The Boston University Initiative on Cities (IOC) is an interdisciplinary university center based at 75 Bay State Road in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 2014 by then-Boston Mayor Tom Menino and Boston University political scientist Graham Wilson, it was established to connect urban research with policy and practice. 34 Its work brings together researchers, students, public officials and community partners to address challenges facing cities. 31
Director Loretta Lees, a professor of sociology, and Executive Director Stacy Fox lead the Initiative. 1113 Its research draws on expertise across fields including law, engineering, public health and environmental studies, and reaches beyond Boston through national and international research and partnerships. 413
A central programme is Urban-H, a five-year research agenda launched in 2023 around housing, heat and health. It examines these issues individually and together, with an emphasis on equity and justice and on translating research into practical policy. 12 The Initiative also runs the Menino Survey of Mayors, a recurring study of mayors’ views on urban issues, and Early Stage Urban Research Awards that support faculty and graduate-student research. 45
Its MetroBridge programme connects BU classes with municipalities and community organisations through place-based projects. In 2026, 410 students in 25 classes worked with partners on 20 projects, according to the Initiative’s annual report. 5 Other recent work includes a Gentrification & Urban Displacement Lab and collaboration on the Greater Boston Housing Report Card. 5 Together, these activities make the IOC a Boston-based centre whose research and educational work spans local, national and international urban issues. 45