Recognizing the real estate industry’s key role in the proactive promotion of health and social equity and addressing urban health challenges, ULI established the Building Healthy Places (BHP) initiative in 2013. Since its inception, BHP has created and sustained programs of impact, enhanced member understanding and knowledge, and helped shape the places and communities where people can live their best lives.

Global communities face pressing health challenges related to the built environment, and ULI has long been on the forefront of research, education, and actionable thought leadership. BHP’s multifaceted program—including research and publications, convenings, and advisory activities—leverages the power of the Institute’s global networks to shape projects and places in ways that improve the health of people and communities.

Now, with a generous $1 million gift from longtime member and ULI Foundation Governor Randall Lewis, BHP can do even more. The newly established Randall Lewis Building Healthy Places Fund continues and creates a number of programs to engage, inform, and inspire.

“As a past ULI Foundation Chairman, I have seen Randall’s strong support of ULI’s mission first-hand,” says ULI Foundation Board member Jeff Stack. “This gift towards mentorship, diversity, Building Healthy Places, and local District Councils exemplifies commitment from our donors. I commend Randall for continuing his years of engagement and support by making this significant gift towards helping ULI stay at the forefront of land use and commercial real estate.”

Like many donors to the ULI Foundation, Lewis designated specific portions of his gift to existing ULI areas that are the most personally meaningful to him. His gift broadly supports research and reports to advance healthy community goals and creates the Randall Lewis Product Council Opportunity and Grant Programs to address the shortage of diverse, mission-driven Product Council members.

In recognition of his deep interest in mentorship and education, Lewis directed support toward such efforts, including the ULI/Randall Lewis Health Mentorship Program, which pairs graduate students in urban planning, architecture, and real estate with ULI members to deepen their understanding of opportunities to advance health through careers in the land use industry; the ULI Health Leaders Network, which annually empowers a selective group of industry professionals with the tools to improve health outcomes in their practice and community; and the ULI/Randall Lewis Building Healthy Places Forum, which brings together ULI members passionate about health and development to meet and engage with each other. The next Forum will be held at the ULI Spring Meeting in Toronto.

Committed to improving the health of his native California community, Lewis also directed support toward two ULI District Councils — Los Angeles and Orange County/Inland Empire — to advance their health-related programs.

“For more than 40 years, I have appreciated the Lewis family’s commitment to developing health-oriented projects, particularly Randall Lewis’s passion and financial support for ULI’s Building Healthy Places initiative,” says ULI Foundation Governor Ron Silverman, currently serving on the management committee of the ULI/Los Angeles District Council.

“In collaboration with Orange County and the Inland Empire, not only will we be able to continue initiatives to synergize efforts to enhance the health of communities throughout Southern California with Randall’s generous gift, we will also be able to undertake new initiatives and share our lessons learned with leaders around the world. What a pleasure it is to partner with Randall to make a significant difference in improving the health of our communities.”

Lewis’ support is a true testament to the power of ULI and its members to transform the world’s communities for the better. “Randall’s role in moving the development industry and ULI toward a more comprehensive view of the connection between community design and health cannot be overstated,” said Steve PonTell, member of the AWHC Product Council. “His willingness to commit his time to participate in organizations and task forces is truly rare in the industry, and his ability to convene diverse stakeholders to discuss mutual issues is a great model for others to follow.” 

Contact us to discover ways you too can support a personally meaningful area of ULI with a gift to the ULI Foundation.