Last week, I joined an Urban Land Institute panel on The Kelsey Ayer Station — the award-winning inclusive housing community in San Jose that I worked on as the Universal Design consultant with @thekelseymore .
The 78 people in the audience reflected the breadth of interest in this work — developers, architects, planners, housing authorities, nonprofits, and investors from across the US, Canada, and Mexico. The range of people in the room reinforced why replicability matters.
Most projects that prioritize accessibility focus on mobility devices. We designed for cross-disability impact: hearing, vision, neurodiversity, sensory sensitivities, and others — so every choice could serve multiple people. Acoustic panels and wrap-around chairs in the lobby aren't just for residents with sensory needs. They make the space better for everyone.
We discussed the Inclusion Concierge — born from wanting to support people with disabilities, but strengthening community for all 115 households. The concierge anchors the entry lobby, connecting residents to services and outside resources, and creating connections between people in a lobby that flows openly into shared common spaces.
Todd Regonini, Managing Partner at @saresregisgroup of Northern California, spoke about assembling a locally-savvy team early — especially critical when pushing beyond conventional approaches. Micaela Connery, Executive Director of The Kelsey, walked through funding structures that deliver multiple levels of affordability and far more accessibility than a typical multifamily project.
Many of the strategies from Ayer Station — along with lessons from my other projects over 30 years — are documented in the Inclusive Design Standards, a free resource with 300+ elements and a certification system any team can apply. Start early. Bring people with disabilities in from day one. More options, lower costs, fewer expensive changes in the field.
It all comes back to a foundational idea in disability advocacy: Nothing for us without us.
#InclusiveDesign #UniversalDesign #AffordableHousing #ULI #DisabilityForward #Architecture @urbanlandinstitute@ferrarijill@thekelseyayerstation@ulisf
Housing the Bay returns for a ninth year! This spring, we ask: are we Turning the Page? We aim to Shape the Next Chapter of Housing in the Bay Area and beyond.
This Summit will explore the relationships between technological innovations and construction costs, homeownership and generational wealth, advocacy and legislation, and more. 💫
Still wishing we could rewind to #ULIFall Meeting? We are too! 🌉
Thank you to our attendees, speakers, sponsors, and partners for making the 2025 ULI Fall Meeting in San Francisco one of our most successful yet. More than 5,300 people came together to share ideas, spark connections, and shape the future of real estate and land use.
🤔 Which conversation or session challenged your thinking the most?
And get ready... registration for the 2026 Spring Meeting in Nashville opens in January! ✅ #ULIFallMeeting #UrbanDevelopment #RealEstateCommunity
☕✨ New members, new connections, and lots of energy! This week’s New Member Coffee brought together professionals from across the land use industry to mix, mingle, and explore ways to get involved with ULI SF.
Seasoned members shared insights from their own ULI journeys, offered guidance on committee opportunities, and helped our newest members feel right at home.
A huge thanks to @wrnsstudio for hosting!We can’t wait to keep the momentum going at upcoming ULI SF events! 🌟
#ULISF #NewMemberCoffee #Networking
2025 ULI Fall Meeting: Through Your Eyes
From world-class tours across San Francisco to big ideas shaping the future of real estate, you made this meeting unforgettable. 🌉✨
We’re celebrating the experience through the photos and videos you shared, capturing the city, the conversations, and the connections that made #FallMeeting special.
We explored Emerging Trends in Real Estate® 2026, heard insights from Mayor @danielluriesf , and keynote speakers @stanmcchrystal and @guykawasaki , and connected with thousands of leaders driving change.
Thank you for sharing your perspective. See you in Nashville for the 2026 ULI Spring Meeting! 👋
P.S. - Were you there? Drop a 📍 or tag your crew! #ULIFallMeeting #FutureOfRealEstate #RealEstateTrends
“Great innovation happens not when you do it on the same curve but when you get to the next curve."
— @guykawasaki , Chief Evangelist at @canva
At the ULI Fall Meeting’s Closing General Session, Guy Kawasaki shared a powerful framework for innovation rooted in empathy, experimentation, and bold thinking. Key insights included:
“Look for the pain” — Innovation begins by identifying real problems.
“Don’t worry, be crappy” — Early versions don’t need to be perfect.
“Eat what you cook” — Live where you design to understand the lived experience.
“Plant many seeds” — Success often comes from unexpected places.
“Use all your weapons” — AI should be part of every strategic conversation.
✨ Stay tuned for more recaps and highlights from #FallMeeting!
🎉 Close out a memorable week in San Francisco with the @ulisf Block Party, happening on Front Street from 4–10 PM PST. This neighborhood celebration is inspired by a recent ULI Advisory Services Panel that helped reimagine this downtown corridor.
#GuyKawasaki #AIInBusiness #Innovation
Day 2 at the ULI #FallMeeting kicked off with a celebration of impact and a look toward the future.✨
ULI Foundation campaign co-chairs Doug Abbey and Tom Toomey presented a video highlighting the success of the Our Cities, Our Future capital campaign, which has reached its $100 million goal—fueling ULI’s mission to shape better communities around the world. 🌎
The momentum continued at the General Session, where panelists unpacked the 2026 Emerging Trends in Real Estate® report. 📄 From trillions flowing into data centers to the growing importance of modular construction and power infrastructure, the conversation explored how technology and demographic shifts are redefining demand across the built environment.
Chuck DiRocco of @lifeatpwc presented the top 10 trends, with moderation by Andrew Alperstein. The session emphasized the need for agility, insight, and a forward-looking mindset in today’s evolving market. 📊
There’s still plenty happening tonight and tomorrow. 🔗 Tap the link in our bio to explore the full schedule!
#ULIFallMeeting #EmergingTrends #RealEstate2026 #ULIFoundation #OurCitiesOurFuture
Day 1 of #ULIFallMeeting kicked off with vision, leadership, and global perspective. 🌍
Mayor @danielluriesf welcomed attendees with reflections on San Francisco. ULI’s Global CEO Angela Cain and Global Chair Franz Colloredo-Mansfeld introduced 13 imperatives shaping ULI’s future—including a renewed focus on content, priorities, and building a future-ready organization. 🌱
We also honored Carol Coletta with the ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development. 💡
General Stanley McChrystal closed the session with a powerful keynote on global forces, the meaning of home, and the role we all play in shaping democracy. 🗺️
Want to learn more? Join a Futurescape session:
Wednesday, Nov 5 | 4–5 PM PST
Thursday, Nov 6 | 9–10 AM & 10:30–11:30 AM PST
Explore what’s ahead at the link in our bio and stay tuned for more #ULIFallMeeting highlights.
Photos: @theunfounddoor
#UrbanDevelopment #SanFrancisco #Leadership
Our members are counting down to the ULI Fall Meeting! From networking with industry leaders to exploring innovative urban projects, swipe through to see what inspires them and discover why this year’s gathering is one you won’t want to miss. ✨
#ULIFallMeeting #ULISF #SanFrancisco
✨ Market Street Reimagined: ULI Award-Winning Visions 💡
This summer, Urban Land Institute (ULI) San Francisco invited designers, planners, and community members to reimagine Market Street—San Francisco's most iconic civic boulevard—as a place that better serves everyone who lives, works, and visits the city. Six winning visions were selected as part of the Market Street Reimagined program.
Join SPUR, Civic Joy Fund, and ULI as we welcome the six winners to present their ideas. Each team will share a 5-minute presentation of their vision board, followed by time for conversation and discussion with the audience.
📆 Special Program: October 22, 2025, 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
📍 SPUR Urban Center, 654 Mission St, SF
🔗 Register at /events
Confirmed Presenters:
🏆 Award for Creative Wayfinding and Nighttime Animation
🌈 Flying Colors San Francisco Rebirth on Market Street — Bionic
👤 Marcel Wilson
🏆 Award for Radical Hospitality and Fast, Inclusive Public Space
🪑 The 4 Mile Bench — SITELAB urban studio
👤 Julie Gawendo
🏆 Award for Place-Making and Connected Neighborhoods
❤️ San Francisco's Living Heart — Multistudio, Studio-MLA, Systematica, VibeMap
👥 Luca Giaramidaro, Noah Friedman
🏆 Award for Visionary Ecology and Urban Greening
🌳 The Market Street Forest — SUR
👤 Christian Lavista
🏆 Award for Spatial Innovation and Adaptive Urban Form
🌀 Asymmetry in Balance — SWA Group
👥 Yang Zhang, Marco Esposito
🏆 Special Recognition: Norman Foster Prize for Innovation
✨ Yelamu Park on Market St. — Sequoia: Biomimicry Education & Advocacy
👤 Saadi Halil
🎨 Explore the winning ideas from ULI SF’s Market Street Reimagined Ideas Competition at 2 Blocks of Art: Site + Sound!
Join @midmarket_cbd on Saturday, October 11. Stroll Market St (5th–7th), and discover amazing art in unexpected places.
Free + open to all — don’t miss it! —> /events/detail/73E64CC4-040C-4FBC-B2FD-CCA1FDB10AE9/
The countdown is on! ⏳
ULI’s 2025 Fall Meeting is coming to San Francisco and we’re spotlighting the Bay Area leaders who are reimagining the built environment and curating an unforgettable experience this November.
First up: Hear from David Blackwell, ULI SF Chair, on why this year’s meeting comes at a pivotal moment for the city. Register now —> /get-involved/fall-meeting-2025/
#ULIFallMeeting #SanFrancisco #BayAreaLeaders #RealEstate #ULISF
