Press Release: Winner Selected for the RCLCO Foundation 50th Anniversary Paper Prize

May 7, 2018 RCLCO Foundation Affordable Housing

The Organization’s First White Paper Competition Awards $5,000 to C. Kat Grimsley, PhD, for Affordable Housing Innovation

BETHESDA, MD – MAY 7, 2018 – The RCLCO Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is pleased to announce the winner from its first whitepaper competition. In celebration of RCLCO’s 50th anniversary year, the Paper Prize was a thought leadership competition that drew entries from all segments of the housing innovation community, with a goal of making a meaningful difference in the policy and practice of affordable housing provision. The RCLCO Foundation 50th Anniversary Paper Prize honors scholarly work that drives innovation in approach to financing or incentivizing the creation of affordable housing in America.

The winning paper demonstrated the most innovative thinking regarding strategies that support the creation of affordable housing in America, as deemed by the Foundation’s judges, receiving a prize of $5000 and promotional publication through RCLCO’s website and digital distribution, including The Advisory newsletter. The judges included: Adam Ducker, RCLCO Managing Director, Foundation Board Member, and Jury Chair; Gadi Kaufmann, RCLCO CEO/Managing Director and Foundation Chair; Karen Kaufmann, Luskin Center at UCLA, Academic; Stockton Williams, Executive Director of the Terwilliger Center at ULI, Policy Expert and RCLCO Client; Andrew Jakabovics, VP, Policy Development, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., Policy Expert and RCLCO Alum; and Alan Goldstein, Director at AHC, Practitioner and RCLCO Client.

C. Kat Grimsley, PhD submitted the winning paper, entitled Maximizing Public Sector Air Rights as an Affordable Housing Solution. The paper can be found published on the RCLCO website at www.rclco.com/maximizing-public-air-rights-for-affordable-housing.

“We set a bold goal for this prize. We were hoping for a really fresh idea – something that pushes us out of our comfort zone but that is still implementable – and that could have a meaningful impact in the amount of affordable housing we are delivering in America. We think this paper does exactly that,” said Adam Ducker, RCLCO Managing Director and head of the RCLCO Foundation. “”We are delighted in the small contribution we are able to make in supporting this creative thinking.”

Dr. Grimsley is the Director of the Masters in Real Estate Development program at George Mason University. She is responsible for the administration of all aspects of the program, including curriculum management, community building, and strategic development. In 2017 she was appointed to the Real Estate Market Advisory Group of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE), which includes the United States of America. Dr. Grimsley also became the first woman to be appointed to the NAIOP Research Foundation’s Distinguished Fellows Program. She completed her doctorate at the University of Cambridge, where her research addressed global tenure and title insecurity by uniting policy with existing international best practices and technological capacity in the context of global administrative solutions.

“It’s finally becoming widely understood that housing affordability at all levels is a critical ingredient for societal and economic prosperity – but finding a workable, sustainable solution is no easy task. I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to work on this project with my colleagues at Loudoun County and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing (APAH),”” said Dr. Grimsley. “My hope is that, together, we can turn this concept into a reality for the Washington, DC area, as well as inspire other regions to follow suit.”

About The RCLCO Foundation

The RCLCO Foundation was formed in 2006 as a means to positively influence the availability and development of affordable housing. Funding to The RCLCO Foundation is provided by RCLCO, which annually contributes a share of its profits, along with contributions and grants provided by RCLCO team members, alumni, clients, and other organizations who are interested in advancing the cause of affordable housing. The Foundation is committed to making a meaningful difference in the practice and policy of affordable housing, by encouraging and facilitating the development of balanced communities.

About RCLCO

Since 1967, RCLCO (formerly Robert Charles Lesser & Co.) has been the “first call” for real estate developers, investors, public institutions and non-real estate companies seeking strategic and tactical advice regarding property investment, planning, and development. RCLCO leverages quantitative analytics platforms and a strategic planning framework to provide end-to-end business planning and implementation solutions at an entity, portfolio, or project level. With the insights and experience gained over 50 years and thousands of projects — touching over $5B of real estate activity each year — RCLCO brings success to all product types across the United States and around the world. RCLCO is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has offices in Los Angeles, Orlando, and Austin.

 

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P: (310) 670-4288
E: dblack@rclco.com