ULI MEMBER–ONLY CONTENT: In an Oxford-style debate, two property experts locked horns virtually during the 2021 ULI Virtual Europe Conference in February on one of the most talked-about subjects of the past year—the future of the white-collar workplace. Once the pandemic has passed, will most office workers return to business as usual, working five days a week in proximity to colleagues? Or has the world changed forever, with most people working from home for at least a couple of days a week?

Though investor interest in the hospital sector was muted for most of 2020 in response to the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic and global travel, the lodging industry is poised to rebound in 2021, according to JLL Hotels & Hospitality’s annual Hotel Investment Outlook.

According to data provider Zonda, the U.S. New Home Lot Supply Index came in at 63.5 for the third quarter of 2020, representing an 8.9 percent drop year over year. Hear more about trends in U.S. housing policy and development at the 2021 ULI Housing Opportunity Conference.

ULI’s Terwilliger Center for Housing is increasing its focus on work done at the district council level, Christopher Ptomey, the center’s executive director, said in introducing a panel Wednesday at the 2022 ULI Spring Meeting in San Diego. The panel, titled “Attainable Housing for All: Replicable Best Practices from Local Housing Challenges,” presented work at the district council level in Phoenix, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

Urban Land’s Spring 2022 cover depicts a groundbreaking micro-housing project in the heart of downtown at 320 West Cedar Street in San Diego’s Little Italy, designed, developed, owned, and managed by local architect Jonathan Segal. We spoke with Segal about The Continental and his innovative approach to projects that push the envelope of possibilities.

A redevelopment plan for an Oakland, California site presented by a team comprised of students from the University of Texas at Austin has taken top honors in the 20th annual ULI/Gerald D. Hines Student Urban Design Competition. The ideas contest provides graduate students the opportunity to devise a comprehensive design and development scheme for a large-scale site in an urban area.

Peter Bedford of Napa, California, a ULI Trustee, Foundation Governor, Executive Committee member, and leader of the Institute and industry, passed away in early January. Since joining ULI in 1980, Bedford was active in all aspects of the Institute and was generous with his time and resources.

Never underestimate the power of showing up. That’s one of the most important lessons I learned through my participation in the ULI Atlanta Young Leaders Group.

Real estate consulting firm RCLCO has released the results of their semi-annual survey of the top-selling master-planned communities of 2022.

The transition to net zero will usher in tremendous potential for transformation within economic, environmental, and social realms. These shifts have the potential to generate significant wealth, improve health, and bolster climate resilience. If these changes are managed carefully, decarbonization can help dismantle social inequalities by prioritizing the needs, experiences, and opportunities of marginalized households. The goal is to ensure everyone benefits from efficient, cost-effective, and healthy buildings and energy systems, access to economic growth, and a regenerative economy.

The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) is here, and with buildings accounting for 40 percent of global carbon emissions, urban development is a pertinent topic at the United Arab Emirates-hosted conference. COP28 offers a platform for the industry to redefine its contribution to a climate-conscious world, and it provides insight into how to strike a balance between immediate profitability and enduring environmental stewardship.

10 structures showcase the lightweight, carbon-sequestering power of mass timber.

Third edition evaluates top 30 global powerhouses report reveals world’s leading urban hubs rise in popularity post pandemic. Challenges include new economic conditions, rising costs, adaptation to hybrid work, innovation gaps, the climate imperative, and transition to social, mixed-use districts.

Guy Kawasaki—chief evangelist at Canva, former chief evangelist for Apple, and bestselling author—summed up insights gleaned from his years in tech and as host of the Remarkable People podcast, interviewing such luminaries as Margaret Atwood, Tony Fauci, Jane Goodall, and Steve Wozniak.

As congregations across North America grapple with shrinking membership and aging facilities, a new opportunity is emerging: transforming faith-owned land into affordable housing and community-serving spaces. At the 2025 ULI Fall Meeting in San Francisco, panelists in the session “Spiritual Brownfields: Declining Congregations and Opportunities for Housing on Faith-Owned Land” explored how churches and developers are partnering to bring mission-driven housing to underused sacred sites.