Reports & Publications

Research That Drives Policy Change

The Greater Boston Applied Field Lab produces rigorous research that informs public policy at local, state, and federal levels. Our publications combine academic excellence with practical relevance, providing data-driven insights that government leaders rely on for decision-making.

HKS Working Papers

Our research addresses critical challenges facing communities, from transportation and housing to climate resilience and economic development. Each publication represents months of intensive fieldwork, data analysis, and collaboration with government partners.

Connecting The Northeast: A Cost Estimate For The North-South Rail Link

This paper presents rough order-of-magnitude estimates for the capital cost of the North South Rail Link (the “Link”), a proposed infrastructure project to connect the commuter rail and Amtrak lines that currently terminate at Boston’s North and South...

Estimating the Costs and Benefits of Supported Quarantine and Isolation in Massachusetts: The Missing Link in Covid-19 Response

The slow rollout of vaccines against SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes Covid-19 disease, and the emergence of viral variants that threaten vaccines’ efficacy demonstrate the urgent need to bolster non-vaccine public health strategies to mitigate viral...

Economic Value and Costs of Capital Cities: The Trenton Case Study

Capital cities serve as the administrative centers of state governments and perform many functions, such as housing the seats of state government and often serving as the focal points of culture and history in their states. Many capital cities across the...

Can Inclusionary Zoning Be an Effective Housing Policy in Greater Boston? Evidence from Lynn and Revere

Housing costs across the nation and in Greater Boston are rising, and many policymakers have turned to Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) in an attempt to dampen these effects on their lowest-income residents. Yet design and implementation of IZ policy remains...

The $64 Billion Massachusetts Vehicle Economy

Policymakers and budgetary analysts have long argued that roads are heavily subsidized. The diffusion of spending among federal, state, and local government entities, along with the complexity of indirect costs, make it difficult to understand the fully...

Field Lab Annual Reports

Explore our annual reports to learn how the Greater Boston Applied Field Lab partners with cities and agencies to strengthen local government capacity and develop the next generation of public leaders. Each report highlights the Lab’s evolving impact featuring projects, insights, and collaborations that illustrate how applied learning translates into real-world results across the region.

Greater Boston Field Lab 2025 Annual Report

Twenty years ago, we embarked on a bold experiment: to embed Harvard students directly in solving complex, real-world challenges facing local governments, as a part of their education. What started as a pilot program in the City of Somerville has evolved...