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| UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies | |
|---|---|
| Name | UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies |
| Established | 1985 |
| Type | Academic research center |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
| Parent institution | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Director | Darnell Hunt |
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies is an interdisciplinary research center based at University of California, Los Angeles focused on urban and regional policy analysis, demographic change, and spatial planning in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The center convenes faculty from UCLA School of Public Affairs, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, UCLA School of Law, and departments such as UCLA Department of Sociology, UCLA Department of Geography, and UCLA Department of Urban Planning. It connects scholars, public officials, and civic organizations to inform policy debates involving transportation, housing, and immigration across California, Southern California, and the broader United States context.
Founded in 1985 during a period of expansion in metropolitan research, the center emerged amid initiatives at University of California campuses to address urban issues like growth management and regional governance. Early collaborations included scholars associated with Rand Corporation, Brookings Institution, and Harvard Kennedy School who shaped comparative metropolitan studies. Over successive decades the center hosted research linked to major events and shifts such as the 1992 Los Angeles riots, the 2008 United States housing bubble, and debates following the passage of Proposition 13 reforms. Directors and affiliated faculty have included analysts who previously worked with U.S. Census Bureau, California State Legislature, and municipal partners such as the City of Los Angeles and Los Angeles County agencies.
The center's mission emphasizes applied research, policy translation, and training. Programs target topics including regional housing supply linked to discussions in California State Assembly, transportation policy connected to Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and immigration patterns studied alongside U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Initiatives have involved partnerships with foundations such as the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and the Ford Foundation. Programmatic efforts include recurring seminars, public convenings with stakeholders from Los Angeles Unified School District, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, and municipal planning departments, and policy labs modeled on collaborations seen at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Columbia University.
The center produces reports, briefs, and peer-reviewed articles disseminated through channels aligned with outlets like American Planning Association, Journal of the American Planning Association, and policy forums hosted by Public Policy Institute of California. Research topics have spanned affordable housing analyses reflective of debates in California Legislative Analyst's Office, transportation equity studies tied to Federal Transit Administration practice, and demographic forecasting referencing U.S. Census Bureau data. Notable publications have informed litigation and policy processes alongside entities such as the California Court of Appeal, regional transportation authorities, and nonprofit research organizations including RAND Corporation and Urban Institute.
As an academic hub the center offers undergraduate and graduate student opportunities similar to programs at University of Southern California and Stanford University, including internships with the Mayor of Los Angeles’s office, clerkships with county agencies, and research assistantships funded through grants from the National Science Foundation and the Russell Sage Foundation. It sponsors coursework cross-listed with UCLA School of Law, collaborative studios with the UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design, and capstone projects that connect to professional networks like the American Institute of Certified Planners. Students have presented at conferences such as the Association of American Geographers and the American Political Science Association.
The center engages community-based organizations including the Los Angeles Community Action Network, tenant advocacy groups that interacted with California Department of Housing and Community Development, and environmental coalitions such as the Sierra Club in California campaigns. Its convenings have influenced regional planning efforts at agencies like the Southern California Association of Governments and informed ballot measure deliberations affecting tax policy and land use in jurisdictions across Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the San Fernando Valley. Collaborative projects have supported municipal litigation strategies, informed ballot argumentation reviewed by the California Secretary of State, and contributed evidence cited by local media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times.
Funding sources include competitive awards from federal agencies including the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, philanthropic grants from foundations such as the Annenberg Foundation, and gifts from private donors with advisory roles reported in governance documents of University of California, Los Angeles. Governance features oversight by faculty committees drawn from UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, administrative coordination with the UCLA Office of Research, and advisory boards that have included leaders from California State University, Northridge, regional nonprofits, and municipal government. The center adheres to institutional review frameworks comparable to those managed by the UCLA Institutional Review Board.
Category:University of California, Los Angeles Category:Urban studies and planning organizations