Insights and Take-Aways from the ULI Spring Meeting & Resiliency Summit
I recently attended the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Spring Meeting and Resiliency Summit in Denver, Colorado. I left both inspired and even more fully aware of the challenges that lie ahead. The conversations, connections, and content were timely, thought-provoking, and a reminder of the responsibility we share in shaping resilient, inclusive, and adaptable communities that offer dignified and affordable housing for all.
I attended the conference with HomeAid Colorado’s Executive Director Cindy Bell and together we had the opportunity to learn more in depth about the issues we and our communities face now and in the future.
“The ULI conference was both engaging and insightful, offering a
comprehensive look at the complexities and successes of development
efforts across the country. I found the seminars on “Homeless to Housed”
particularly valuable, as they shed light on the diverse partnerships among
the public and private sectors, as well as non-profit organizations providing
critical services to individuals at risk of homelessness”
Climate Change and the Built Environment
One of the most present threads throughout the summit was how climate change is reshaping our approach to development and land use. Sessions explored strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation, including innovative zoning practices, nature-based solutions, and forward-thinking infrastructure planning. The conversations pushed beyond carbon counting and focused on making entire systems more resilient in the face of environmental uncertainty.
Designing with Compassion Through Trauma-Informed Development
Another commonly explored topic was trauma-informed design. As we work to rebuild and reimagine spaces, there’s a growing awareness of how the built environment can either exacerbate or help heal trauma, especially for communities with those that are most vulnerable. It was powerful to hear from developers and designers who are weaving empathy into their projects, considering everything from lighting and layout to community engagement as part of the healing process.
Affordable Housing and Disaster Response
Housing affordability remains one of the most urgent issues across the country. The sessions around affordable housing intersected with broader questions about how we respond to natural disasters and how to rebuild
smarter, faster, and more equitably. Whether it's wildfires, hurricanes, or floods, the need for proactive, pre-positioned affordable housing solutions is clear.
ULI’s Homeless to Housed Initiative
Some of the most impactful sessions I attended were presented by ULI’s Homeless to Housed initiative. These sessions focused on finding the root causes to homelessness and the most effective ways to combat the issue.
We heard from Jeff Olivet, the Founder of The Olivet Group and Washington DC, Advisor to the Homeless Housed Initiative. He spoke on the emergent state of homelessness, presenting the statistic from the Department of Housing and Urban Development has said that the total population of homelessness rose 32.5 % in the U.S. from 2022 to 2024.
These sessions explored how rising rents, insufficient housing supply, and fragmented systems contribute to the crisis. The sessions didn’t just focus on what’s broken; it offered examples and case studies for how cities and organizations are responding to the crisis. HomeAid is making great strides in this fight with nearly 50 projects currently in development across the country for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
A plus to any conference are the people you meet and connect with. I was able to meet Will Herbig with ULI who heads up the Homeless to Housed program and caught up with HomeAid America’s board member Tom Farrell and HomeAid Puget Sound board member David Adams, both with Umpqua Bank.
As I reflect on the week, I come away with the knowledge that it’s going to take all of us to lead with compassion, innovation and act with urgency to build a future without homelessness.