Melissa R. Wells's Page

Title

Policy Assistant

Organization

Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies

City

Washingotn

State

DC

Where are you involved in housing policy?

Federal level, State level, Local - Rural, Local - Suburban, Local - Urban

Describe yourself (interests, job responsibilities, experience, etc.) - please note that you can use the Settings link on the right side of the page to add or edit this response at any time

As a Policy Assistant with the Joint Center's Asset Building Policy Initiative, I support state and regional coalitions efforts to advance their asset-building policy agenda and enhance their engagement with key policymakers on core asset-building issues. In addition, I work with federal and local lawmakers, and fellow organizations to further a policy dialogue that is mindful of poverty and income challenges facing communities of color and Americans at large.

Prior to coming to the Joint Center I served on the Local Initiatives Support Corporation's (LISC) Affordable Housing and Preservation Initiative where I provided analysis on subsidized housing data and examined various multifamily housing legislation.

My general policy interests pertain to development and poverty alleviation both nationally and internationally. I am also interested in evaluating the relationship between policy and culture, more specifically, the impact that local and cultural traditions have on the design and execution of policies and/or programs.