WASHINGTON (December 14, 2023) The Urban Land Institute (ULI) has selected Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo as the recipient of the 2023 ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development, the most prestigious and respected honor in the global land use and development community.

“Mayor Hidalgo’s leadership throughout two decades of public service has not only made Paris a healthier, more inclusive, and more livable city today but has also transformed the way other cities think about the possibilities of tomorrow,” said Diane Hoskins, ULI Global Chair and Co-CEO of Gensler. “Her vision of a 15-minute city marked by greater mobility, improved air quality, abundant public spaces, and inclusive housing can teach and inspire the Urban Land Institute and its members to advance the shared mission. For her pursuit of a more inclusive, sustainable, thriving Paris – and her impact beyond the city’s borders – Mayor Hidalgo is a fitting recipient of the 24^th annual ULI Prize.”

Each year, the ULI Prize recognizes an individual who has made a distinguished contribution to community building globally, who has established visionary standards of excellence in the land use and development field, and whose commitment to creating the highest-quality built environment has led to the betterment of society.

Hidalgo, the first female Mayor of Paris, is the fourth mayor worldwide to be named a ULI Prize laureate. She is credited with advancing transformative and ambitious policies that have made Paris a socially mixed city, with 25 percent affordable housing, and reduced carbon emissions by 40 percent in ten years. Hidalgo’s initiatives are now a model for other communities around the globe, and she was named among Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020.

Hidalgo has approached social and climate challenges in the city through a variety of reforms, including reinventing Paris as a 15-minute city and establishing multiple urban green spaces throughout the city. Under her leadership, the city has worked with the communities and the citizens of Paris to help make a walkable, cyclable, climate-ready, and equitable community a reality in the capital city. Many of her initiatives have helped reimagine the use of existing spaces for better enjoyment and more convenient mobility for people already within or traveling to and from the city center. Hidalgo’s commitment to combatting carbon emissions and advancing connectivity and convenience is demonstrated in her plans for more low-emissions zones, or car-free zones, in Paris, and efforts to lessen Parisians’ reliance on cars.  She has implemented a very proactive policy for social housing development to enable families, young people, those who work in Paris, and those in need to live in the city. She also encouraged the transformation of offices, parking lots, and unused lands into mixed-use areas.

In addition, her work to decarbonize the built environment and create more sustainable communities extends beyond the Paris city limits. From 2015 to 2019, Hidalgo served as chair of C40, a global network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities that are united to confront the climate crisis. In July, she was elected vice chair of the steering committee.

The ULI Prize awards USD 100,000 to the winner. Anne Hidalgo will receive this prize on behalf of the city and non-profit organizations that help people in need.

“I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from the Urban Land Institute,” Hidalgo said. “When I was first elected Mayor in 2014, I worked to create a vision for Paris as well as specific policies that would have widespread benefits for all Parisians.

“Working with a diverse group of public and private sector experts as well as engaged residents of Paris, we have been able to create a city that translates this vision into reality. Together, we’ve championed initiatives to enhance walkability, diminish reliance on automobiles, and fortify our commitment to fostering sustainable communities both within and beyond the city limits. This recognition serves as a testament to the collective efforts that have propelled Paris towards a more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban landscape.”

In addition to Hoskins, other 2023 ULI Prize jury members included jury chair Candace Damon, chair of the board, HR&A Advisors, Inc, Brooklyn, NY; Amy Price, President, BGO, San Francisco, California; former Mayor Anthony Williams, CEO, Federal City Council of DC, Washington, D.C.; and Michael Phillips, Principal Chairman and President, Jamestown, Atlanta, Georgia.

Read Hidalgo’s full interview with Urban Land magazine here.

For more information, contact [email protected].

The Urban Land Institute is a non-profit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has more than 48,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines. For more information on ULI, please visit uli.org, or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

About the ULI Prize

The ULI Prize for Visionaries in Urban Development was established in 2000 through a gift by the Miller Nichols Charitable Foundation to the ULI Foundation. Recent laureates have included founding principal and partner of Studio Gang architect Jeanne Gang, New York urban planner Jonathan Rose, Mayor Anthony Williams, Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena, Chicago artist and urban planner Theaster Gates, Boston transportation entrepreneur Robin Chase, and Singaporean architect and urban planner Dr. Cheong Koon Hean. For more information about the ULI Prize and how to nominate the next laureate, please visit uli.org/visionaries.