School of Public Policy Celebrating 10 Years

Dr. Wei Kang’s research focuses on spatial data science, housing, and spatial inequality—using innovative methods to understand the outcomes of affordable housing policies like low-income housing tax credit programs and inclusionary zoning programs.

In early January, Dr. Kang co-authored a new study in Health Affairs examining the link between the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program and the improvement of low-income renters’ mental health. The study, conducted in collaboration with School of Public Policy professors Dr. Qingfang Wang and Dr. Bruce Link, was supported by major grants from the National Science Foundation and the California Collaborative for Public Health Research. This work has gained widespread attention, with coverage from UCR News and the science outlet EurekAlert!.

Beyond this publication, Dr. Kang also conducts research in Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) and serves as a core faculty member of the School of Public Policy’s Center for Geospatial Sciences. Her work in spatial data science and GIS is supported by a National Science Foundation grant for a project building an open-source ecosystem, the Python Spatial Analysis Library (PySAL), where she is a core developer. Through her interdisciplinary research, Dr. Kang is advancing data-driven approaches that expand analytical tools and support equitable outcomes for communities through housing policy.