The past four years have been a period of incredible advancement for many of the priorities that the Urban Land Institute has been endorsing for decades. Smart, transit-oriented development, urban infill and density, diverse and equitable communities, and adaptive reuse are all top of mind for our members. Yet interest rates, housing attainment and affordability, geopolitical turmoil, shifting demographics, and a global health crisis have brought uncertainty to the markets we serve.

While many of our members are proud of the “Urban” in the Institute’s name, a recent Pew report indicates a strong preference for suburban and rural living over urban areas. Do Americans actually want to return to cities? The survey showed a sense of community, better schools, a connection to nature, a slower pace of life, and lower costs were primary reasons for preferring suburban and rural locales. If cities were a consumer product (as they somewhat are), a major rebrand and redesign would be necessary to avoid market collapse. What can urban areas learn from suburbs and exurbs? How can more open space, better-funded schools, dense but well-amenitized residential areas, and daily needs retail be re-integrated into our urban fabric?

My goal is to bridge the gap between intentions and reality. In the Greater San Diego/Tijuana area, we have a unique opportunity to lead discussions on these issues and create urban areas that attract residents by offering access to nature, jobs, and transportation.

While leading through inspirational rhetoric is important, building the case for better and smarter development requires more than discussions and deliberations. ULI San Diego-Tijuana will lead the charge of connecting the dots between best practices and hard-nosed realities. We will unite practitioners with developers, connect politicians with financial dealmakers, and take a stand on critical issues. We should be the connection between those parties and the ideas that drive public life.

I look forward to guiding our talented staff and volunteers to a higher degree of critical discourse and thoughtful critique of the Urban in our name. As someone who has been designing buildings and cities (and very little else!) since they were a young boy, I also hope to have a lot of fun in the process.