Social Equity Resource Hub
The Social Equity Resource Hub is designed to help real estate professionals learn about social equity and translate that knowledge into real estate practice to help shape more equitable outcomes.
Featured Resource
10 Principles for Embedding Racial Equity in Real Estate Development shares ten guiding ideas that can help developers, investors, and other practitioners make racial equity a central part of their real estate practice. Using these principles, real estate professionals will be better equipped to urgently work toward creating a more equitable real estate industry that will foster more equitable community outcomes and greater project success.

Overview
Through educational resources and actionable guidance, the Hub will empower industry actors to foster change at the personal, company, industry, and policy scales. By working at these different levels, real estate professionals can make social equity central to the development process, and, in turn, help shape more equitable outcomes for communities.

DEI at ULI
ULI is dedicated to improving the environments in which all people live, work, and play. In line with this mission, ULI has developed a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy that recognizes DEI as a fundamental force for creating thriving communities for the future. The Hub is aligned with ULI’s DEI work, which you can learn more about here.
Using the Database
The following database contains resources on social equity and real estate, and ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative will continue to add to it over time. Please reach out to [email protected] with any ideas for resources, or fill out the feedback form here.
Resources on Social Equity and Real Estate
Resource | Description | Resource Type |
---|---|---|
Reshaping the City: Zoning for a More Equitable, Resilient, and Sustainable Future |
This report shares promising insights and examples of zoning updates from across the US that have been crafted to promote healthy mobility, support increased housing affordability, and build more equitable places. Real estate developers are essential constituents and partners in efforts to enact zoning updates, which can make development easier to do and can broaden the spectrum of those that can participate in the development market, such as small-scale developers and those from underserved backgrounds. Policy ● Housing ● Development |
Publication Business Case Framework |
The Case for Social Equity in Real Estate (ULI Los Angeles) |
This report aims to identify the “case” for focusing on social equity in real estate, demystify the concept of social equity in the context of real estate development, challenging the notion that equitable projects will have a negative impact on return on investment (ROI), and encouraging industry professionals to adopt practices that support social equity and positive legacies in the Los Angeles region—the communities we serve. Development ● Social Equity |
Publication
Business Case |
Unfound Opportunities: Investing in Underserved Communities (ULI Los Angeles) |
This report aims to increase appropriate and long term sustainable
development in under-invested communities in Los Angeles
by dispelling misconceptions and perceived
financial risks that have informed lending
practices and governmental procedures, and
increasing understanding of the inherent
opportunity to derive both social and financial
return on investment. In conclusion, it has a call to action to prioritize change in LA. Development ● Social Equity |
Publication Framework |
Change for Good: Lessons from ULI’s District Council Task Forces for Health and Social Equity |
Member-led task forces organized by ULI district councils in Chicago, Phoenix, Sacramento, and Tampa worked during 2019 and 2020 to address local policy and regulatory barriers to the creation of healthier and more equitable places. Change for Good features executive summaries of each task force, including observations, findings, and recommendations. The report also documents common themes and takeaways gleaned from these experiences. Policy ● Housing ● Transportation |
Publication Program Findings |
Environmental Justice and Real Estate |
This report features interviews with leaders from the Fifth Avenue Committee, Catalyst Miami, Initiative for Energy Justice, and The Greenlining Institute, and seeks to elevate these perspectives to help built environment professionals address the effects of structural racism and community disinvestment through the perspective of environmental justice. Environmental Justice ● Race and Racism ● Climate Change ● Disinvestment |
Publication Interviews |
Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2021 |
The Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2021 presents results from the only corporate study of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) management practices and data benchmarking in the commercial real estate industry, including 161 unique companies, 435,000 full-time employees, and $2.4 trillion in AUM in North America, Asia Pacific, and Europe. As real estate works to accelerate the implementation of DEI strategies, the first release of this new annual benchmark creates a snapshot of companies across the real estate value chain and allows survey participants to measure and track progress against the wider industry. Diversity ● DEI ● Real Estate Companies |
Publication Survey Results |
Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2022 |
Building off of the work done with the 2021 survey, the Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2022 presents results from more than 357,000 full-time employees, $2.34 trillion of assets under management and a cross section of the industry in terms of size, region, and business classification. The final report includes 192 unique responses, resulting in 130 pages of DEI management practices and metrics that allow participants to benchmark themselves against the industry and their peers to identify ways to run their businesses more effectively, efficiently, and inclusively. Diversity ● DEI ● Real Estate Companies |
Publication Survey Results |
Health and Social Equity: State of the Market |
This report presents a snapshot of real estate professionals’ awareness and adoption of practices supporting health and social equity, and identifies opportunities for further implementation of such practices by real estate organizations and ULI. Health ● Social Equity |
Publication Assessment Project Profiles |
Health and Social Equity: Examples from the Field |
By demonstrating what companies have already achieved at their properties, and their motivations for doing so, this report aims to accelerate the uptake of health and social equity. Health ● Social Equity |
Publication Business Case Project Profiles |
Our City, Our Future: Recommendations for Building Resilient Chicago Neighborhoods (ULI Chicago) |
ULI Chicago convened four task forces to help identify key physical, social and economic elements that help build resilience at the neighborhood and at the city level and developed recommendations to encourage and nurture them in Chicago’s neighborhoods. In partnership with the City of Chicago, these recommendations can be found in the final report. Resilience ● Chicago |
Publication Program Findings |
Social Impact: Investing with purpose to protect and enhance returns |
The report explores opportunities and challenges for the expansion of social impact investing from the perspective of strategic approach, risk management and capital sources, making recommendations to enable the wider real estate industry to embrace the social impact opportunity to the benefit of all stakeholders in their organizations and across wider society. ESG ● Impact Investing ● Social Impact ● Social Value |
Publication Business Case Framework |
Zooming in on the S in ESG |
This report aims to develop a shared and better understanding of how to define, create, measure and optimize social value across the real estate industry. Not only it gives an overview of the role of real estate in creating social value, but it also explores current industry perceptions and emerging practices related to social value creation and measurement. The report also maps existing frameworks and tools used to measure, manage and report on social value and guidance towards a roadmap on how to incorporate social value creation in real estate. ESG ● Measurement ● Social Value Creation |
Publication Business Case Framework |
Introduction to ESG in Real Estate |
By defining ESG and studying its historic, global, and multidisciplinary drivers, students in this eight-hour four-module course will recognize the advantages of launching an ESG program for their real estate companies. Further, through a study of the specific and various elements of ESG and a review of the eco-system of tools and resources that real estate companies are leveraging, each students taking this course will be able to build a road map for the deployment of an ESG practice for her/his company’s specific needs. ESG ● Real Estate Companies |
Learning Module |
Leading with Impact: Becoming a Force for Good in Commercial Real Estate |
Developed for those working in real estate development, finance and investment, or related industries, this course provides insight and guidance into how to conduct yourself more ethically and provides skills and tools to empower better decision making. Finance ● Development ● Personal |
Learning Module |
Special Topics in Development |
This is a two part course for development professionals and others in the real estate industry interested in learning about the principles and concepts related to equitable development and how equitable development goals can shape community engagement processes and development outcomes. Learn the components of equitable development and the reasons for conducting proactive and continuous community engagement, as well as strategies to help your work become integrated in equitable community development goals. Equitable Development ● Community Engagement |
Learning Module |
Real Estate and Social Equity |
This reading list compiles non-ULI resources on real estate and social equity. DEI ● Housing ● Urban Planning ● Parks ● Real Estate ● Transportation |
Reading List |
Moving Towards More Equitable Development |
This reading list compiles Urban Land articles on equitable development, an approach for meeting the needs of underserved communities through policies and programs that reduce disparities while fostering places that are healthy and vibrant. [Member Wall] DEI ● Equitable Development |
Reading List |
On the Rise: Social Equity and Health in Real Estate |
This ULI webinar provides an overview of key takeaways from the Health and Social Equity in Real Estate companion reports
and profiles of real estate leaders who clearly show how social equity and health in real estate is on the rise. Health ● Social Equity |
Webinar See the related Health and Social Equity in Real Estate companion reports. |
Tracking Movement on DEI |
In Fall 2021, ULI partnered with ANREV, INREV, Ferguson Partners, NAREIM, NCREIF, PREA, and REALPAC to create the first global benchmark of internal corporate DEI metrics for the commercial real estate industry, covering everything from DEI program structure to hiring, training, retention & promotion, and inclusive cultures to employee demographics around gender, ethnicity and nationality across seniority and job functions within commercial real estate. This ULI global webinar features a discussion on what was learned from this precedent-setting survey, the takeaways for ULI members and what best practices can help continue driving progress on DEI. DEI ● Diversity ● Real Estate Companies |
Webinar See the related survey Global Real Estate DEI Survey 2021. |
What Does Racial Equity Look Like in Real Estate Development? |
Real estate development has the potential to shape the built environment in ways that foster more equitable community outcomes. However, developers, investors, and other practitioners are often not sure what this looks like in their work or how to get started. In this webinar, hear from real estate professionals who have made racial equity central to their real estate practice and gain insights for working toward racial equity. Equitable Development ● Race and Racism ● Real Estate Companies |
Webinar See the related report 10 Principles for Embedding Racial Equity in Real Estate Development. |
Amplifying the Triple Bottom Line in Real Estate Development: Lessons Learned and a Dialogue about the Future |
How can real estate development balance social equity, environmental stewardship, and economic justice with financial success? Over the past 12 months, the “triple bottom line” went from a benevolent long-term goal to an instantaneous imperative in the real estate community. The community impact of development beyond the finite boundaries of the property line will define the success or failure of this generation of leaders. Far from being caught flat-footed, many developers have quickly pivoted and reacted to these threats. Watch a “discussion in progress” with developers from across the United States to learn more. Sustainability ● Race and Racism ● Development |
Event Recording 2021 Virtual Spring Meeting Session |
Beyond the Building Real Estate Strategies for the Social Equity Imperative |
Real estate practitioners are increasingly making the shift from caring and learning about social equity and racial justice to having those values inform and transform their professional practice. And in the process, they are redefining what it means for real estate to be 'high performing.' In this innovative 2021 Fall Meeting session, hear from real estate leaders about their health, social equity, and racial justice journeys, and how they are translating their personal values into their professional practice. Personal ● Race and Racism ● Development ● Finance |
Event Recording 2021 Fall Meeting Session |
Parking Policy Innovations in the United States |
This interactive report allows users to access information on policies from cities across the United States. A searchable, filterable database includes a range of recent policy examples that represent significant shifts from the status quo depending on the local context. Transportation |
Database |
Equitable Finance Resource List |
ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative has curated the following resource list to share challenges and
opportunities related to real estate finance and social equity. This list is not intended to be comprehensive;
rather, it is a short guide for members interested in beginning to learn more about this topic.
If you would like to add a resource to this list, please reach out to [email protected] Please ensure that your
recommendations are specific to real estate finance, equitable development, and/or community ownership.
Race and Racism ● Development ● Finance |
Resource List |
Personal Journey Toward Anti-Racism Resource List |
ULI’s Building Healthy Places Initiative has curated the following resource list to share challenges and
opportunities related to personally working toward anti-racism. This list is not intended to be
comprehensive; rather, it is a short guide for members interested in beginning to learn more about this
topic.
If you would like to add a resource to this list, please reach out to [email protected] Please ensure that your
recommendations are specific to personal knowledge-building about anti-racism.
Personal ● Race and Racism ● Anti-Racism ● Education |
Resource List |
Glossary
Antiracism: active, intentional actions toward racial justice and against all forms of racism.
Belonging: the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. (Cornell)
BIPOC: acronym for Black, indigenous, and people of color.
Diversity: intentional representation of different minorities or underrepresented populations with considerations of race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and disability status. (PNC)
Equality: ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents, and believing that no one should have poorer life chances because of where, what or whom they were born, what they believe, or whether they have a disability. (Equality and Human Rights Commission)
Equitable development: an approach to creating healthy, vibrant, communities of opportunity. Equitable outcomes come about when smart, intentional strategies are put in place to ensure that everyone can participate in and benefit from decisions that shape their neighborhoods and regions. (PolicyLink)
Equitable processes: broadly, processes that define workflow or approaches with an equity lens. Processes are broad and industry-specific. In the real estate industry, they range from customer-facing ones such as the real estate development process to internal business ones such as hiring and communications. (Juanita Hardy)
Equity: just and fair inclusion into a society in which all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential (PolicyLink)
There are many types of equity. Definitions from the Urban Sustainability Directors Network (USDN) include procedural equity (inclusive, accessible, authentic engagement and representation in processes to develop or implement programs or policies) and distributional equity (fair distribution of benefits and burdens across all segments of a community, prioritizing those with highest need, as a result of programs and policies).
Equity lens: consideration of equity dimensions of involvement, process, values and assumptions, and outcomes, from a perspective that highlights how practices hold potential to shift power toward inclusion and equity. (Center for Nonprofit Advancement)
Inclusion: authentically bringing traditionally excluded individual and/or groups into processes, activities and decision/policy making in a way that shares power. (Racial Equity Tools)
Intersectionality: the complex and synergistic ways in which different aspects of identity combine and overlap.
Justice: the elimination of barriers that create the need for equity-focused interventions. (Combination of several definitions)
Marginalized: groups and communities that experience discrimination and exclusion (social, political and economic) because of unequal power relationships across economic, political, social and cultural dimensions. (National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health). This report uses marginalize as a verb to describe the act of discriminating against or excluding people within unequal power relationships.
Privilege: unearned social power accorded by the formal and informal institutions of society to all members of a dominant group (e.g., white privilege, male privilege). Privilege is usually invisible to those who have it because they are taught not to see it, but it nevertheless puts them at an advantage over those who do not have it. (Colours of Resistance Archive, “Privilege” via Racial Equity Tools)
Racial equity: the condition that would be achieved if one’s racial identity no longer predicted, in a statistical sense, how one fares. When we use the term in this report, we are thinking about racial equity as one part of racial justice, and thus we also include work to address root causes of inequities, not just their manifestation. This includes elimination of policies, practices, attitudes, and cultural messages that reinforce differential outcomes by race or that fail to eliminate them. (Racial Equity Tools)
Alternative definition: transforming the behaviors, institutions and systems that disproportionately harm people of color. Racial equity means increasing access to power, redistributing and providing additional resources, and eliminating barriers to opportunity in order to empower low-income communities of color to thrive and reach full potential. (Greenlining Institute)
Racism: both individual acts of prejudice and discrimination and systemic and structural factors leading to inequitable outcomes on the basis of race.
Social equity: impartiality, fairness and justice for all people. (United Way of the National Capital Area). Distinct from racial equity, it refers to all people; in addition to race, it includes gender, ethnicity, age, and other factors.
Structural racism: a system in which public policies, institutional practices, cultural representations, and other norms work in various, often reinforcing ways to perpetuate racial group inequity. It identifies dimensions of our history and culture that have allowed privileges associated with “whiteness” and disadvantages associated with “color” to endure and adapt over time. Structural racism is not something that a few people or institutions choose to practice. Instead it has been a feature of the social, economic, and political systems in which we all exist. (Aspen Institute)
Systemic racism: in many ways synonymous with structural racism. If there is a difference between the terms, it can be said to exist in the fact that a structural racism analysis pays more attention to the historical, cultural, and social psychological aspects of our currently racialized society. (Aspen Institute)
Underserved: people and communities who were historically and are systemically provided with inadequate services, infrastructure, and other essentials, denied opportunity and investment, and often discriminated against. This report uses underserved rather than other commonly used terms, such as disadvantaged, to highlight unjust policies and practices. Other terms can inaccurately imply differences in community characteristics. (Combination of several definitions)
Criteria for Inclusion
The Hub includes a combination of educational materials on social equity and resources for implementing best practices. Each resource is also geared toward a specific audience within real estate and tagged with the topic(s) it covers. To be included in the Hub:
- Each resource must be designed for a real estate audience and focused on social equity.
- Each resource must either be educational or provide practicable guidance.
- Each resource must advance knowledge or action at one or more of these scales: personal, company, industry, or policy.
The Hub primarily features resources developed by the Urban Land Institute to address gaps in existing resources for real estate professionals, or by ULI in partnership with other organizations doing aligned work. Resource lists also direct members to relevant resources that already exist outside of ULI.
Coming Soon to Knowledge Finder!
The Social Equity Resource Hub will be available on Knowledge Finder soon.