Policy & Systems Change
Building what policy says communities need.
"We are building what public policy says communities need — and learning what policy must change to make it possible."
LaunchPad Baseline is designed as an emerging model for adaptation by nonprofits, agencies, and mission-driven developers. As we build, we are learning what works — and what policy barriers must be addressed to make this model replicable at scale.
Policy Priorities
These are the policy areas where LaunchPad's work intersects with systems change — areas where better policy would make community-rooted development more possible, more replicable, and more impactful.
Housing Connected to Opportunity
Policies that link attainable housing development to education, employment, childcare, and health — not just shelter.
Transition-Age Youth
Funding, zoning, and service frameworks that support young people ages 18–26, including those aging out of foster care, in accessing stable housing and economic pathways.
Childcare Integration
Policies that enable childcare to be co-located with housing and workforce development, reducing barriers for parents pursuing education and employment.
Employment Social Enterprises
Regulatory and funding frameworks that support nonprofit-operated social enterprises — including commercial kitchens, food production, and workforce training — as part of mixed-use developments.
Institutional Purchasing
Local and county purchasing policies that create market opportunities for community-based food and service enterprises, including potential contracts with city or county employees.
Coordinated Funding
Streamlined access to federal, state, and local funding streams for developments that integrate housing, health, education, and economic opportunity.
Mixed-Use Development
Zoning and entitlement processes that support mixed-use, mixed-income developments in communities that need them most.
Right-Sized Parking
Parking standards that reflect actual mobility needs — including transit access, walkability, and e-bike sharing — rather than defaulting to car-centric minimums that consume land and increase costs.
Modular Construction
Building codes and procurement policies that support modular and off-site construction as a strategy for cost efficiency and quality.
Clean Energy
Policies that support solar, battery storage, and all-electric design in affordable housing as a strategy to reduce long-term operating costs.
Local Ownership Pathways
Frameworks that support resident and community ownership over time — building wealth, not just occupancy.
LaunchPad is an emerging model designed for adaptation by nonprofits, agencies, and mission-driven developers elsewhere. If you work in policy, advocacy, or systems change, we'd love to connect.
Start a Conversation