![](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/erik-mclean-cIOwoljvd_Q-unsplash-600x400-1.jpg)
Featured Project
Does reducing stigma increase the take-up of rental assistance?
Subtle language changes in city communications can decrease stigma surrounding the receipt of rental assistance and increase interest in and application requests for city assistance programs.
![Mailboxes with paper sticking out](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-blowup-xBqM6cfgP4U-unsplash-scaled-e1698083446671-1024x831.jpg)
Featured Project
Does the presentation of information affect residents’ response to government communications?
Residents are more likely to act on government communications that use a formal tone and appearance, in part because formality acts as a signal for credibility and importance.
![People in a meeting with one person organizing sticky notes on whiteboard](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/jason-goodman-Oalh2MojUuk-unsplash-1024x683.jpg)
Featured Project
What predicts policymakers’ decisions to adopt evidence-based strategies?
Organizational inertia may explain why only about 30% of behavioral interventions tested in field experiments end up being adopted by the city department that tested them.
All Projects
![](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/erik-mclean-cIOwoljvd_Q-unsplash-600x400-1.jpg)
Does reducing stigma increase the take-up of rental assistance?
Subtle language changes in city communications can decrease stigma surrounding the receipt of rental assistance and increase interest in and application requests for city assistance programs.
![row of houses](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/jane-sorensen-sMtKdbJfi_I-unsplash-1024x768.jpg)
Does behaviorally-informed outreach increase rental property owners’ interest in housing voucher programs?
We are co-designing and experimentally testing new outreach strategies for increasing rental property owners’ engagement with housing voucher programs.
![](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Screen-Shot-2021-11-16-at-2.12.31-PM-1024x685.png)
How can we better connect low-income families to their stimulus payments?
In a series of randomized evaluations, we tested methods of increasing claiming of antipoverty tax credits among likely non-filers in California.
![](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/thomas-le-pRJhn4MbsMM-unsplash-683x1024.jpg)
How can we increase take-up of CalFresh among eligible college students?
In a randomized experiment, we tested how message content and mode of communication affect take-up of CalFresh among likely eligible college students.
![Mailboxes with paper sticking out](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/the-blowup-xBqM6cfgP4U-unsplash-scaled-e1698083446671-1024x831.jpg)
Does the presentation of information affect residents’ response to government communications?
Residents are more likely to act on government communications that use a formal tone and appearance, in part because formality acts as a signal for credibility and importance.
![](https://peoplelab.hks.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/breno-assis-r3WAWU5Fi5Q-unsplash-1024x683.jpg)
How can we reduce the barriers landlords face to participating in the Housing Choice Voucher program?
Findings from surveys and a field experiment suggest the need for additional research on reducing barriers to landlord participation in the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Publications
Search our database of peer-reviewed papers, policy briefs, and reports.