Housing policy is often viewed as a check-list of best practices – appropriate funding or programs that lead to particular outcomes. However, the bulk of housing policy occurs at the local and state levels through local laws, land use and funding. It is also heavily dependent on the politics of the area. The purpose of this round table is to engage researchers in discussion of the way that the (local?) political environment shapes local and state housing policy. The discussion will discuss barriers to effective housing policy, as well as ways that local advocates, government agencies, and residents have used that environment to build momentum and change housing outcomes at the local level.
