Urban Land Institute FAQs
Q: What is ULI’s Advisory Services Program?
A: Since 1947, Advisory Services Panels have helped communities find strategic, practical solutions for some of the most challenging issues facing today’s urban, suburban and rural areas. During a concentrated one-week effort, panels work with local governments, private developers, community development corporations, and many other organizations to address the challenging real estate and land use issues.
Q: What does Advisory Services do?
A: Advisory Services Panels bring timely, candid and unbiased input from national real estate, land use, design and planning experts on a specific land use challenge. Panels help to kick-start critical conversations and move beyond decision making deadlock. They help sponsors gain fresh insight and come to innovative solutions to the most complex real estate development challenges.
Q: Who are the types of people serving on panels?
A: Panels bring together the best and brightest from ULI’s diverse membership including developers, planners, financiers, market analysts, designers, economists, architects and public officials to provide practical and candid advice that is not available from any other source. Click here to read the ULI National Advisory Panelist biographies.
Q: How are panelists selected?
A: ULI Staff recruits an expert, all-volunteer panel tailored to the assignment of the sponsor.
Q: How long do panels last?
A: ULI offers five and three-day national panels and our local District Councils offer shorter “TAPs” that are 1-2 days in length.
Q: What types of sponsors are typical for panels?
A: Advisory Services Panels work with local governments, private developers, community development corporations, and many other organizations to address the most challenging real estate and land use issues facing communities today.
The Urban Land Institute National Advisory Panel Sponsors are:
Mt. Vernon Capital / Vision Ventures
The City of Charlotte
Mecklenburg County
Foundation for the Carolinas
The Knight Foundation
Charlotte Chamber
Charlotte Center City Partners
Charlotte Housing Authority
Charlotte Housing Partnership
UNC Charlotte Foundation
Q: What is the role of the sponsor?
A: Sponsors prepare for panels by defining an assignment, assembling background materials, planning events (assignment briefing, study area tour, and panel presentation) and handling public relations. They also identify local resources and people for the panel to interview, including business leaders, community leaders, real estate leaders, residents, public officials, and others with helpful insights. The sponsor also provides additional on-site resources, including relevant plans, regulations, market data, site plans, base maps, and aerial photos for Panelist to study
Q: What kind of land use and planning challenges do Advisory Services Panels address?
A: Panels have focused on housing (workforce, affordable), economic challenges (industrial development, economic development, mall redevelopment, employment generation, real estate finance), Infrastructure & transportation (transit-oriented development, ports & airports, rail), Universities & Institutions (Hospitals and Life Sciences, Student housing, University Development), Metro Policy (Regional Growth, Inter-jurisdictional Strategies, Sustainable development, military base redevelopment), and Downtowns (Retail & Entertainment, Neighborhood Revitalization, Downtown Revitalization).