Good Life Resident Program

The Good Life Residents Program is a six-month initiative focused on developing new leaders and elevating bold ideas centered around six economic policy priorities for the Roosevelt Institute, as part of its Good Life Agenda. Residents will produce short, original policy essays and engage in structured dialogue with peers and senior advisors on key issues shaping economic security—such as housing, banking, Social Security, or AI. Each program will culminate in a public event that will amplify these new ideas/voices and host a dialogue to discuss and debate various national and state-level policy options.

What Residents Will Do:

• Belong to a small cohort (3–4 residents) focused on each topic
• Develop and author a ~1,500-word essay advancing a bold, people-centered policy vision aligned with Roosevelt Institute’s worldview, focusing on a topic-specific prompt.
• Participate in a culminating public event highlighting residents’ ideas and perspectives and collaborate with Roosevelt staff to prepare for the event
• Contribute to press opportunities, as applicable (op-eds, reporter calls, etc.)
• Discuss their topic with assigned Topic Advisors, Roosevelt staff, and other residents
• Serve as ambassadors of the Good Life Agenda within their professional and public networks

Compensation: Residents will be provided $3,000 plus travel and accommodations, if needed, for the culminating event.

Structure: Good Life Residents will work closely with Roosevelt Think Tank directors, as well as senior leaders across the organization. Each topic area will include:

• 3–4 Good Life Residents
• 1–2 Topic Advisors: Senior experts who can guide the residents, offer strategic and intellectual mentorship, and moderate discussions at the events/debates. Advisors will represent deep experience in the field—academics, policy leaders, organizers, or government practitioners.

Program Term: 6 months
Time Commitment: Part-Time (~5–8 hours/month)
Location: Remote; Travel may be requested for select convenings 

Housing Residents Program

America’s housing shortage is one of the greatest obstacles to ensuring economic security and a good life for all. Zoning and permitting reform can go a long way toward increasing housing supply. But land-use policy can only do so much; when broader economic conditions make it too expensive to build, we need an industrial policy that builds.

The Roosevelt Institute Good Life Residents for Housing will explore how the federal government can use industrial policy tools to ensure that multifamily homebuilding continues even during economic downturns or periods of persistently high interest rates.

Questions residents will explore include:

• How can counter-cyclical public investment prevent economic downturns from leading to a collapse in housing production?
• How can the federal government ensure supply chain stability so that homebuilders have consistent access to both raw materials and the labor supply they need?
• Can publicly supported investment in experiments with new construction techniques and building materials make homebuilding cheaper and more efficient?

Candidates interested in the Housing program should submit this application here by June 8, 2026. Applications for additional policy areas will be found on the Institute’s website, and candidates may direct any questions to rooseveltsociety@rooseveltinstitute.org.