Urban Action Lab
Bridging the Academic and Professional Worlds
Urban Action Lab is a course that challenges students to take on real challenges within the greater Boston community. Partnering with community-based organizations and government, this experiential learning course guides students as they act as consultants, solving real-world problems through research, analysis, and collaboration. It's a capstone experience offered in the Fall and Spring semesters and requires permission to enroll.
Featured Projects
The Corcoran Center Urban Action Lab developed recommendations during the 2020-2021 academic year as part of an ongoing project to strengthen the Codman Square Business District. Students and professors from the Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action researched several forms to ensure the proposals for economic development considered legitimate neighborhood input and reflected neighborhood data.
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The Corcoran Center Urban Action Lab developed recommendations during the 2020-2021 academic year as part of an ongoing project to strengthen the Codman Square Business District. Students and professors from the Corcoran Center for Real Estate and Urban Action researched several forms to ensure the proposals for economic development considered legitimate neighborhood input and reflected neighborhood data.
Gallivan Development
Working with the Boston Housing Authority and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, the Urban Action Lab analyzed an existing Boston public housing site and created a concept for an equitable, mixed-income redevelopment that created homeownership and entrepreneurship opportunities for neighborhood residents.
Note: This document was created at Boston College for academic purposes
Caribbeans in Boston
Working with Caribbean Integration Community Development, the Urban Action Lab analyzed and reported on the Caribbean Population in Greater Boston
Trustees of the Reservation
Working with Trustees of the Reservation, the Urban Action Lab analyzed and reported on Lessons for Equitable Park Development on the Boston Waterfront
Boston Planning and Development Agency
The Boston College Urban Action Lab undertook a project in Spring 2023 to consider the Article 80 process and propose questions and policies for a “Developers Scorecard”, or a tool that may precede a project review process.
Yes in God's Backyard
The Urban Action Lab, in Spring 2024, worked in partnership with The Planning Office of Urban Affairs, the Lynch Foundation, and the Lincoln Land Institute to develop a paper communicating the potential contribution of Faith-Based organizations to the housing deficit in Massachusetts.
St Joseph's Shelter Relocation
The Urban Action Lab, in Spring 2025, worked in partnership with the Housing Assistance Corporation and Catholic Charities of Fall River to craft a compelling argument rooted in Catholic teachings for relocating a homeless shelter and supporting this effort under the Massachusetts Law, which is referred to as the Dover Amendment. They created an actionable stakeholder engagement strategy with recommendations to address community concerns about economic impacts, safety, and shelter efficacy while fostering transparent communication and collaboration.
Habitat for Humanity in Essex County
In Spring 2025, the Urban Action Lab partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Essex County to explore opportunities for acquiring faith-owned land to support affordable housing development. This project investigates how different religious traditions approach the sale of property and assesses potential faith-owned sites across Essex County.
Neighborhood Engagement
By working on innovative projects that address social, economic, and racial inequalities through partnerships with community organizations, policymakers, and local governments. These initiatives emphasize the intersection of housing, labor markets, and wealth accumulation, providing both theoretical insights and practical solutions.
Urban Action labs have supported several projects in Boston neighborhoods:
- Economic Development Planning through longitudinal partnerships with community-based organizations
- Reimagined development concept of large-scale mixed-income community in partnership with Mass Housing and Boston Housing Authority
- Developed Demographic study of Boston Metropolitan Area Caribbeans
- Study of Urban Agriculture and innovation that would improve operations and production
- “Developers Scorecard” to assess how development projects align with Boston’s goals of Affordability, Equity, and Climate Resilience. The project defined key metrics, benchmarked practices from major U.S. cities, and developed recommendations for a progressive project review process.
- In Spring 2024, the Lab partnered with The Planning Office of Urban Affairs, the Lynch Foundation, and the Lincoln Land Institute to analyze the potential role of faith-based organizations in addressing Massachusetts’ housing deficit. Research included California’s SB 4 (“Yes in God’s Backyard” law), related legislation, and program recommendations for Massachusetts.
On-Campus Partners
School of Social Work
Connell School of Nursing
Boston College Volunteer and Service Learning Center
4Boston
BC Theater Department
Carroll School of Management
Environmental Studies Program
