ULI's Land-Use Solutions to L.A.’s Homeless Crisis

Land-Use Solutions to L.A.’s Homeless Crisis

ULI Los Angeles presents a day-long examination of temporary shelters, bridge housing and permanent-supportive housing

“Homelessness—Confronting the Land Use Challenges to Housing the Homeless”

Homelessness is the predominant issue affecting major metropolitan regions throughout the nation.  The causes of homelessness are as complex and varied as our nation’s inhabitants.  Los Angeles is home to nearly 60,000 individuals experiencing homelessness.  Encampments continue to proliferate throughout the City.  A critical component to addressing homelessness are land use policies and regulations that can assist in the development of temporary shelters, bridge housing and permanent supportive housing.  Site selection, entitlements and land use approvals, design, construction and project finance are the unique disciplines that contribute to an integrated and successful responses to homelessness.   

Please join us as ULI-LA addresses the challenges of homelessness, with particular emphasis and focus on the best land use practices to support the development of housing solutions for the homeless.  Our program will build upon ULI’s national technical advisory report from 2018 and feature national, regional and local experts and housing providers.  Our full day program will host keynote speakers, interactive panel discussions, workshops and offer opportunity for housing and service providers to engage with experts on this important topic.                                            

“With nearly 60,000 individuals experiencing homelessness, and encampments proliferating, Los Angeles requires the most-effective  solutions,” said ULI Los Angeles Land Use Leadership Council Co-Chair and Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP Partner, David P. Waite. “At this compelling, interactive event, national and local land-use experts – including those with the most experience creating housing – will take a tough look at what is working, what isn’t and how to achieve the best results to respond to this devastating crisis.”

This program builds upon ULI’s influential 2018 National Technical Advisory Report.  Registration, event details and a list of attendees are at LA.uli.org/events. Speakers and formats are summarized below:

Opening remarks are by ULI Los Angeles Executive Director Marty Borko, and ULI Los Angeles Chair and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Investing Managing Director Kevork A. Zoryan. Presenting the national ULI Perspective is Leigh M. Ferguson, Director of Economic Development, Downtown Development District of New Orleans (and Co-Chair of 2018 ULI Advisory Service Panel). Waite will introduce keynote speaker CBRE President Lewis C. Horne.

Panel 1: Defining Demographics: Who & Why

- Mike Alvidrez (moderator), External Ambassador & CEO Emeritus, Skid Row Housing Trust

- Dr. Benjamin F. Henwood, Associate Professor of Social Work, USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging

- Sen. Kevin Murray (ret.), President & CEO, Weingart Center Association

- Dhakshike Wickrema, Assistant Senior Deputy for Mental Health and Homeless Advocacy, Office of Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas

- Gary Blasi, Professor Emeritus, UCLA Law

- Kelli Bernard, LAHSA Committee former Chair, Co-Chair for Ad Hoc Committee on Black People Experiencing Homelessness

The panel addresses: Which groups are becoming unhoused quicker? What are the practical next steps in helping individuals navigate the transition to permanent housing? How can land-use professionals pair with faith communities, school districts, property managers, and neighborhoods to better understand the needs and opportunities?

Panel 2: Challenges of Creating Supply: Land Use & Finance

- Tim Kawahara, Executive Director, UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate (moderator)

- Angie Brooks, Managing Principal, Brooks + Scarpa

- Charmaine Atherton, Senior Vice President, Community Development Banking, Bank of America

- Michael Parks President & CEO, Flyaway Homes

- Dora Leong Gallo, President & CEO, A Community of Friends

This panel addresses: How to reduce the costs of building all types of shelter, so that financial resources can efficiently get the unhoused back inside? What can we do to bring immediate assistance to house those currently on the streets?

The afternoon workshop sessions include:

- Innovations in Design and Construction

- Finding Sites

- Finance Solutions

- Expediting Land-Use Approvals

Closing keynote, call to action and next steps include Kayo Anderson, Minister of Culture, LA Community Action Network; and Daniel Dart, CEO, DEC Projects.

The event will also feature a Civic Marketplace highlighting organizations involved in Homeless Services and will include a box lunch.

About the Urban Land Institute

Established in 1936, ULI is a nonprofit education and research institute with over 37,000 members across the globe, including 1,600 in the Greater Los Angeles area. A nonpartisan organization, the Institute has long been recognized as one of America’s most respected and widely quoted sources of objective information on urban planning, growth, and development.

The membership of ULI Los Angeles represents the entire spectrum of land use and real estate development disciplines. They include developers, builders, investors, architects, public officials, planners, real estate brokers, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, lenders, academics and students. Members of the Urban Land Institute in the counties of Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern, San Luis Obispo, and Santa Barbara are automatically members of ULI Los Angeles.