Urban Innovation Lab

Designing the Cities of Tomorrow

El City Lab is an urban innovation lab working at the intersection of civic power, technology, and community — building the systems that make cities more equitable, resilient, and alive.

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0+Projects
0Years of Impact
Programs & Projects

Where Urban Challenges Become Civic Breakthroughs

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Urban Mobility Lab
Transportation

Urban Mobility Lab

Rethinking how people and goods move through cities — from last-mile transit to autonomous infrastructure pilots.

Housing Innovation Studio
Housing

Housing Innovation Studio

Prototyping new models for affordable, mixed-income housing that scale across neighborhoods.

Climate Resilience Initiative
Climate

Climate Resilience Initiative

Equipping cities with the tools, data, and policy frameworks to adapt to a changing climate.

Civic Data Commons
Data & Tech

Civic Data Commons

Open data infrastructure that empowers planners, residents, and policymakers to make evidence-based decisions.

Research

Evidence That Moves Cities Forward

All research
New Report2026

The Equitable Transit Index: Measuring Access Across 12 American Cities

A first-of-its-kind framework for evaluating transit equity using real-time ridership, demographic, and land-use data.

Policy Brief2025

Zoning for Climate: How Land-Use Reform Can Accelerate Urban Decarbonization

Practical policy recommendations for city councils and planning departments navigating the energy transition.

Field Study2025

Informal Economies and the Future of Urban Work

On-the-ground research from five cities examining how informal workers are shaping the future of urban labor.

Partners
City of Los AngelesNYC PlanningBloomberg PhilanthropiesBrookings InstitutionUrban Land InstituteKnight Foundation
Get Involved

Ready to Build the City of Tomorrow?

Whether you're a city government, research institution, or civic organization — we're looking for partners who share our urgency.