October 14, 2025
The Housing Solutions Lab at the NYU Furman Center has selected three small and midsize cities and counties to participate in its fourth annual Housing Solutions Workshop. This initiative is specifically designed to help local officials and stakeholders develop comprehensive and balanced housing strategies that address affordability and other housing challenges in their communities. The selected jurisdictions include: Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Summit County, Ohio; and York County, Pennsylvania.
“The Housing Solution Lab is looking forward to the start of the Workshop and is eager to collaborate with the local leaders from these communities,” said Jess Wunsch, director of city engagement at the Lab. “A coordinated local effort to address a jurisdiction’s housing challenges is even more crucial in the context of our shifting federal landscape, marked by proposed changes in federal housing funding and policies.”
The Workshop will bring government officials, non-profit leaders, and other local stakeholders together for a six-week virtual program of learning sessions and peer exchange. The cities and counties chosen for this workshop have already undertaken significant work to assess their housing needs and develop recommendations to address them. During the Workshop, city leaders will receive valuable guidance as they move through the action planning stages of a housing strategy, positioning them to take impactful next steps.
“By learning from housing experts at NYU’s Furman Center and connecting with peers from across the country, [we] will accelerate our local housing initiatives and drive real, positive change for our communities."
Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro, whose county’s Continuum of Care recently released a Strategic Plan for preventing and addressing homelessness, said her team is looking forward to participating in the 2025 Housing Solutions Workshop. “By learning from housing experts at NYU’s Furman Center and connecting with peers from across the country, [we] will accelerate our local housing initiatives and drive real, positive change for our communities,” she said.
This year, Workshop participants will explore local funding mechanisms and identify options for strengthening local housing strategies and improving coordination across agencies and sectors. They will also expand on recent initiatives to build local support for housing efforts.