Diane Levy from the Urban Institute expressed concerns that the Trump administration's cuts to federal funding for fair housing initiatives could undermine decades of progress in reducing housing inequities. Her commentary highlights the potential rollback of gains made since the Fair Housing Act was enacted, serving as a critical evidence-based warning for policymakers.

The OpenSecrets profile shows that for the 2024 cycle, Urban Institute reported campaign contributions amounting to $131,530 with no recorded spending on lobbying or outside spending. This minimal and transparent engagement in political financing indicates a non-partisan, research-focused stance rather than any aggressive political intervention.

Urban Institute, in collaboration with Northeastern University, hosted an event and released a report titled 'Hidden in Plain Sight: Labor Trafficking in America' that documents extensive labor trafficking abuses across major US industries, highlighting how gaps in labor and immigration laws contribute to worker exploitation and urging policy reform.

The Urban Institute, in collaboration with Northeastern University, released a comprehensive study that examined 122 closed labor trafficking cases and included interviews with survivors. The report exposes fraudulent recruitment practices, coercion, and exploitative labor conditions prevalent in diverse industries, thereby providing key insights that can inform policies to protect vulnerable workers.