The past several months have been challenging and disorienting for all of us due to COVID-19. And now, with the senseless killing of George Floyd, we are witnessing protests across many cities, at times violent, as frustrated citizens seek to be heard. In the midst of this turmoil, ULI recognizes the importance of our mission now more than ever: to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. At the heart of this mission is a belief that our communities can only truly thrive if they are built on the foundations of diversity, inclusivity, and social equity. In short, our communities must work for everyone.

Times of crisis demand great leadership. ULI’s 45,000 members are at the forefront of shaping the built environment and have an important role to play in designing and building places in ways that help tackle, rather than perpetuate, the inequalities in our society. We will continue to support our members to share best practices, learn from each other’s mistakes, and partner with our cities in a sincere and coordinated effort to make progress on this critical objective. Our members, often industry leaders in each of their communities across our nation, can and should play a significant role in bringing about the change needed in our cities. We recognize the scale of inequality in our country and how great a task stands before us. We remain firmly committed to working across the real estate industry to help bring about the change needed in our communities.

Sincerely

Ed Walter
Global CEO