Clinic: Housing Policy

• Semester: Fall 2023
• Course ID: 497C
• Credit Hours: 4
• Unique: 29640

Description

Housing Policy Clinic – 4 credits, pass/fail (application required)

The Housing Policy Clinic equips law students with a broad range of policymaking skills, with a focus on policy reforms that systemically advance low-income persons’ access to affordable, just, and secure housing in the United States.

Projects:

Students will work on addressing cutting-edge housing policy issues in close collaboration with clients and stakeholders, including housing advocacy organizations, government officials, housing providers, and community organizations. Students will meet regularly with these stakeholders along with the clinic director. All of the Clinic’s projects involve research and writing, such as creating policy briefs, research reports, op-eds, model laws, and regulatory guidance. Projects also involve oral communications, such as delivering testimony before government bodies and presentations.

Classroom:

The Clinic will meet three times a week to discuss current and emerging housing law and policy issues and hear from guest speakers actively working in the housing policy and housing justice space. In the classroom, we will also focus on skill development through hands-on exercises to support the Clinic’s housing policy projects. Classes will include time to work in teams on clinic projects, although students should expect to spend additional time on their projects outside of the classroom.

Outcomes:

Students participating in the Clinic can expect the following:

• Deep engagement in the housing policy landscape
• Challenging, fun, and meaningful projects
• Development of a broad range of skills necessary for policymaking careers, including:
  • Issue spotting policymaking opportunities
  • Translating research findings into actionable and impactful policies
  • Creative problem solving
  • Policy analysis
  • Policy advocacy
  • Oral and written communications (see above “Projects” section for examples of specific types of communication products)

This is a four-credit hour clinic that is offered only in the fall (although students who have completed the Clinic may apply to participate as advanced clinic students for the spring semester). Grading is on a pass/fail basis. Students should expect to spend 12-15 hours per week on clinic work, including class time and class assignments.

There are no prerequisites for this Clinic, but an application is required. Students are encouraged to apply for the Clinic early as enrollment is limited.

For more information, contact Professor Heather Way at hway@law.utexas.edu.