“ULI is uniquely positioned as a global thought leader to delve into what’s ahead,” Mr. Butcher Says

WASHINGTON (March 20, 2013) – The Urban Land Institute (ULI), a global research and education institute dedicated to responsible land use and creating thriving, sustainable communities worldwide, has received a $300,000 gift from Carolyn and Preston Butcher to endow a series of annual ULI forums dedicated to rental housing issues. Mr. Butcher, a ULI trustee and ULI Foundation Governor, is chairman and chief executive officer of Legacy Partners, a 45-year-old real estate investment, development and property management company based in Foster City, Calif.

Each forum, which will be named the ULI/Carolyn and Preston Butcher Forum on Multifamily Housing, will explore various aspects of the rental housing industry, including shifts in public policies, trends affecting demand, and the evolution of rental housing development to meet the changing needs and preferences of younger and older generations in the 21^st century. The first of the annual events is planned for later this year.

In recent years, rental housing has been repeatedly identified by Emerging Trends in Real Estate®, the annual real estate industry forecast co-published by ULI and PwC, as one of the most promising industry sectors for investment and development. The strength of the multifamily sector is also cited in other ULI publications, such as its What’s Next reports, which examine factors shaping the long-term future of the real estate industry.

“Multifamily housing is a hugely important component of thriving communities, and ULI is uniquely positioned as a global thought leader to delve into what’s ahead for this segment of the industry,” Mr. Butcher said. “I have high expectations for these forums to serve as a platform for sharing expertise that will ultimately result in communities that are more accessible to people in a broad income range, and, as a result, more competitive and prosperous.”

According to ULI Foundation Chairman James J. Curtis, III, the gift from Carolyn and Preston Butcher exemplifies the willingness of ULI members to strengthen the Institute’s impact and reinforce its ability to build a better world through better communities. “ULI’s impact is real, far reaching, and is transforming millions of lives around the world,” Mr. Curtis said. “This generous gift from the Butcher family will help advance our cause, which is to promote responsible land use to help people achieve a higher quality of life and greater economic productivity.”

ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips pointed to the importance of the gift from Carolyn and Preston Butcher to help leverage ULI’s convening capability. “We are delighted with this endowment from Carolyn and Preston Butcher. It will further ULI’s time-honored tradition of sharing knowledge for the betterment of society. Insights from thought leaders at these forums will inform the spectrum of ULI’s work related to housing, including the relationship between access to a broad range of housing and vibrant communities,” Mr. Phillips said.

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About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (www.uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.