Public

When the private market fails to deliver fresh, affordable food to the communities that need it most, local government has to step in. That was the shared conviction behind a recent conversation hosted by HR&A Advisors, the Mayors Innovation Project, Mayors for America, and Local Progress Impact Lab.

California has never been short on ambition. But ambition without results leaves communities behind, and right now, communities across the state are navigating compounding challenges — aging infrastructure, a housing crisis, climate risk, a challenging job market, and an economy in flux.  What does it actually take to get hard things done in California? On June 18, HR&A Advisors hosted an […]

25 years in the making. 1,300 new residential units. 2.5 million square feet of housing, retail, and office space. $750–800 million in new private investment. Cincinnati City Council has approved the Urban Design Plan Update for The Banks — completing the vision for one of the country’s most storied riverfront revivals. HR&A Advisors, alongside Perkins&Will, […]

At a time when cities across the country are facing an affordability crisis and communities are struggling to find healthy, culturally relevant food options for their families, a new solution is gaining momentum: public grocery stores.   With recent headlines celebrating Atlanta’s opening of Azalea Market, Chicago’s plans to develop a network of publicly-supported markets, and […]

We’re looking forward to joining clients, collaborators, thought leaders, and changemakers at the Urban Land Institute’s 2026 Spring Meeting in Nashville. As the industry comes together to exchange ideas and shape the future of cities, our team will share insights from decades of work at the intersection of real estate, economic development, and resilience.   Speaking Engagements: […]

In just her first 100 days in office, Mayor Dr. Dorcey L. Applyrs has set a powerful example of what it looks like to shape governing priorities in partnership with the community. Earlier this month, the City of Albany released the Activate Albany Action Plan. The plan is a 30-step, community-driven policy agenda directly shaped by input […]

This press release was originally issued by the Mayor’s office.   NEW ORLEANS, LA — Today, Mayor Helena Moreno gathered with civic leaders whose work shaped her administration’s first 100 days at a celebration held at Gallier Hall, releasing the All In for New Orleans: 100-Day Report and laying out her priorities for the term ahead.   “The […]

Deep community engagement and moving with speed are often treated as tradeoffs. Mayor Helena Moreno proved otherwise. As the first Latina to be elected mayor of New Orleans, she inherited a city facing a severe budget crisis and residents who had stopped expecting government to show up. Her response was to do both things at […]

The Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency approved its first $100 million in affordable housing construction funding — and we’re proud to have supported the effort from the beginning. Over the past year, HR&A has been working alongside LACAHSA’s leadership to develop the Agency’s Expenditure Plan and Agency Strategy — designing the financing frameworks, […]

Cities don’t have the luxury of treating climate change as a future problem. The decisions being made right now — about buildings, energy systems, coastlines, and infrastructure — will shape whether cities can keep their promises to residents on both resilience and affordability. This Earth Day, we’re reflecting on the work HR&A teams have been […]

New York City’s launch of its public grocery store initiative is an exciting step towards making public options a reality in more places. By late 2027, the City plans to open its first publicly owned grocery store and aims to expand the model to every borough by the end of the Mayor’s term.   HR&A Advisors is […]

This week, the Maryland Department of Transportation launched the Baltimore Region Transit-Oriented Development Strategy, a milestone effort to strengthen regional mobility, expand housing options, and connect more Marylanders to opportunity. HR&A was proud to lead the development of the TOD Strategy, building on our broader body of work across the region.   To support the release […]