Housing Policy Fellowship

Boston Housing; Boston (MA); On-site; USD 27,000 - 39,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible schedule

Downtown Boston office

Job summary

Boston Housing Authority is seeking five graduate students for a 16-week Housing Policy Fellowship, running Jan 19, 2027 – May 7, 2027. Fellows work with multiple departments, including resident engagement and sustainability, on meaningful housing policy projects.

Fellows may be in-person or remote, with weekly check-ins in downtown Boston and a flexible schedule around school commitments. Candidates from urban planning, public administration, environmental studies, and related fields are

Qualifications

• Current graduate student with an interest in public service and housing.
• Able to work both in-person and remotely throughout the 16-week fellowship.
• Willingness to engage with residents and diverse teams.

Responsibilities

• Support BHA departments on various projects and initiatives.
• Develop, implement, and present survey materials and results.
• Research energy efficiency upgrades for Section 8 and related programs.
• Contribute to strategy documents for economic mobility programs.
• Assist with resident engagement and communications activities.
• Create GIS maps and visual communications for residents and staff.

Skills

Graduate student

Public service interest

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Graduate studies in related field

Tools

GIS software

Job description

Salary Range: $24.00 PER HOUR 15-20hrs/week

Posting Date: Monday, September 28, 2026

Application Deadline: Friday, October 23, 2026

BHA Fellowship program runs: Tuesday, January 19, 2027 – Friday, May 7, 2027.

General Description: BHA is looking for five graduate students to join our part-time 16 week fellowship program! The BHA envisions a strong, vibrant, and equitable city where every resident can thrive. We foster this vision by providing quality affordable housing, bringing stability, opportunity and peace of mind to thousands of low and moderate income families across the Greater Boston area. As the largest provider of affordable housing in Boston, the BHA seeks to innovate the housing space and center the knowledge and experiences of the households we serve. These households include families with children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities that call BHA communities home. The BHA Housing Policy Fellowship is a 16 week fellowship program for graduate students interested in developing, implementing, and advancing housing-related policies that will positively impact the lives of public housing residents and Section 8 voucher holders. BHA will be hosting a cohort of five fellows for the Spring of 2027 with potential to extend into the summer. Fellows may support BHA projects related to resident engagement, sustainability, wealth and asset building, innovative housing models, and more. Each fellow will be working on individual projects, each joining a BHA department and directly reporting to senior BHA staff. All five fellows will be meeting regularly as a cohort with fellowship supervisors Dr. Taylor Cain, Chief of Staff, Dr. Nicholas Kelly, Chief of Innovation & Economic Opportunity, and Maya Harel, Assistant to the Chief of Staff. Weekly hours will vary between 15-20 hours per week, allowing for flexibility within current school schedule. All fellows must be available on Wednesday or Thursday afternoons from 2:00-4:00pm for in-person weekly check-ins at our downtown Boston office. Upon selection, further coordination will determine the ideal time within this availability for all five fellows.

Duties & Responsibilities: Fellows may work with BHA departments such as Administration, Public Housing, Resident Engagement, Media and Intergovernmental Relations, Planning Construction and Development, Economic Opportunity, Leased Housing, Sustainability, and more. Some of our previous fellows have worked on:

• Promoting a portfolio-wide resident survey, evaluating the data received, and developing presentation materials to share survey results
• Researching, developing, and launching an Energy Secure Homes pilot program to connect our Section 8 voucher holders with energy efficiency upgrades
• Reviewing our economic mobility programs and developing a comprehensive strategy document charting the future of these programs
• Engaging with residents to plan open space improvements at public housing sites and using lessons learned to write a resident engagement handbook
• Expanding public health education about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias by working with partner organizations to run brain health educational workshops at our public housing sites
• Increasing the accessibility and user friendliness of BHA’s Five Year Plan to better connect with residents and community leaders, including graphic design and website content creation
• Employing Geographic Information System (GIS) software as a tool to create maps and diagrams of our portfolio to use as internal guides and as clear visual communications to residents about upcoming projects

Minimum Qualifications & Experience: We are looking for current graduate students with a strong interest in or curiosity about public service and housing. We invite students from different disciplines including urban planning, public administration, environmental studies, architecture, sociology, graphic design, and other related fields. Fellows will be expected to work both in-person and remotely during the duration of the fellowship program.