About Us
We focus on the legal structures that shape how communities form.
The Social Infrastructure Project is a nonpartisan policy organization dedicated to modernizing housing and zoning law where it produces exclusionary, discriminatory, or harmful outcomes.
Our Perspective
The social fabric is being torn apart by the physical structure of our communities, alongside economic and political forces. Decades of research show sustained social connection is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health—yet social isolation has climbed sharply, alongside declines in physical activity, civic participation, and trust.
These outcomes are the predictable result of legal frameworks that prioritize narrow household models and low-density separation over human connection and access.
Our work sits at the intersection of three concerns:
Civil Rights
Addressing discriminatory effects on protected and marginalized groups
Public Health
Recognizing social connection and walkability as determinants of wellbeing
Freedom of Association
Protecting people's ability to organize their lives and communities without undue legal interference
We approach housing as social infrastructure—essential to the functioning of healthy, equitable communities and a functioning democracy.
Our Approach
We work at the state level to align housing policy with constitutional principles.
Executive Engagement
Working with state agencies to develop guidance, enforcement approaches, and pilot frameworks
Legislative Clarification
Supporting targeted statutory reforms where existing law enables exclusionary outcomes
Judicial Pathways
Treating litigation as a backstop when necessary to establish precedent or enforce rights
Research & Demonstration
Grounding reform in real-world housing models and empirical evidence
Our Goal
To ensure that New Yorkers are never legally barred from living near the people who matter to them—and that housing law reflects how people live today, or how they aspire to.