Land and Communities

Forward-looking and evidence-based land policies support thriving, inclusive, healthy, and resilient communities

The Land and Communities team at the Lincoln Institute helps local leaders adopt and implement land policies and practices that expand access to secure and affordable housing, mitigate and adapt to climate change, and create local economies that work for everyone. We accomplish our mission by conducting timely and relevant research, building networks and sharing knowledge, supporting and scaling innovation, and strengthening the capacity of local leaders, including community-based organizations, planners, practitioners, and policymakers.  

We envision a world in which every person can be part of a community that is thriving, inclusive, healthy, and resilient. And we see a path to get there through forward-looking land policies that prioritize public good over private profit, are developed through participatory planning processes, leverage resources and partnerships from different sectors, and are grounded in the best available data and evidence. 

We organize and advance our work through three program areas to support local leaders:  

  • Urban Sustainability, which helps cities and urban regions anticipate and respond to climate change and build communities that are resilient and sustainable.  
  • Remaking Local Economies, which assists smaller cities and cities experiencing population loss with developing, adopting, and implementing inclusive economic development strategies that contribute to broadly shared prosperity. 
  • Housing and Land Policy, which guides local leaders in leveraging research and innovative land policies to produce and preserve housing that people can access and afford, protect residents from displacement, build wealth through housing, and develop land for housing more efficiently and resiliently. 

Urban Sustainability

Urban areas are essential to the well-being of people and our planet: cities produce over 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, house more than half of the global population, and are vital for the sustainability of rural areas and ecosystems. As climate change puts new strains on cities, it exacerbates other critical issues, including soaring housing costs, increasing informality, inequality, and resource shortages. Through networks, courses and workshops, policy-relevant research, and publications, the Lincoln Institute provides community leaders, practitioners, and decision-makers with the information, tools, and skills needed to make evidence-based planning and policy decisions, anticipate potential consequences, and balance competing needs and interests amid the interconnected challenges of climate change, equity, and urbanization.

Learn More About Urban Sustainability

Remaking Local Economies

Local governments and their partners continue to play a key role in economic development, aiming to create conditions for residents to not just survive but thrive in place. Yet their attempts and promises of improving quality of life have often fallen short of their intended goals. Remaking Local Economies—a new research initiative spearheaded by the Lincoln Institute—is building a unique template for smaller US cities that transcends traditional growth-centric efforts, setting the stage for meaningful, equitable change.

Learn More About Remaking Local Economies