Summit Agenda
June 9, 2022

7:30-8:15 AM: Registration and Networking

Coffee and tea provided

8:15-8:30 AM: Opening Remarks

Natalie Sandoval, Executive Director, ULI San Francisco

8:30-8:50 AM: Opening Keynote: Majora Carter: Reclaiming Your Community

“No one should have to move out of their neighborhood to live in a better one.” Majora Carter’s words are quoted on the walls of the Smithsonian Museum and serve as the subtitle of her book Reclaiming Your Community. She is a real estate developer and business owner and has firsthand experience pioneering sustainable economic development in one of America’s most storied low-class communities: her hometown of the South Bronx.

Economically stagnant communities across America suffer from the effects of brain drain, and we are learning that retaining homegrown talent is a critical part of creating a strong local economy that can resist gentrification. Still, too many people born in low-status communities measure their success by how far away they can get from these neighborhoods.

Majora Carter’s rich career is steeped in urban revitalization and innovation. She makes the case that talent retention and wealth creation in low-income neighborhoods are powerful development strategies. When approached in the right way, development can be transformation and turn low-status communities into thriving mixed-use local economies that retain talent and prevent displacement.

Speaker

• Majora Carter, Real Estate Developer, MacArthur Fellow, Social Enterprise Pioneer, and Author

8:50-9:40 AM: Housing the Homeless: Solutions at Scale

California has 12% of the US population, yet we have nearly 30% of the country’s unsheltered residents. These statistics can be seen daily in tent communities, families living in vehicles, and low wage workers “couch surfing” with friends and family. Governor Newsom dedicated $12B to address the crisis in last year’s budget and another $2B is proposed this year. But is this enough and do we have the right tools? Pioneering leaders working on tangible real estate solutions to homelessness will discuss how we got here and what it will take to make a difference.

Speakers

• Ray Bramson, Chief Operating Officer, Destination: Home
• Andrea Evans, Chronic Homelessness Initiative Director, Tipping Point
• Rebecca Foster, Chief Executive Officer, Housing Accelerator Fund
• Xiomara Cisneros, Manager, Housing Affordability, Chan Zuckerberg

9:40-10:10 AM: Networking Break

Coffee and snacks provided

10:10-11:10 AM: Unlocking the Mega-Project

With millions of housing units needed across the state, the promise of ‘mega projects’ to provide housing for tens of thousands of people looms large. Several Bay Area developers have been working on large-scale, mixed-use developments for decades, and after facing legal challenges, downturns, and a pandemic, we are finally seeing projects come to market. Other new players are just beginning their development journey – will it be any easier for them? Public and private sector reps will discuss moving mega projects from concept to reality, overcoming barriers, navigating rapidly evolving conditions, and ensuring projects are not just sizable, but also equitable.

Speakers

• Tiffany Bohee, General Manager, Bay Area/Senior Vice President, Lendlease Development Inc.
• Enrique Landa, Partner, Associate Capital
• Paul Nieto, Executive Vice President, Signature Development Group
• Anne Taupier, Director of Joint Development, City and County of San Francisco (Moderator)

11:10-11:40 AM: In Conversation: Cedric Bobo and Matt Slepin

Prior to founding Project Destined, Cedric Bobo spent over 20 years as an investor and investment banker, including at the Carlyle Group, where he committed $2B in equity capital. Bobo founded Project Destined with a mission to bring financial and investment literacy to underserved communities. Now, Project Destined trains students across the country to evaluate and pitch deals, preparing them for internships and careers in real estate and beyond. In dialogue with Matt Slepin, Bobo shares his background, motivations, belief in mentorship, and the power of ‘not being afraid to be afraid’.

Speakers

• Cedric Bobo, CEO and Co-Founder, Project Destined
• Matt Slepin, Global Co-Head of Real Estate, Terra|ZRG and Host, Leading Voices in Real Estate Podcast

11:40-1:10 PM: Lunch

1:10-2:10 PM: Lightning Round: PropTech for Multifamily

Innovation and PropTech are two words often used interchangeably in real estate as a catch-all for today’s technology trends. The best and most innovative technologies solve real problems that benefit both the investor and the tenants. This interactive session invites you to engage with early-stage investors and founders focused on scalable solutions that will accelerate how we develop and operate multifamily buildings – and which have the potential to impact all aspects of investment real estate.

Speakers

• Britta Bielak, Co-Founder and VP- Design, okom wrks labs
• Valarie Hamm Carlson, CMO and Co-Founder, Roost
• Grace Park-Bradbury, GM-West, BlocPower
• Ivy Teng Lei, Head of Growth, Exygy
• Steven Weilbach, Founder and Managing Member, Springhill Real Estate Partners
• Stephanie Fuhrman, Catalyst Innovation Lab, Catalyst Housing Group (Moderator)

2:10-2:30 PM: PUSH Dance Performance

Described as “emotional and kinetic” (San Francisco Bay Guardian), PUSH Dance Company performs vibrant contemporary dances, providing audiences an opportunity to examine issues of identity and intersecting cultures that surround and affect us all. Founded in 2005 by Artistic Director Raissa Simpson, PUSH maintains a philosophy that bold movement and intellect can coexist.

PUSH Dance Company presents excerpts from Raissa Simpson’s CODELINING (redlining + coding) and the “Point Shipyard Project,” two consecutive works about displacement then and now in San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point district.

Performers

• Jeremy Brooks
• Ashley Gayle
• Victoria Herrera
• Erik Lee
• Terrence Paschal
• Patrick Secrease

2:30-3:00 PM: Networking Break

Coffee and snacks provided

3:00-4:00 PM: The Time is Now: Real Estate Takes on Climate

Climate change is humanity’s biggest challenge yet and our sector has a critical role to play in the solutions. Climate conversations to date in real estate have largely focused on managing risk, yet we need to go far beyond this into action. New business models, new technologies, and – perhaps most critically – new thinking will be essential to seizing this moment. We will hear from leaders who are all-in on zero carbon and who are taking action and making investments now. They will share their visions for the future, key drivers, and commitments, and they will help us see past the challenges and to the opportunity.

Speakers

• Debra Gore-Mann, President and CEO, Greenlining Institute
• Sara Neff, Head of Sustainability, Lendlease Americas
• Greg Smithies, Partner and Co-Head of Climate Tech, Fifth Wall
• Sarah Golden, Senior Analyst, Energy, GreenBiz Group (Moderator)

4:00-4:45 PM: Housing Leadership Interview

The California Legislature has shown considerable leadership on housing in recent years, creating a solid legal foundation and new pathways for housing growth. New leaders have emerged in this era, demonstrating their bona fides through successful housing wins. Three industry experts, Matt Regan, Marina Wiant, and Ben Metcalf, will discuss the landscape of housing legislation in California today and what changes to expect in the future.

Speakers

• Ben Metcalf, Managing Director, Terner Center for Housing Innovation, UC Berkeley
• Matt Regan, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, Bay Area Council
• Marina Wiant, Vice President, Government Affairs, California Housing Consortium

4:45-5:00 PM: Closing Remarks 

• Swathi Bonda, Senior Director, Brookfield Properties
• Libby Seifel, Owner, Seifel Consulting

5:00-6:00 PM: Networking Reception

Hosted by Reuben, Junius & Rose LLC