Publications

Article January 20, 2026 Expert Voices 2026 | The Great Experiment: Cities and the Federal System Experts share their perspectives on how America’s unique federal system has shaped national and metropolitan development across 250 years. Eugénie L. Birch Susan Wachter Urban Development

Research Paper December 11, 2025 Surveillance or Safety? How Cities are Rewriting Tourism Cities are turning to Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a transformative tool to enhance safety through predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and rapid response systems. At the same time, AI deployment raises pressing governance questions. Mauricio Rodas Eugénie L. Birch Luke Campo Urban Development

Article December 11, 2025 Highlights for 2025 We’ve rounded up Penn IUR’s highlights for 2025 in this photo montage celebrating 20 years of urban research.

Article December 10, 2025 Commissioners Join Leaders at CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 to Advance the Mayors in Motion Initiative At CoMotion GLOBAL 2025 in Riyadh, Mauricio Rodas and Eugénie L. Birch, representing the Secretariat of the UN SDSN’s Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance, joined more than 100 city leaders, policymakers, and innovators for the launch of Mayors in Motion. Mauricio Rodas Eugénie L. Birch Climate Change & Resilience Rapid Urbanization

Article November 19, 2025 Penn IUR Leaders Advance Urban Climate, Nature Finance Ahead of COP30 Brazil In the lead-up to COP30 Brazil, Penn IUR, as Secretariat of the SDSN Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance, advanced efforts to close the urban climate and nature finance gaps in meetings across Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Belém. Climate Change & Resilience

Article November 14, 2025 Fellows in Urban Leadership Explore Climate Resilience in New York City The University of Pennsylvania’s 2025-2026 cohort of Fellows in Urban Leadership traveled to New York City for a full-day immersion into the layered, interdisciplinary work of building urban climate resilience. Climate Change & Resilience

Publication November 12, 2025 The Future of the GSEs: Conservatorship, Capital, and Mission This brief is the outcome of a roundtable examining the privatization of the GSEs through a utility model. Attendees considered the elements needed and best structure for a more privatized GSE model for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Housing

Publication October 30, 2025 Protecting Progress: Why Sustained Discipline is Critical for Pension Stability On September 19, 2025, Cherelle L. Parker, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, led a convening on Protecting Progress: Why Sustained Discipline is Critical for Pension Stability at the Wharton School in collaboration with Penn IUR and Penn's Office of Government and Community Affairs. State & Local Finance

Article October 29, 2025 Jere R. Behrman on the Impacts of Community Infrastructure on Children’s Learning Jere R. Behrman is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Economics in the Department of Economics and Professor of Sociology in the Department of Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, a Penn IUR Faculty Fellow, and a Research Associate at Penn’s Population Studies Center (PSC), Population Aging Research Center (PARC), and the Penn Development Research Initiative (PDRI). State & Local Finance

Article October 29, 2025 Shane Jensen on the Price Effects of Greening Vacant Lots Shane Jensen is Professor of Statistics and Data Science at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a Penn IUR Faculty Fellow. Shane Jensen Urban Development

Article October 21, 2025 Exploring the Impact of Anchor Institutions A new graduate course, “Anchor Institutions as Agents of Change: Past, Present and Future,” explores economic impacts of anchor institutions. Eugénie L. Birch Anthony (Tony) Sorrentino Anchor Institutions

Article October 20, 2025 Erick Guerra on the Costs and Benefits of Roads Erick Guerra studies the intersection of transportation, land use, and travel behavior, particularly in rapidly urbanizing and motorizing cities. Urban Development

Research Paper October 14, 2025 Enabling Environment: Current Conditions for Subnational Access to International Finance in Latin America Read the latest report from the SDSN Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance, developed with CAF, to explore potential Latin American countries to pilot the Green Cities Guarantee Fund. Eugénie L. Birch Mauricio Rodas Delfina Vildosola Luke Campo Climate Change & Resilience

Article September 30, 2025 SDSN Global Commission for Urban SDG Finance in NYC During Climate Week NYC 2025, the SDSN Global Commission pressed on with its agenda to enable subnational actors to mobilize and deploy resilient, low-carbon infrastructure through climate finance. Eugénie L. Birch Mauricio Rodas Amanda Lloyd Delfina Vildosola Climate Change & Resilience

Annual Report August 6, 2025 Ideas, Inquiry, & Impact: Celebrating 20 Years of Urban Research Penn IUR is pleased to announce its 2024-2025 Penn IUR Annual Report, Ideas, Inquiry, & Impact: Celebrating 20 Years of Urban Research Urban Development

Article May 30, 2025 Jessie Handbury on Shifts in Urban Living Patterns Jessie Handbury’s research studies the interplay between spatial and socio-economic inequality, with a focus on the spatial distribution of retail amenities. Urban Development

Article May 28, 2025 Penn Institute for Urban Research Awarded Grant to Re-envision the University’s Role as an Anchor Institution Penn IUR's "Penn as an Anchor Institution" project has been selected for support through the University of Pennsylvania’s Draw Down the Lightning grants, a new initiative of the Office of the President and Office of the Provost. Anchor Institutions

Article May 22, 2025 Image of Newark Skating Community Named Winner of the Penn IUR Photo Contest "Gather" Luke Walter's image of skaters in Newark, New Jersey is this winner of the 2025 Penn IUR Photo Contest celebrating place-based connection. Urban Development

Article May 22, 2025 Doctoral Symposium Celebrates New Urban Research at Penn The Penn Institute for Urban Research celebrated the university’s urban scholars at the 18th Annual Urban Doctoral Symposium & Poster session, highlighting the dissertation work of three newly minted urban PhDs. Urban Development

Research Paper April 23, 2025 Integrating Urban and Subnational Priorities into Country Platforms: Strengthening Global Commitments Climate Change & Resilience State & Local Finance

Publication April 16, 2025 Penn IUR Joins Global Leaders in Cape Town for Urban Ecosystem Restoration Workshop Penn IUR participated as a United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) partner in the Generation Restoration global workshop for urban nature-based solutions (NbS) held in Cape Town, South Africa in March 2025. Climate Change & Resilience

Article April 14, 2025 Seventh Annual Jeremy Nowak Memorial Lecture Reunites Founders to Reflect on Roots of Mission-Driven Finance The Seventh Annual Jeremy Nowak Memorial Lecture—hosted by the Reinvestment Fund and the Penn Institute for Urban Research (Penn IUR)—reunited the founders of the Reinvestment Fund to reflect on the powerful relationships, social movements, and vision that laid its foundation. Urban Development

Article March 26, 2025 Urban Perspectives in Practice: Fellows in Urban Leadership Visit Washington, D.C. Penn IUR’s Urban Research Fellows traveled to Washington, D.C. for a day-long, immersive experience exploring the intersection of urban policy, advocacy, and community development. Urban Development

Article March 26, 2025 John MacDonald on Addressing Abandoned Housing to Improve Public Safety John MacDonald's article, “Lessons Learned from a Citywide Abandoned Housing Experiment,” offers valuable insights into the relationship between the built environment and community wellbeing. Housing

Article March 26, 2025 Navigating Uncertainty in Federal Transportation Policy With significant policy reversals, staffing cuts, and the suspension of previously awarded federal funds, cities are being forced to reconsider how they plan, finance, and operate public transportation. State & Local Finance

Publications

Expert Voices 2026

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