ULI Philadelphia and the H2H initiative partnered with Families Forward and Drueding Center to evaluate how their real estate assets could better support emergency and transitional housing needs. ULI Philadelphia conducted TAPs for both organizations to identify strategies for repositioning or expanding their assets to serve more people. When contracts for transitional housing funding were not renewed for both organizations, the TAPs provided urgent recommendations, encouraging them to focus on their core missions while optimizing their housing infrastructure.
H2H District Council Engagement
Exploring Real Estate Solutions
ULI’s Homeless to Housed (H2H) initiative offers district council engagement grants for research partnerships, technical assistance, and local programs focused on addressing homelessness through real estate-driven solutions. Ideas may be small and cost-effective, such as a local dialogue-building event, or more extensive, such as a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP).
Local Technical Assistance Grants
The H2H initiative provided local technical assistance grants to advance solutions to the U.S. housing and homelessness crisis. Grant proposals were considered based on how well project plans aligned with the H2H program priorities:
- Increasing the production of deeply affordable housing connected to critical supportive services.
- Advancing Public-Private-Provider Partnerships and engaging multisector partners.
- Leveraging available land and structures.
- Aligning divergent community perspectives and financial resources.
- Connecting the technical know-how of the real estate sector with the compassion and skills of service providers.
Ultimately, the H2H Selection Committee selected five ULI district councils to participate in the first cohort (July 2023 to June 2024) and four district councils to participate in the second cohort (July 2024 to June 2025). Teams had 12 months to complete their projects and publish a final deliverable. District councils may continue to submit funding requests for local programming via email.
H2H Cohort 2 District Councils
From July 2024 to June 2025, member-led teams organized by ULI district councils in Boston/New England, Michigan, San Antonio, and San Francisco pursued solutions for addressing homelessness tailored to their local markets and needs.
Bangor, ME
ULI Boston/New England: Dignity First Homeful Village TAP
In partnership with Dignity First and the University of Maine, ULI Boston/New England conducted a TAP to refine the Homeful Village concept in Bangor, Maine, and provided recommendations on sustainable design, financing, and community engagement strategies, with the broader goal of inspiring adoption of the sustainable tiny home village model throughout New England and beyond.
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San Antonio, TX
ULI San Antonio: Youth Housing Stability Design Workshop
ULI San Antonio conducted a TAP with the San Antonio Housing Trust and the Close to Home initiative to craft real estate-driven solutions designed to build on strategies identified at the 2024 At-Risk Youth Housing Summit. The TAP gathered experts and youth to co-design housing solutions for at-risk young adults. It emphasized trauma-informed design, service integration, and inclusive planning to address systemic gaps. The workshop marked a step toward long-term, community-driven housing solutions.
Fremont, CA
ULI San Francisco: Expanding Winter Relief Programs
In partnership with the City of Fremont, ULI San Francisco held a workshop to identify opportunities for capitalizing on the expanded, now year-round Winter Relief and shelter intervention programs by utilizing surplus hotel rooms. Emphasizing the symbiotic relationship wherein homeless clients offer a reliable revenue stream for owners of properties struggling with post-COVID occupancy levels, the TAP aims to expand non-congregate shelter resources and reactivate underutilized hotel or multi-unit properties in Fremont.
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Detroit, MI
ULI Michigan: Advancing Solutions for Permanent Supportive Housing
ULI Michigan will deepen its partnership with The Pope Francis Center in Detroit by preparing a feasibility and implementation strategy to advance previously provided TAP recommendations for expanding permanent supportive housing (PSH) at their new BRIDGE housing campus that opened in June 2024. The work will identify a replicable strategy for leveraging existing and innovative funding strategies while reducing reliance on philanthropy.
H2H Cohort 1 District Councils
The inaugural H2H cohort was a group of five ULI district councils leading the charge in addressing homelessness and deeply affordable housing. Each council was selected and funded to drive change and create a lasting impact in their community.
Lafayette, LA
ULI Louisiana: Community Collaboration for Housing-Based Solutions
Catholic Charities of Acadiana partnered with ULI Louisiana and the ULI H2H initiative to address homelessness in Lafayette, Louisiana, where an estimated 350 people are unhoused. Through community workshops led by Concordia, over 300 participants from diverse sectors explored affordable housing solutions ranging from adaptive reuse to new construction. The initiative built strong community consensus and will move forward with continued advocacy and an interactive site mapping tool.
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Philadelphia, PA
ULI Philadelphia: Using Real Estate to Further a Housing-First Mission for Families in Need
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San Antonio, TX
ULI San Antonio: Pairing Housing and Transportation to Uplift San Antonio Communities
ULI San Antonio and LISC partnered to expand the scope of VIA Metro Transit’s Thriving Communities Project, which is supported by a USDOT grant. Through funding from H2H, ULI San Antonio and LISC launched a housing initiative to address affordable housing supply issues and promote acceptance of diverse housing types in a city dominated by single-family homes. The project engaged residents—especially along the proposed Silver Line transit corridor—through interactive tools and events to link housing, transit, and community needs. Insights from participants will inform policy and development, driving long-term, trust-based systemic change.
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San Diego, CA
ULI San Diego-Tijuana: Democratizing Affordable Housing Development Site Selection
ULI San Diego–Tijuana and UC San Diego’s Homelessness Hub developed an interactive map to identify and rank potential sites across the county for affordable housing development. The tool uses zoning data, development feasibility, and projected community acceptance to streamline site selection. Aimed at helping developers and local leaders act quickly, the free, publicly available map supports efforts to address the region’s severe housing shortage and growing homelessness crisis.
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San José, CA
ULI San Francisco: Unlocking the Potential of Underused Land to Stem the Tide of Homelessness
To address San José’s homelessness crisis, ULI San Francisco partnered with the city and a consultant team to explore options for developing affordable housing on underused faith-based and nonprofit-owned land, leveraging California’s SB 4 policy. Through workshops and surveys, the initiative built partnerships between landowners, developers, and service providers, providing practical guidance on financing, site planning, and design. The effort culminated in a final report with actionable strategies to help bring deeply affordable housing to these community-owned sites.
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