fellowship is a part-time 16 week program focused on innovation, sustainability, and housing policy strategy.

The BHA envisions a strong, vibrant, and equitable city where every resident can thrive. We foster this vision by providing quality affordable housing, bringing stability, opportunity and peace of mind to thousands of low and moderate income families across the Greater Boston area. As the largest provider of affordable housing in Boston, the BHA seeks to innovate the housing space and center the knowledge and experiences of the households we serve. These households include families with children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities that call BHA communities home.

The BHA Housing Policy Fellowship is a 16 week fellowship program for graduate students interested in developing, implementing, and advancing housing related policies that will positively impact the lives of public housing residents and Section 8 voucher holders. Five fellows will be part of BHA’s policy lab team and will be reporting directly to Dr. Taylor Cain, Chief of Staff, Dr. Nicholas Kelly, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Innovation, and Maya Harel, Assistant to the Chief of Staff, as well as other senior staff.

Weekly hours will vary between 15-20 hours per week, allowing for flexibility within current school schedule. Fellows are required to come in-person to our downtown Boston office on Thursday afternoons from 2:00-4:00pm for weekly check-ins.

What kind of projects will fellows work on? 
Fellows will work with members of BHA’s policy lab team as well as staff from BHA departments including Leased Housing, Public Housing, Planning Construction and Development, and Resident Capacity. Some of our previous fellows have worked on:

• Researching, developing, and launching a sustainability-focused pilot program for our Section 8 voucher holders
• Reviewing our economic mobility programs and developing a comprehensive strategy document charting the future of these programs
• Engaging with residents to plan open space improvements at public housing sites and using lessons learned to write a resident engagement handbook
• Expanding public health education about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by working with partner organizations to run brain health educational workshops at our public housing sites
• Increasing the accessibility and user friendliness of BHA’s Five Year Plan to better connect with residents and community leaders, including graphic design and website content creation
• Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) software as a tool to create maps and diagrams of our portfolio to use as internal guides and as clear visual communications to residents about upcoming projects
• Creating tracking systems to promote equity in contracting, ensuring Minority and Women Business Enterprises (MWBEs) are uplifted in our procurement processes

When does the fellowship program run?
Monday, January 20– Friday, May 8th

Who should apply? 
We are looking for graduate students with a strong interest in or curiosity about public service and housing. We invite students from different disciplines including urban planning, public administration, environmental studies, architecture, sociology, and other fields. Fellows will be expected to be in-person during the duration of the fellowship program. 

How do I apply?
Please apply by filling out this Google Form. The deadline for applications is October 17th. Selected candidates will be invited to a group interview in November. Final decisions will be made by the end of November.

Compensation
$24/hour (fellows will be expected to work part-time, 15-20 hours per week)