The Robert C. Larson Housing Policy Leadership Award recognizes innovative state and local policy initiatives and programs that support the creation and preservation of affordable and workforce housing, specifically housing serving households up to 120% of area median income (AMI).

  Eligibility for Submission

• The applicant must be a state or local jurisdiction within the United States. However, the Center does accept nominations and there is a separate form to nominate a program for consideration.
• The program or policy must serve households at or below 120% of AMI.
• Submissions of individual developments or projects by themselves do not qualify for this award program, but are eligible for consideration for the Jack Kemp Excellence in Affordable and Workforce Housing Awards or the Terwilliger Center Award for Innovation in Attainable Housing.

*Please note: you do not need to be a ULI member to apply.*

Evaluation Factors

The following are the major evaluation factors for the Larson Awards. While there is no assigned value or relative weighting of the evaluation factors, Jurors shall consider each factor in reviewing the Awards submissions.

• Mixed-Income Housing and Communities: Degree to which the policy helps create or sustain mixed-income housing, or contributes to the creation of mixed-income communities through development or preservation of affordable or workforce housing.
• Innovation: Degree to which the policy pushes the envelop and is making bold changes. For example, programs or policies that leverage public resources, attract new investment, harness market forces, and/or engage the private sector and/or community-based organizations in a demonstrably new or enhanced manner.
• Replicability: The extent to which the policy can serve as a model for other jurisdictions.
• Results: The degree to which the policy has achieved its intended goals. The program or policy initiative should have achieved some or all of the intended goals and have quantifiable metrics to demonstrate proof of concept.

The application period for the 2023 housing awards has closed. Winners will be announced at ULI’s Fall Meeting in Los Angeles, and applications will reopen for the 2024 cycle in the fall.

Have a question on the eligibility and criteria of the award? Email us at [email protected].