Tools
COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard
Eviction LabSafe, stable, and decent housing has always been central to ensuring health and stability. Today, with the United States focused on containing the COVID-19 pandemic, the broader and longstanding issue of income and housing insecurity has quickly become paramount to the health of an entire nation.To better understand the steps states have taken to prevent homelessness during and after the pandemic, the Eviction Lab and Columbia Law School’s Professor Emily Benfer have developed a policy scorecard for each state, distilling the contents of thousands of newly-released emergency orders, declarations, and legislation into a clear set of critical measures included in, and left out of, state-level pandemic responses related to eviction and housing.
Arts & Planning Toolkit
MAPCThe Arts and Planning Toolkit has been given a reboot to become better aligned with the needs of municipal planners who are doing arts and culture-related work. Each page now follows a consistent outline of tools, resources, and examples to show how ideas may be put into action.
Storytelling Toolkit: Lessons Learned from NHT's "Where Will We Live"
National Housing TrustThis toolkit is a guide for advocates to replicate the National Housing Trust’s efforts and successfully employ digital, visual and audio storytelling strategies within their advocacy tactics.
Opportunity360 Community Dashboard
EnterpriseOpportunity360 Community Dashboards provide the information necessary to determine where action is most needed and where established programs and policies have been most successful in any neighborhood in the country. These dashboards now allow data comparison for up to three census tracts, anywhere in the US. In the free Opportunity360 Community Dashboards, you will find over 150 indicators from 27 sources.
Public Policy Resources
BestColleges.comThis guide includes links to free public policy online resources that will help one get a better sense of the entire field.
Public Policy Career Outlook
BestColleges.comThis guide provides you with in-depth information on degree planning including program structures, concentrations, and skill development and application for a Public Policy career.
Earning a Public Policy Master’s Degree
BestColleges.comThis resource will help you learn about the common Master's in Public Policy admission requirements, coursework, and jobs available for graduates.
Honor Native Land: A Guide and Call to Acknowledgement
Sponsored by: U.S. Department of Arts and CultureCreated in partnership with Native allies and organizations, the Guide offers context about the practice of acknowledgment, gives step-by-step instructions for how to begin wherever you are, and provides tips for moving beyond acknowledgment into action.
Vision, Values, and Voice: A Communications Toolkit
The Opportunity AgendaThis toolkit focuses on the broader goal of identifying universal themes and values that tie together a range of issues.
Rights for Renters Messaging
Public Will Initiative with ToposThis tool reiterates focusing on the positives instead of the negatives when it comes to messaging. Even though the series is called Rights for Renters, it isn’t actually limited to renter issue areas—such as the Critiquing Without Undermining Government brief.
A Progressive’s Style Guide
Hanna Thomas (SumOfUs.org); Anna Hirsch (ActivistEditor.com)A Progressive’s Style Guide is explicitly multi-voiced and is created with the following commitments. 1) We combat discriminatory language. 2) We seek advice or more information when we’re unsure. 3) When writing, speaking, or using images, we aim to use examples that reflect a broad range of identities and perspectives.
Housing Matters
Urban InstituteHousing Matters is an online resource for the most rigorous research and practical information on how a quality, stable, affordable home in a vibrant community contributes to individual and community success.
55 Competency-Based Ideas for Professional Development
The Bridgespan GroupThis extensive list of 55 practical on-the-job learning opportunities will help you build customized development plans for your direct reports.
The Move
Ceasar McDowell, Founder; Ayushi Roy, Podcast co-host; Misael Galdamez, Website Author; Julia Curbera, Website AuthorThe Move is a movement to rebuild our public’s muscle for democracy. This movement aims to bring together people of all backgrounds who are seeking to facilitate real civic engagement in today’s democracies. The Move rebuilds our public muscle in three ways: We will partner in the design and implementation of at least one civic engagement project each year. We will provide a collaborative learning and knowledge exchange platform on TheMove.MIT.edu and it’s adjacent social media channels for cities, institutions, and community organizations. We will advance learning, experimentation, and innovation in civic design using eight design principles.
Massachusetts Defense For Eviction (MADE): Self-Guided Eviction Help
Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS)This completely free guided interview is for Massachusetts tenants who are being evicted. It is estimated to take between 25 and 90 minutes for a typical tenant to use on their own. It will help you make sure that you respond to your landlord's eviction case correctly.
DataTown
Massachusetts Housing Partnership's Center for Housing DataThe site compiles community-level information from various data sources for all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns, and visualizes that data in graphics and charts so it's easy to understand, print out and bring to a community discussion.
Homes for Families: Family Housing Resource Guide Massachusetts
Brooke Murphy, UMass Boston Master of Public Administration Graduate StudentAll of the resources, terms, definitions, subsidies and programs one should know to create affordable family housing in Massachusetts.
Green + Healthy Property Management: A Guide for Multifamily Affordable Housing
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC)LISC created this Guide to help affordable housing owners define and pursue measures to reduce the use of energy, water, and harmful chemicals in their properties, reduce waste generated on site, create healthier living environments for residents, and reduce the carbon and environmental footprint associated with residential properties.
Equitable Development / Brownfields Planning
Groundwork USAGroundworks USA's technical assistance team offers customized strategy, tools, and peer support for those in brownfield-affected communities seeking a more inclusive planning and redevelopment agenda in which everyone can prosper.
Building Blocks: Connecting People, Places and Policies
Enterprise Community PartnersA podcast for thought-provoking conversations about the current issues, trends, ideas and big questions facing the affordable housing and community development field in the United States.
MASSCAP Trainings: Recorded Webinars
MASSCAPThis resource contains all the past recorded webinars from MASSCAP (Understanding Immigrant Rights, Community Action Impact, Succession Planning, and More!)
Housing Toolbox for Mass Communities
MHPStrategies and best practices for the creation and preservation of affordable housing, with guides, tools and resources for local boards & committees, planners, municipal staff, developers, and volunteers.
Tools for Cultivating and Connecting Leaders
Living CitiesA well curated toolkit to support effective and adaptive leadership
The Cost of Affordable Housing: Does it Pencil Out?
Urban Institute and the National Housing ConferenceThis interactive online tool illustrates how charging rents affordable to low-income families makes it difficult to finance affordable housing without subsidy.
Sample CDC Policies and Procedures
Local Initiatives Support CorporationSample guide outlines Community Development Corporation organizational policies and procedures in line with requirements for federal funding
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Mapping Tool
Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentMapping tool from HUD allows communities to explore race disparities and fair housing considerations in their area
Assessment of Fair Housing Tool
Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentLocal governments can use this tool to assess their communities' compliance with the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) rule
Ready to Respond: Disaster Staffing Tookit
Enterprise Community PartnersToolkit outlines roles for staff in the case of natural disaster to protect properties, residents and ensure business continuity
Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience
Enterprise Community PartnersGuidebooks includes strategies for protecting buildings and residents during natural disasters
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule Guidebook
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentGuidebook explains the new AFFH rule and how to plan communities in compliance with fair housing guidelines
MassHousing HomeOwnership Video Series
MassHousingVideo series is designed to help would-be home buyers and organizations who assist homebuyers
Pro Bono Analytics for Non-Profit Organizations
INFORMSLearn about the pro-bono analytics software that nonprofit organizations can use to analyze data
Addressing Community Opposition to Affordable Housing Development: A Fair Housing Toolkit
Housing Alliance of PennsylvaniaLearn about how to effectively address the concerns of those opposed to affordable housing development in their communities
Consolidated Planning/CHAS Data
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy data can be used to explore the extent of housing problems and housing needs, particularly for low income households.
Community Resources for Boards
BoardSourceSet of guides on everything for nonprofit boards, from how to take minutes to financial and fundraising issues.
The Impact of LIHTC in Massachusetts
Affordable Housing Rental A.C.T.I.O.N.Factsheet covers the positive impact of LIHTC in Massachusetts from 1986-2013
Free Management Library
Authencity ConsultingLibrary provides resources on management related topics including operations, fundraising, HR, communications etc.
2015 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria
EnterpriseCriteria required to become a certified green community from Enterprise
American Housing Survey
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentSurvey data collected by the U.S. government on housing
Preserving, Protecting and Expanding Affordable Housing
Change Lab SolutionsThe toolkit provides information on housing market trends and research on the links between rising housing costs and poor health outcomes.