Perspectives

Economic Structure, Public Policy, and Private Decisions

Economic Structural Change was listed as the #8 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. The pilot of a jetliner on the tarmac has a lot of decisions to make. But, hopefully, he or she doesn’t have to guess about any of them. The cockpit instruments… Read more

Perspectives

Our Deep Divisions

Political Polarization was listed as the #7 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. There seems to be nothing new about America’s political polarization. Depending upon one’s historical perspective, this might be dated to the 1990s “Contract with America,” the 1960s Vietnam and Civil Rights movements,… Read more

Affordable Housing Discrimination in America

Housing Supply and Affordability was listed as the #6 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. When I wrote on this same topic a year ago, there was a shortage of 7.2 million affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renter households, (those whose incomes… Read more

Perspectives

New Infrastructure Imperatives Emerge

Infrastructure: New Imperatives Emerge was listed as the #5 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and heightened societal interest in social and economic equity have redefined infrastructure imperatives beyond significant ongoing necessity for improved roads, bridges, airports, ports, mass transit, and… Read more

Perspectives

Last Mile Logistics: On Time and In Full

Logistics was listed as the #4 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. Introduction Logistics conjures images of the brown UPS delivery vehicle from the 1980s for most baby boomers. For younger generations, though, logistics is an often used—but mostly misunderstood—term that impacts all MSAs and… Read more

Perspectives

From Materiality to Risk Mitigation: ESG at A Tipping Point for Real Estate

ESG at a Tipping Point was listed as the #3 issue in the 2021-22 Top Ten Issues Affecting Real Estate® by The Counselors of Real Estate®. Introduction Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) has reached a tipping point. In a 2019 McKinsey survey, 57% of CEO respondents said they believe ESG programs create long-term value, and 83% say they expect ESG programs to contribute more shareholder value than they do today.1 But what other... Read More