John McIlwain

John K. McIlwain is the director of the climate, mind behavior program at the Garrison Institute. He was the Senior Resident Fellow/J. Ronald Terwilliger Chair for Housing at the Urban Land Institute (ULI) in Washington, D.C. An author, speaker and former lawyer, McIlwain brings more than 35 years of experience in the fields of housing, housing investment and the development of sustainable housing.

Members Sign In

Don’t have an account yet? Sign up for a ULI guest account.

Email (Required)

Password (Required)

Remember Me

Forgot Password?

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/Nov/mcilwain_1_351-351x236.jpg

Design and Planning

Real Estate Trends

Sandy and the Rising Tide: Responding to the Rise in Sea Levels

There are many tough issues to be addressed in finding the best ways to build resilience into coastal regions. But there is also much that has already been studied, is well known, is practical and can be implemented now without the need for new studies. What is needed is for these recommendations to be enacted and to become part of zoning and building codes and the process of approving new development and infrastructure.

November 6, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/Oct/mcilwain_2_351-351x234.jpg

Infrastructure

Design and Planning

Is Small Beautiful Again? The Sudden Interest in Micro-Apartments

Could apartments one-fifth the size of what is now typical in New York City be a viable solution to the city’s notorious lack of affordability?

October 25, 2012

•

John McIlwain

Best Practices

Emerging Trends

Greening Senior Housing: Healthier Living and Healthier Finances

With over 50,000 senior housing developments across the country, the opportunities for energy reduction and financial savings achievable through retrofitting increasingly warrant serious consideration. Occupants should be involved from the start.

June 6, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/April/mcilwainsprawl351-250x169.jpg

Economy, Market & Trends

Design and Planning

The Great Recession: A Slayer of Sprawl

John McIlwain, ULI senior resident fellow for housing, says new Census data on areas of population growth is further proof that this is the century of urbanization.

April 5, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/Feb/McIlwainSeniors1_2_351-250x169.jpg

Development and Construction

Nonprofit Developers

Seniors—In Which Metro Regions Are They Living?

Part 1: Metropolitan Regions:The growth in the nation’s population of seniors is already figuring in national debates about health care and Social Security—but at the local level, the impact will be even greater.

February 23, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/Feb/McIlwainSeniors1_1_351-250x169.jpg

Economy, Market & Trends

Development and Construction

Seniors—In Which Cities Are They Living?

Part 2: The Cities:From 2000 to 2010, the U.S. senior population grew 20 percent, but this growth has not been evenly distributed around the country. And given the uncertain economy, future trends are hard to predict.

February 23, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2012/Jan/McIlwainFixing_1_351-300x202.jpg

Residential

Economy, Market & Trends

Fixing the Housing Markets: Three Proposals

Little on the horizon promises change, but there are three ways the federal government could revive housing, says John L. McIlwain, ULI’s senior resident fellow, housing. The two most significant ideas are politically controversial and would require stronger leadership than has been shown on housing to date.

January 30, 2012

•

John McIlwain

Design and Planning

Resilience and Sustainability

The Rental Boost From Green Design

There is growing evidence that energy-efficient and green apartments rent up faster than others and are experiencing less turnover—a trend the apartment industry would do well to watch.

January 4, 2012

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2011/December/McIlwainMortgage_1_500-500x371.jpg

Residential

Capital Markets and Finance

Writing Down Mortgage Principal

Because U.S. housing markets are failing to find a bottom, more and more economists are coming to believe that writing down the loans of underwater homeowners is what will end the recession.

December 16, 2011

•

John McIlwain

Development and Construction

Adaptive Use and Building Reuse

The Surprisingly Simple Amenities that Help Urban Residents Age in Place

Many U.S. cities—and suburban town centers—are looking for ways to make themselves more age-friendly. These amenities will be key to attracting residents who prefer to age in place and the growing number of empty nesters drawn to urban life.

December 7, 2011

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2011/August/McIlwainAging_1-569x383.jpg

Economy, Market & Trends

Development and Construction

Suburbs, Cities, and Aging in Place

By some estimates, 70 percent of seniors today are living in the same place they celebrated their 65th birthday, known as aging in place. Though aging in place is not a new concept, says ULI Senior Resident Fellow John McIlwain, its impact today is dramatic because of the rapid growth of seniors in the United States. Read what cities are doing to accommodate this expanding demographic group in light of today’s limited municipal resources.

August 17, 2011

•

John McIlwain

http://urbanland.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/magazineimages/inline/2011/August/McIlwainForeclosed_1_351-250x169.jpg

Economy, Market & Trends

Industry Sectors

Should the Administration Rent Its Growing Inventory of Foreclosed Homes?

On Wednesday, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, HUD, and the Treasury sent out a joint Request for Information on ways the government might rent out the 250,000 homes that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the FHA currently own. With the inventory of such homes owned by Fannie, Freddie, and the FHA expected to continue growing, is this the right move for the federal government to make?

August 12, 2011

•

John McIlwain

Urban Land Contributors