Real estate, and the infrastructure that supports it, represents 35% of the United States’ asset base – by far the country’s largest asset class. As a result, depressions in real estate have generally caused recessions in the general economy; two of the last three recessions, including the current one, have convincingly shown this. To get … Continued

Federal programs play an enormous role in supporting the real estate sector and directing new development. With nearly $1 trillion in direct tax subsidies and $4 trillion in loan guarantees over the last 5 years, the U.S. government has a significant impact on the real estate market, including where new development is built and what … Continued

Members of LOCUS, Smart Growth America’s coalition of real estate developers and investors, gathered in Washington last week for the 2012 LOCUS Leadership Summit. The three-day event provided a unique opportunity to network, share best practices and rally around the common cause of advocating for Congress to pass a transportation reauthorization that supports the creation … Continued

The 2013 LOCUS Leadership Summit took place June 4-5, 2013 in Washington, DC. Developers, investors and other real estate professionals gathered to share their experiences, gain insight into new innovations, and connect with policy makers, all with the goal of advancing the development of walkable, sustainable communities. With a theme of “Bringing the Market to … Continued

The 2014 LOCUS Leadership Summit: Closing the Next [Smart Growth] Deal, was held on June 17-18, 2014 in Washington, DC, and brought together real estate developers, investors, members of Congress and Washington’s thought leaders all in one place. Over 140 real estate senior executives and local elected officials convened at the Hotel Monaco in Washington, DC to … Continued

The 2015 National LOCUS Leadership Summit: Private-Sector Solutions to the Affordability & Social Equity Crisis was held June 2-3, 2015 at the Carnegie Library in Washington, DC. The Summit convened responsible real estate developers and investors with top local elected officials for a private-sector led discussion on the most provocative issues (like gentrification, affordability, and social equity) facing … Continued

The 2015 LOCUS New England Leadership Summit: Closing the Next [Smart Growth] Deal was held on March 11, 2015 in Boston, MA. More than 175 real estate professionals and local elected leaders from the greater Boston area came together for the event. The first-ever regional summit provided participants with a forum to discuss business opportunities with … Continued

City of Somerville and LOCUS, Realizing Public Benefit from Union Square Redevelopment 1. Why do we need a Union Square Public Benefits Process? Union Square is on the brink of transformation. In 2012, the Union Square Revitalization Plan (“Revitalization Plan”) was approved at both the city‐ and state‐level. The Revitalization Plan identifies 7 disposition parcels, collectively … Continued

The LOCUS Michigan Leadership Summit: Closing the Next [Smart Growth] Deal was held June 23, 2015 at the One Woodward Building in downtown Detroit. The conference was held in partnership with the Michigan Municipal League (MML), which proactively represents municipalities to help them sustain highly livable, desirable, and unique places within the state. The first-ever Michigan Leadership Summit convened more than 200 real … Continued