When: Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 5:00 – 7:00 PM Where: Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215 Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities, the Boston University Center on Forced Displacement (CFD), and the Boston Urban Salon for a discussion exploring how displacement – both structural and episodic – shapes people’s lives, identities, and urban spaces. Focusing on the United Kingdom, Dr. Romola Sanyal (Department of Geography and Environment, LSE) examines how displaced populations often occupy the racialized margins of urban economies, facing precarious work, persistent poverty, and the risk of further displacement. Dr. Sanyal will be joined by Nazli Kibria (Boston University Department of Sociology) and Ayşe Parla (Boston University Department of Anthropology).

🕔 Tuesday, April 21, 2026, 5:00 – 7:00 PM
📍 Initiative on Cities, 75 Bay State Road, Boston, MA 02215

Join us for a discussion with Dr. Romola Sanyal (@lsegeography.bsky.social) exploring how displacement shapes people's lives, identities, and urban spaces.

🔗 bu.edu/ioc/urbansalon-displacement

Read the full report, supported by @arnoldventures.bsky.social, titled, “Unlocking Housing Supply: Mayors’ Views on the Politics of Housing” at surveyofmayors.com.

Co-authored by @katherineeinst.bsky.social, @davidmglick.bsky.social, @maxwellpalmer.com

#MeninoSurvey co-author @katherineeinst.bsky.social said, “Three-quarters of US mayors now believe that building more housing will reduce prices […] mayors have the power to lead on land use reforms that could unlock the housing supply...”

Public meetings are a paradox. 44% of mayors say they reduce the amount of housing that gets built, and 68% say they don’t represent community views. Yet strong majorities still see them as useful—for gauging public sentiment and building trust between communities and developers.

Public meetings are a paradox. 44% of mayors say they reduce the amount of housing that gets built, and 68% say they don’t represent community views. Yet strong majorities still see them as useful—for gauging public sentiment and building trust between communities and developers.

“In Austin, we’ve modernized our land use and reduced unnecessary regulation barriers so we can add homes where people most want to live. When cities lack supply, it drives up costs and undermines generational wealth. If we believe supply matters, our policies have to reflect it.”

Austin, TX Mayor @kirkpwatson.bsky.social: “In Austin, we’ve modernized our land use and reduced unnecessary regulation barriers so we can add homes where people most want to live."

Which cities are mayors pointing to as housing affordability leaders? Austin, TX & @minneapolismn.gov top the list – both have reformed their zoning and increased housing supply.

When mayors describe housing projects they wanted to build but couldn’t, they cited these barriers: 💰 40%: financing problems 🗣️ 25%: public opposition 📝 15%: permitting issues

When mayors describe housing projects they wanted to build but couldn’t, they cited these barriers:

💰 40%: financing problems
🗣️ 25%: public opposition
📝 15%: permitting issues

And on some issues, there’s no clear agreement at all. Mayors are evenly divided on whether homelessness is primarily a housing affordability problem, with roughly equal shares (20–25%) in each camp—from strong agreement to strong disagreement.

And on some issues, there’s no clear agreement at all. Mayors are evenly divided on whether homelessness is primarily a housing affordability problem, with roughly equal shares (20–25%) in each camp—from strong agreement to strong disagreement.

While allowing more apartments near transit is popular across party lines, there are still gaps: nearly all Democratic mayors (91%) support it, compared with 63% of Republican mayors. 80% of Democratic mayors support converting underused commercial space to housing, compared with 25% of Republicans.

While allowing more apartments near transit is popular across party lines, there are still gaps: nearly all Democratic mayors (91%) support it, compared with 63% of Republican mayors. 80% of Democratic mayors support converting underused commercial space to housing, compared with 25% of Republicans.

Strong majorities of mayors support policies to make it easier to build multifamily housing—through zoning changes and faster permitting. Some ideas draw strong bipartisan backing, such as allowing city staff to approve new housing permits that comply with all existing rules (~70%).

Strong majorities of mayors support policies to make it easier to build multifamily housing—through zoning changes and faster permitting. Some ideas draw strong bipartisan backing, such as allowing city staff to approve new housing permits that comply with all existing rules (~70%).

These differences shape how mayors approach solutions. Democratic mayors are more likely to see increasing supply as key to lowering costs—and to support regulatory reforms, countering popular media narratives that blue cities and states are prone to such governance failures.

But the housing supply story isn’t one-size-fits-all. 86% of Democratic mayors say underbuilding is a major cause of rising costs—nearly 50 percentage points higher than Republican mayors.

Housing costs are rising, and mayors point to a clear cause: not enough homes. 3-in-4 say underbuilding is a major driver of rising costs, and 80% say competition for too few homes to rent or buy is making it worse. But the housing supply story isn’t one-size-fits-all. 86% of Democratic mayors say underbuilding is a major cause of rising costs—nearly 50 percentage points higher than Republican mayors.

Housing costs are rising, and mayors point to a clear cause: not enough homes. 3-in-4 say underbuilding is a major driver of rising costs, and 80% say competition for too few homes to rent or buy is making it worse.

80% of mayors say their cities have too little multifamily housing—and more than 60% report a shortage of rental housing. At the same time, 58% believe there’s too little single-family housing, while just 9% say there’s too much.

80% of mayors say their cities have too little multifamily housing—and more than 60% report a shortage of rental housing. At the same time, 58% believe there’s too little single-family housing, while just 9% say there’s too much.

As Congress debates housing legislation, the 2025 #MeninoSurvey makes clear that mayors believe that supply matters for affordability. 75% of US mayors now believe that increasing the supply of market-rate housing will reduce housing prices (up from 60% in 2021).

As Congress debates housing legislation, the 2025 #MeninoSurvey makes clear that mayors believe that supply matters for affordability.

75% of US mayors now believe that increasing the supply of market-rate housing will reduce housing prices (up from 60% in 2021).

🏘️🏗️🏙️ Today, we release findings from the 2025 #MeninoSurvey, the only nationally representative survey of American mayors that explores what mayors see as the main drivers of rising housing costs, housing policy, and political barriers they face to building more homes. surveyofmayors.com

🧵⬇️

Great event Reclaim Roxbury last night which @buoncities.bsky.social sponsored- amazing work

Impactful and relevant conversation with Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune yesterday as part of our Urban Governance Series.

Thanks to @ruthzee.bsky.social for your time and energy and to Stacy Fox and @buoncities.bsky.social for organizing and framing the discussion.

I'm very much looking forward to this event at Boston University on February 4th! Thanks to the Initiative on Cities for organizing! bsky.app/profile/buon...

The Death and Life of Gentrification: A New Map of a Persistent Idea by Japonica Brown-Saracino

Japonica Brown-Saracino

Next week, Feb 4 at 3:00pm EST, @buoncities.bsky.social welcomes @jbrownsaracino.bsky.social for a discussion of her book, The Death and Life of Gentrification, and her research into the changing meaning of gentrification in contemporary life and its implications.

Register here: buff.ly/blXD0Sm

Join the Boston University Initiative on Cities for the launch of the Gentrification & Urban Displacement Lab (GUDL) – a new hub bringing together faculty, students, practitioners, and community partners committed to understanding urban change, culture, and inequality. At the center of the launch is a discussion of Professor Japonica Brown-Saracino’s important new book, The Death and Life of Gentrification. Brown-Saracino explores how the term “gentrification” has evolved far beyond Ruth Glass’s original meaning – shifting from a description of neighborhood change to a socially charged metaphor for cultural appropriation, upscaling, and the loss of authenticity. Drawing on film, literature, journalism, and art, the book illuminates how gentrification has become a lens through which we understand transformations in everyday life and popular culture. Brown-Saracino will be joined by Karilyn Crockett (MIT), Lawrence Vale (MIT), and Stephanie Ternullo (Harvard University) for a conversation on the book. Following the discussion, the program will feature lightning talks showcasing recent BU research on gentrification and displacement, as well as next steps for GUDL. Learn more and register on our website at bu.edu/ioc/ideas-to-action

Join us for the launch of our Gentrification & Urban Displacement Lab (GUDL), featuring a discussion with
@jbrownsaracino.bsky.social on her new book "The Death & Life of Gentrification!"

🕒 February 4, 2026, 3:00 – 5:00 PM
📍 610 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

🔗 bu.edu/ioc/ideas-to-action

🏙️ Half a month ago, the Initiative on Cities hosted our very first BU City Hall Day, bringing BU researchers together with City of Boston staff, building relationships with City Hall leaders, and bridging gaps between research and municipal policymaking.

Read our recap: www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/12/...

🧋 🍵 Boba’s been popping off in Boston with signs of commercial gentrification (boba-ification) YouTube video by Boston University Initiative on Cities

🧋 🍵 Boba’s been popping off lately in Boston, especially in the Chinatown area. We ventured out for sweet drinks and to examine the impacts—and signs of commercial gentrification (boba-ification)—as consumers and businesses shift toward new products and tastes.

🔗 youtube.com/shorts/1WpPb...

Congratulations to our postdoctoral research associate Josh Lown and Director @lorettaclees.bsky.social for receiving an Institute of Human Geography grant on building a toolkit with and for activists and organizers to advocate for new green space while minimizing gentrification and displacement.

Congratulations @kaibosworth.bsky.social, @lorettaclees.bsky.social, and @rrr3006.bsky.social for 2025 IHG Research Grant Award!!

Are you researching climate change, human mobility, and housing? If so, join us in Nola (January) for "Multiplied Displacements: The Climate-Housing Nexus" (free registration & some travel funding available) w/ @uoftcities.bsky.social & @buoncities.bsky.social architecture.tulane.edu/events/multi...

Join us for a virtual discussion of Urban Health in Africa, co-edited by Boston University Associate Professor of Global Health, Elaine Nsoesie. The event will feature contributing authors highlighting case studies from the volume and a panel conversation on Africa’s rapid urbanization and its implications for health, prosperity, and sustainability. Essays in the book explore a range of topics—from housing to climate change—across diverse African cities. Contributing authors sharing: Blessing Mberu, Senior Research Scientist and the head of population dynamics and urbanization, African Population and Health Research Center; Dina Machuve, Co-Founder and CTO, DevData Analytics; Jane Weru, Executive Director, Akiba Mashinani Trust; Deo Okure, Head of Research & Global Partnerships, AirQo; Elizabeth Bakibinga, Legal Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, UK

Join the @buoncities.bsky.social and @busph.bsky.social for a virtual discussion of Urban Health in Africa, co-edited by BU Associate Professor Elaine Nsoesie! The event will feature a panel on case studies on Africa’s urbanization, health, and prosperity.

Register: www.bu.edu/ioc/2025/10/...

Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization - Nature Cities Urbanization disrupts oak tree microbiomes by reducing beneficial fungi and increasing plant and human pathogens across leaves, roots and soils, with consequences for tree health, urban climate mitiga...

🌳 Big news! My paper “Disruption of the oak tree microbiome with urbanization” is now out in Nature Cities! 🏙️🌿
Cities are full of life we don’t see, including microbes that live in and on trees.
🔗 doi.org/10.1038/s442...

Great talk @buoncities.bsky.social last night by Danny Abrahamson on the architecture of rebuilt city halls

Contested meaning of symbolic space in East Asian cities sponsored by @buoncities.bsky.social tonight