Derek Hyra

Derek Hyra is a Professor in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at American University's School of Public Affairs, and Founding Director of the Metropolitan Policy Center. His research focuses on processes of neighborhood change, with an emphasis on housing, urban politics, and race. Hyra has authored influential books such as *Slow and Sudden Violence* (2024), *Race, Class, and Politics in the Cappuccino City* (2017), and *The New Urban Renewal* (2008), and co-edited *Capital Dilemma: Growth and Inequality in Washington, DC* (2016). His work bridges academic research and public policy, addressing issues like gentrification, urban inequality, and equitable development.

Education: PhD in Sociology from the University of Chicago and BA in Government from Colgate University. Hyra has received grants from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. He has held fellowships at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center and Aspen Ideas Festival. Awards include the 2023 Publicly Engaged Scholar Award and 2024 Marilyn J. Gittell Activist Scholar Award.

Professional service includes roles such as board chair of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Obama appointee to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Council on Underserved Communities, and President of the Eastern Sociological Society. He currently serves on editorial boards for *Housing Policy Debate* and Boston University’s Initiative on Cities. Hyra’s research appears in journals like *City & Community* and *Urban Studies*, and media outlets including *The New York Times*, BBC, and *The Washington Post*.

Hyra’s work emphasizes policy solutions for urban challenges, particularly in Washington, DC, and other cities. His recent focus includes the intersection of housing policy, racial inequality, and urban uprisings. He advocates for equitable development frameworks that prioritize marginalized communities.