Vienna Social Housing Field Study: International Best Practices in Mixed-Income Housing

Upcoming Vienna social Housing Field Study Trips

SPRING 2025: April 6 – 12, 2025

FALL 2025: September 21 – 27, 2025

GPLA's Vienna Social Housing Field Study

International best practices in mixed-income housing

The Global Policy Leadership Academy (GPLA) is offering a series of intensive housing policy field studies designed to give carefully curated cohorts of local and regional housing policy leaders, practitioners, and changemakers a deep understanding of the Vienna social housing model and how it came to be the most livable city in the world.

Photo credit: © IBA_Wien/ Agnes T. Ackerl

What to Expect

Program participants will learn from and engage with GPLA key faculty and a wide diversity of Viennese housing experts to gain firsthand knowledge about this proven model of social housing. Key topics include urban planning, construction, financing, land management, and community engagement.

It Doesn't End There

To reinforce and share our collective learnings, GPLA offers a robust online learning platform after each field study where participants can access course materials, engage in discussion forums, exchange information on challenges and best practice solutions, and collaborate on projects.

Shape the Future of Housing with Peers Across the Housing Space

Each cohort of field study participants is carefully planned and curated to ensure a diverse and productive mix of highly complementary thought leaders.

Invitations are still available for the following field studies:

Spring 2025 Cohort: April 6 – 12, 2025
Summer 2025 Cohort: September 21 – 27, 2025

Discover, Learn, and Share

The exclusive curriculum includes daily lectures, symposia, gatherings, exhibits, field trips, and discussion of topics including:

The role of government in planning and funding social housing
The economics of the Vienna Social Housing Model including rents and incomes served
A comparison of affordable housing in the USA to the Vienna Social Housing Model
Urban planning and urban design
Creating permanent affordability for all
Housing subsidies in Vienna
Creating a walkable and bikeable city

Photo credit: © IBA_Wien / Stefan Zamisch Photo

We're Making a Difference

Hear what previous cohort participants had to say about their experience.

"The housing shortage and the homeless issue in California is the most exasperating challenge that any community faces.... being here in Vienna has given us all a respite and inspiration to go back in and fight the good fight... we're seeing here that it's possible to really think comprehensively and solve big problems for the residents back in our home communities."

Ashley Swearingen

Central Valley Community Foundation

Why Vienna?

Vienna, Austria is considered one of the most livable and affordable cities in the world, but it was not always this way. One hundred years ago, Vienna had a housing crisis that left more than 30,000 residents unhoused and many more living in squalid conditions. Today, Vienna has the lowest housing cost of any major European city, with a majority of its residents living in high-quality, environmentally sustainable, permanently affordable housing.

How did this major European city reverse direction and create a stable,
well-functioning, and affordable housing system?

Join us in Vienna to find out.

Photo credit: © Visualisierung Telegra

Explore All That Vienna Has to Offer

This intensive was created to give ample opportunities for exploring what makes Vienna’s culture and communities so special.

Daily breakfasts and nightly dinners are also part of this all-inclusive trip.

Have Questions?

Who is This Experience For?

Join our curated cohort on this enlightening and information-packed field study in Vienna, Austria. Our intensive curriculum is ideal for:

Elected officials
Local, regional, and state housing policy leaders
Community leaders
Community planning professionals
Community resiliency and sustainability professionals
Affordable housing development and finance professionals
Non-profit changemakers

Looking to send a group from your organization?

GPLA works with Community Sponsors to identify diverse cohorts and create exclusive, relevant learning opportunities.

Ready to be part of the discussion in Vienna?

The Global Policy Leadership Academy (GPLA) prepares professionals and civic leaders to actualize leading-edge solutions to current, intractable societal challenges.

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Get in Touch

[email protected]
(619) 236-0632
Make a call appointment