States and localities can undertake a broad range of policy and administrative initiatives to support housing affordability. These can take the form of regulatory or administrative changes such as higher densities and waivers of fees, or trust funds and programs that provide grants or financing assistance.

The Robert C. Larson Awards, named in honor of a former ULI trustee and ULI Foundation chairman, recognize innovative state and local policy initiatives that support the creation and preservation of affordable and workforce housing, specifically housing affordable to households earning at or below 120 percent of area median income (AMI). Learn more about the previous winners and finalists.

2021 Winners

The Terwilliger Center is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Robert C Larson Housing Policy Leadership Awards. The winners are:

• Alexandria, Virginia, Office of Housing and Department of Planning and Zoning. In 2019, Alexandria amended its zoning ordinance as a result of a comprehensive and culturally inclusive community planning and engagement process. The residential multifamily (RMF) zone provides a substantial density incentive to induce landowners to preserve or produce affordable housing. The RMF zone was developed pursuant to the 2018 South Patrick Street Housing Affordability Strategy, a community planning process undertaken to identify potential tools, strategies, and resources for the preservation of 215 existing units of deeply affordable housing at risk of being lost to market pressures. The RMF zone allows substantial new density so the owner can develop three to five market-rate units to subsidize every deeply affordable unit provided. In addition, the zone requires assistance and protections for existing residents who are temporarily relocated—including a right to return when the new development is complete—so that redevelopment can occur.
• Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development Department. Minneapolis Homes was created in response to a City Council directive in 2015 to incentivize housing development on city-owned vacant land. The program began with four strategies: 1) provide a homebuyer incentive to build new homes on vacant lots; 2) promote mixed-income neighborhoods throughout Minneapolis by creating a long-term affordability homebuyer financing tool; 3) build new homes on city-owned vacant lots by providing value gap development assistance; and 4) invest land-sale proceeds to further program goals. To meet city climate goals, sustainable building requirements and incentives were added for Minneapolis Homes–funded projects. Minneapolis Homes was originally a single-family new construction program; now the program provides funding for one- to 20-unit construction in alignment of 2040 Comprehensive Plan goals. And finally, in 2020, the program introduced funding targeting a reduction in displacement.

2022 Awards Timeline:

• Application Open: November 2021
• Application Deadline: April 2022
• Jury Review of Applicants: April – May 2022
• Finalists Announced: June 2022
• Virtual Site Visits: June – August 2022
• Final Jury Meeting: August 2022
• Winners Contacted: September 2022
• Winners Announced: ULI Fall Meeting (Oct 24-27 in Dallas TX)