Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced Taylor Cain has been appointed as director of the City of Boston’s Housing Innovation Lab (i-Lab). As director, Cain will lead citywide efforts to pioneer innovative housing models and systems, and accelerate the pace of innovation in the housing sector that promotes inclusion and equity across Boston neighborhoods.
Cain, a Jamaica Plain resident, recently completed her Ph.D. in Sociology at Boston University, and also holds a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University. In addition to her academic pursuits, Cain has worked with local nonprofit organizations and institutions on evaluation and research projects that focus on a range of issues, including economic development, racial equity, and displacement. Cain fell ‘in curiosity’ with Boston during her first few years of graduate school as she experienced the city and its neighborhoods through different forms of public transportation. Deeply intrigued by how people move through and experience place, Cain brings a sociological imagination to addressing the challenges of ensuring that Boston is a city that grows inclusively.
“Since its inception, the Housing Innovation Lab has infused a sense of curiosity, creativity, and the lived experiences of Boston residents into our conversations about housing,” said Cain. “As the new director, I cannot wait to grow the threads of this work. I am looking forward to partnering with the many communities that care deeply about housing in Boston and exploring projects that grapple with the connections between housing, transportation, employment, and other important dimensions of urban life.”
The Housing Innovation Lab under Cain’s leadership will continue to take an innovative approach to addressing Boston’s housing challenges. Since first being established by Mayor Walsh in 2015, the i-Lab has worked with residents and stakeholders to encourage the creation of new housing prototypes that promote affordability and alternative living arrangements.
Over the coming year under Cain’s leadership, the lab will focus on projects that pertain to resilience, multigenerational living and community wealth building. Residents with thoughts or suggestions are welcome to attend the labs’ office hours every Tuesday from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. at the Department of Neighborhood Development offices at 26 Court Street. Whether it is an idea, a set of questions, or a desire to talk with a team who cares deeply about our residential environments, the lab is looking forward to connecting with different stakeholders in Boston.
