Policy Design

Assessing a policy tells you what's not working. Policy design is where you fix it.

Our approach follows a consistent process, whether the deliverable is a rewritten zoning code, an inclusionary housing requirement, or a new mandatory policy. We start by reviewing existing policies against the goals they were meant to achieve. Where does intent diverge from outcome? Then we look at regional and national best practices, so a new policy draws on what's actually worked elsewhere, not just theory.

Next, we build a community engagement framework that aligns with the project's needs. That ranges from seeking meaningful input from key stakeholders, to convening focus groups that study the problem together, turning participants into advocates along the way. Where it's useful, we build models to test a proposed policy against real development economics. Does it pencil? Does it produce the kind of project a community actually wants built?

We draft the model ordinance language itself, translating intent into enforceable code, and revise it through as many rounds as it takes to get right. Then we carry it through to adoption, presenting findings to councils and commissions and refining the language based on what we hear. The goal isn't a policy that just sounds good. It's one that gets real projects built.