July 1, 2026
Building on the success of our 2024 and 2025 Home Repair Peer Networks and our new research on promising innovations in local home repair programs, the Lab is now accepting expressions of interest for a third Home Repair Peer Network. This initiative offers cities an opportunity to strengthen their local home repair ecosystems and build strong relationships with peer jurisdictions across the country.
Up to eight cities will be selected to participate in the 2026 Home Repair Peer Network, a seven-week-long peer learning and technical assistance program. Participants will explore strategies for enhancing coordination across programs, citywide policies, local program objectives, and administrative processes.
Session topics will be responsive to city interests, but may include:
- Diversifying funding sources, including local resources
- Aligning programs with neighborhood and citywide housing policies and strategies
- Assessing home repair needs and creating an infrastructure for shared data collection and impact evaluation
- Coordinating across local programs and stakeholders, including eligibility and household prioritization
- Approaching home repair holistically to include multi-system repairs and supports so that residents can better access and maintain assistance
Cities that have participated in previous cohorts consistently emphasize the value of peer exchange in tackling complex program challenges. As one participant shared:
“Participating in the Home Repair Peer Network provided one of the best collaborative opportunities of my career. Specifically, it was helpful to find commonalities in our shared experiences, learn new methods from other cities, and showcase some of our successes as well.”
Laura Grabowski
Director of Housing and Community Development, Louisville Metro Government
How to Apply
Interested participants should submit their expressions of interest to the Lab by Friday, July 24, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
City teams should include at least one municipal agency responsible for administering home repair programs, as well as any cross-agency or nonprofit partners.
Lab staff will review submissions and schedule calls with finalists through the first week of August. Selected Network teams will participate in up to seven virtual sessions throughout September and October and an in-person convening in New York City on October 26-27, 2026. After completing the Network, participating cities will also have the opportunity to join the Lab’s ongoing Home Repair Community of Practice, which includes 14 cities and counties that meet regularly to exchange approaches and progress updates on home repair programming in their communities.
Interested in learning more about the challenges and opportunities cities face in strengthening home repair programs?
Join the Housing Solutions Lab on Thursday, July 16, at 12 p.m. ET for an hour-long webinar to learn on how cities from the Lab’s Home Repair Community of Practice are implementing innovations in their local home repair programs.
Please reach out to Jess Wunsch (jess.wunsch@nyu.edu), Director of City Engagement, with any questions about this opportunity.