Helen Sause

Editor's Column

Dear Colleagues,

This is about  "Scribes"-- what they do and the important role they have in Lambda Alpha (if I do say so myself!).  I am writing about this at this particular time after  having nearly completed my fourth year as International Scribe, I have been reflecting on why I have chosen to spend some time each month helping to produce the KeyNotes. 
 
First let me talk about the rewards, and there have been many!  I sit down and reflect on the articles I've read since the previous KeyNotes and what they mean globally to our profession.  Seldom would I do this otherwise.  And this four year period has truly been the "best of times and the worst of times" for our profession.  I think about the organization and its diversity and the role each of our Chapters play in expressing the priorities, pains, and interesting issues they find important in their communities.
 
 As LAI has an increasing number of scribes and Administrators we have been able to more regularly enjoy diverse reports, in the US and also globally.  I get to attend the LAI Weekends as a participant in the meetings.  This has been a great joy, not only meeting the LAI leadership and appreciating the care they have for the organization. Also taking part in  the terrific behind-the-scenes tours and info on the special developments  being carried out in our host city. 
 
And best of all I get to work with Michele Meng (LAI's person staffing the KeyNotes production), Kathy Keler (web person supreme) and on an as-needed basis, Terry Stevenson.  This crew is so good and thankfully so flexible that they have added so much to the KeyNotes' appearance and content.  
 
Okay there is almost always a couple of little negatives eh? For me it  is sometimes difficult to get chapters to think they have worthwhile things to report (believe me they always do!), so  articles and content are sometimes a challenge.  Deadlines are tough for all--our members are busy people!  Having dedicated (in every sense of the word!) Scribes in nearly every chapter has helped to address these challenges.  Thank you for coaxing/appointing them and  huge thanks to you scribes and other writers!
 
For the future we can always be better.  I plan to step down as the Scribe, and will remain ready and willing to be the Assistant. I look forward to what fresh eyes and writing styles will  bring to make KeyNotes even more useful.  Some things I hope we can achieve that I haven't:

1. Every chapter writing at least six articles a year!
   
   
2. Having more feature articles, some of the London and Irish reports have almost acted as feature articles in telling us about their country and the  issues they are dealing with. 
   
   
3. Having a meeting  of Scribes and Administrators, at least annually, at a  Land Economics weekend to strengthen our communications and organizational techniques-- learning from each other and the international staff.
   
   
4. Having every Chapter have both an Administrator and a Scribe.   Each Chapter president is way too busy to have to deal with the matters these positions  fulfill. 
   
   
5. Have us all get on the same annual calendar so we are all at the same level of service and can more easily start off our terms on the same basis.  Training for our positions could then be more comprehensive--there is a mind set that sometimes leaves the new organizational officers spending their first six months scratching their heads and pondering what the heck they are supposed to be doing. This is called "Drop the box (presumably holding files) and Run"  This is made even more difficult if there is no Administrator to fill in the historic "how-tos". 

It is a great joy to serve in this position, you have taught me so much, you all give LAI such great gifts of your time and service. I am sooooo grateful to you for your cooperation, assistance and patience!
 
 
Till next time.                      

Helen Sause
International LAI Editor
helensause@alamedanet.net

Report on new Chapter Formation - Great News!

Lambda Alpha International (LAI) is on the move and expanding into new areas.  The Ireland Chapter was officially Chartered in October 2008.  The emerging Atlanta Chapter took the first step towards formation with the approval of approximately 10 At-Large Members in May 2009.  Atlanta is scheduled for formal approval and Charter issuance in October 2009.

We now have the opportunity to expand LAI into Denver, Colorado.  With very successful chapters established nearby  in Chicago, Twin Cities and Phoenix and the growing Zia Chapter in New Mexico, the Denver Chapter is a natural addition to the LAI family.

On June 19th, 2008, LAI hosted a meeting in Denver following extensive communications with several persons who were interested in establishing a Denver Chapter.  Dan Guimond, Principal of Economic and Planning Systems and Bruce O'Donnell of George K. Baum are the co-leaders of a group convened to form a LAI Chapter.  The LAI Executive Committee has directed assisting them in identifying additional persons who would qualify for membership in our organization. 

We are asking Chapter members to assist in this opportunity to create a pool of candidates to begin the formation process.  From the candidate pool, a qualified group of At-Large Members will be advanced.  This group will serve as the initial membership and leadership of the new Denver Chapter.
The best way to encourage formation of the Denver Chapter is to pre-identify candidates who were LAI members in other areas or know active LAI members who can pass on information about the benefits of LAI.  Thus, LAI is asking each member's support in identifying individuals in the Greater Denver Area that they know- personally or professionally-who would qualify for LAI Membership. 
Please take a moment to forward any qualifying names to the LAI Executive Director, Terry Stevenson, at:  tstevenson@integrated-solutions.com.
This is a great opportunity for Lambda Alpha International with prospect of chartering  a new Denver Chapter.  We appreciate your support in this effort.

Sincerely,

Les Pollock
LAI President
lpollock@camiros.com

Scotland--a potential chapter and destination for a LAI Land Economics Weekend - Spring of 2011

Excerpt from the Financial Times, June 22, 2009
 
The 2014 Commonwealth Games may seem a long way off but the award of the Games to Scotland as host has already had a major and positive  effect on Glasgow.  This is providing some buffer to combating the recession. 
 
Already there is an up-tick in the number of serious inquiries about business conferences worth about L35m pounds to the city, more than 2,400 hotel rooms are among the developments scheduled to be built, along with Scotland's new National Arena capable of seating 12,000 fans.  A futuristic museum, the Riverside, focused on the city's transport collection, estimated to cost the L70 m pounds will be completed in 2011. There is a new development, the Bothwell Plaza with 320 hotel rooms, conference facilities, and 320,000 square feet of  office space is also scheduled to open in 2011.
 
The Games are providing a focus for a great deal of infrastructure construction--and as we just saw in Canada, Scotland seems to be wisely investing in construction that will serve the City well for the future.  Eager to see the improvements and new developments.

American Institute of Certified Planners Seminar Results:

Open letter to LAI Executive Committee, Chapter Presidents and Program Committees
 
Last year Lambda Alpha International was accepted as a "certified provider" by the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP), allowing us to register LAI functions (such as Land Economics Weekends, and chapter held seminars, lectures and meetings with speakers) as AICP Certification Maintenance (CM) Activities.  AICP members who attend these functions receive CM credits toward their mandatory continuing education requirements.
 
That year Toronto Land Economics Weekend was approved as a CM activity.  AICP members attending the event received 13 hours of CM Credit.  This year we applied for Vancouver Land Economics Weekend and six Los Angeles Chapter luncheon programs as CM Activities and received approval for all events.  The Vancouver LEW attendees received 14 hours of CM credit while AICP members attending Los Angeles Chapter luncheons received 1 hour of CM credit for each event.  In all AICP members attending these events have received over 230 hours of CM Credit.
 
We will register the LAI Biennial congress in Chicago and the remaining luncheon programs of the Los Angeles Chapter when we collect the required information
 
By having our programs approved as CM Activities, we look to attract more of our own members as well as to encourage AICP members who are not LAI members to attend these events. 
 
I would like to invite you to participate in this program by providing information about any of your chapter's activities that meet the CM event criteria so that we can register the event with AICP. 
 
I believe most, if not all, of LAI Chapter functions will be approved as CM Events, if submitted.  General information about the AICP Certification Maintenance program can be found at www.planning.org/cm/.  More specific information is in the CM Provider Handbook located at: www.planning.org/cm/activities/pdf/cmproviderhandbook.pdf.
Please review the section: "Registration" (page 7) for eligibility and criteria for the types of activities that may be included. 
 
I have placed online at my website the following information to assist you in gathering and providing the information needed to register your event: www.ghaffariassociates.com/lai/
 
CM Form--to be filled out and submitted to me for registering your event.
CM Criteria-- showing the eligibility requirements from page 7 of the handbook, above.
CM Topics--showing all of the possible topics from which you may choose.
 
Once I have all necessary information, I will submit your activity to AICP as an event.  In order to have enough time to announce the function as an AICP CM event, please provide the information at least 50 days before the event as AICP requires three weeks to review the submittals.
 
If you have any questions or need further clarification, please send me an e-mail at FG@GhaffariAssociates.com.
I look forward to assist in registering your programs for AICP CM Credit.
 
Fereydoon Ghaffari, Coordinator

International Awards

The International Awards Committee has announced the names of honorees receiving international awards at the fall LAI Biennial Congress.  They are:

International Urban Affairs Award
Valerie Jarrett, The White House, Washington, DC
Dr. Wm. G. O’Hare, Parker Green International, Newry, Northern Ireland

International Public Official
Rhonda Faught, New Mexico Department of Transportation, Santa Fe
Lawrence Rael, Mid-Region Council of Governments, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Chris Blewett, Mid-Region Council of Governments, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Richard T. Ely Distinguished Educator
Professor Dowell Meyers, University of Southern California, Los Angeles

International Journalism Award
Carol Colletta, CEOs for Cities, Chicago
John Plender, The Financial Times, London

Gerald Hines International Humanitarian Award
Constance Maffin, Washington, DC

International Author Award
Professor Steven P. Erie, University of California, San Diego

International Fellow Award
Walter Winius, Jr., Phoenix
Peter Holsten, Chicago

International Member of the Year Award
Susan Aaron, Chicago
Louis J. Slade, P.E., Washington, DC

International Skyline Award
Columbia Heights Metro Rail Station Area, Washington, DC (Award to be accepted by Neil Albert, Deputy Mayor, Washington, DC)

Chapter Corner

Ely Chapter:

The Chicago Sun-Times on July 15 published a review by real estate columnist David Roeder, of The Plan of Chicago @100:15 Views of Burnham's Legacy for a New Century. http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/1666161,CST-FIN-roeder15.article. The book was published by Ely Chapter with financial support from the LAI Land Economics Foundation.

The book is about 200 pages, with 15 essays from LAI members in Chicago and around the country.  There are 30 color pages which include digitally-rescanned drawings form the 1909 Plan, before and after aerials of contemporary downtown Chicago, and recent photos by student photographers relating to the Plan and its impact.  The book also includes three maps and suggestions for further reading.
We have had book signings at the historic Cliff Dwellers Club and the Book Stall at Chestnut Court. A third book signing is scheduled for September  2 at the DePaul bookstore. Two LAI chapters have ordered multiple copies for their members and several Ely chapter members have purchased multiple copies as gifts for colleagues and clients.  If you would like a copy of the book, please contact Barbara Morris, Chapter Administrator at 630-260-0115 or order at the website http://www.ely-chicago.org/preorder.doc. 

Michael Mallon, President

Golden Gate Chapter:

Golden Gate Chapter Spring Tour
 
The Golden Gate Chapter holds an annual tour of a project with special significance to the Northern California land economics community.  This year's tour was held on Mission Bay on May 15. 

Mission Bay Aerial Photo

At 303 square miles, Mission Bay is the largest single development in San Francisco's recent history.  Mission Bay transforms an obsolete former rail yard into a new neighborhood, a graduate science university campus and the heart of the City's biotechnology industry.  Mission Bay is  planned for more than 3500 mixed income residential units, 1.5 million SF of commercial office and R&D space, and 1.2 M SF of space for the University of California San Francisco Sciences campus.  After approval in 1999, the Mission Bay development is now more than half way complete, with the catalyst UCSF Campus nearly finished.   
By show of hands, a majority of LAI members and guests on the tour had been involved in the redevelopment of Mission Bay.  The current plan has been a decade in the making, based on a plan adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 1999.  Starting in the 1990's at least two other full scale master plans were developed for this key part of the City, with a planning process that adopted several different approaches to providing infrastructure and open space to the obsolete rail yard.   Mission Bay today combines a first class science university campus, a biotech industrial campus, market rate and affordable housing, significant open space, a light rail line, and active commercial uses along the streets that connect the district to the rest of the City.
 
LAI members participated in a walking and bus tour of Mission Bay, including several residential developments, the open space along the channel, bio-science laboratory space developed by Alexandria Equities, and the Helen Diller Family cancer research center at UCSF. LAI Golden Gate Chapter board member Amy Neches of the San Francisco briefed Spring Tour participants on the innovative and flexible financing plan for infrastructure improvements, affordable housing, and open space. Terezia Nemeth of Alexandria provided a tour of biotech lab space and talked about the successful attraction of biotech tenants to the site, given its proximity to the UCSF science campus (click here for more information on the biotech industry).

Deni se Connelly, Scribe

Orange County Chapter:

Did someone say Budget…….Crisis???

All businesses, governments and yes, even you are probably feeling the financial strain the global economy is currently experiencing.  The Orange County chapter was honored by Senator George Runner, Senate Republican Caucus Chair and member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Finance and Insurance and Senate Committee on Revenue and Taxation on his view of the California aftermath since the severe defeat of the statewide budget “reform” propositions.

As California is the most overtaxed state in the nation, the core problem of not having expenditures in line with revenues is quite disturbing.  Prior to the recent election, California purported a worst case scenario of a $13B shortfall.  It then grew to $15B and mushroomed to the now estimated $22B bomb.  The reigning question is what will solve this problem?  No, the ever-grasping ‘raise taxes on tobacco, alcohol, oil extraction and pornography’ isn’t the solution.

Senator Runner’s focus for California (and probably fits your state too) is to question the value of products and services delivered to taxpayers. 

1. Why does it cost 1/3 more to build a public building than an identical private building? 
2. Of the $.60/$1.00 cost to deliver education services of K-12 in CA, how much really gets to the classrooms? 
3. Why does California extend kindergarten registration to 5th of December instead of the 5th of September like the rest of the country?  An estimated $800M/year could be recouped. 
4. And of course $1B/year could be found by removing prevailing wage requirements in the competitive bidding process. 
5. Did we also tell you that California funding for schools increased $9B from six years ago even though there are 75,000 less students?

Simple solutions presented by Senator Runner were to transfer 50% of the lower division university students to community colleges who could better deliver this entry level service.  What a concept to provide a service at a better price!  The prison system could also easily contribute to the budget shortfall simply by closing the four facilities that are no longer needed.  Can someone tell us why we now spend $275K/ward compared to our previous cost of $35K/ward?  And the best yet, why is it that government employees are the only ones in the world who have a guaranteed retirement program?

Could California or even your own state be the next entity coming up to the brink? Wouldn’t it be simple to put a moratorium on negatively affecting regulations to the economy for the next two years to offer some reprieve?  Perhaps more pain needs to be felt across the nation or the project needs to stop; the checks need to stop for real changes to occur.  Senator Runner did not feel that part-time legislators were an answer to cut costs but perhaps reducing the 9 month requirement to a 3 month stint at the capital would allow for more time to work with constituents in their respective districts (and perhaps get in touch with reality too).  Did we even talk about the cost of illegal immigration yet?

Best wishes to our fellow LAI chapters on their own fiscal and development issues!  Stays informed and communicate often!

We thank our meeting sponsor/member:  NOREAS, Inc, Jeffrey Oslick.
For any of you anxious or curious investors/developers/LAI members, feel free to contact us at www.lai-oc.org

Karen Patel, Scribe

San Diego Chapter:

The University of San Diego (USD) hosted its first Mid-Year Economic Update on June 11.  Jointly organized by USD's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate and the San Diego Association of Realtors, the event attracted 200 businesspeople from all over Southern California.
 
Ryan Ratcliff, an assistant professor of economics at USD, San Diego Association of Governments' chief economist Marney Cox, and Kelly Cunningham, an economist and senior fellow for National University's System Institute for Policy Research, spoke on the current local, state, and national economic picture and offered some forecasting of where they're headed.
 
Ratcliff focused his attention on the national and California economy while Cox and Cunningham both examined the San Diego economic outlook. To view their respective presentations, go to www.usdrealestate.com.
 
What I tried to do in my presentation was strike a balance between we see some indications of the light at the end of the tunnel, that there are some parts of the economy showing signs of life, but that there's still a long way to go here,-- Ratcliff said. "This, too, shall pass--but not tomorrow."
 
Major New Public Facilities for San Diego

At a time when most private development in the San Diego region has ground to a halt, notable major public improvements are underway or in planning.
 
Airport:  San Diego International Airport has embarked on its largest expansion ever.  The $1 billion so-called ?Green Build? broke ground in July and will include:  10 new jet gates; a dual-level roadway at Terminal 2; additional parking for remain-over-night aircraft; taxiway improvements; new, expanded dining and shopping options; and more and improved security checkpoints.  The Green Build is expected to be completed in late 2012/early 2013.
 
Convention Center:  In late 2008, the San Diego Convention Center Corporation (SDCCC) acquired an 8.5-acre leasehold adjacent to the existing 2.6-million-SF waterfront convention center in downtown San Diego.  SDCCC is currently working with the City and the Port of San Diego to evaluate the potential for development of a 500,000-SF third-phase expansion of the convention center.  (Phase I opened in 1989, with Phase II following in 2001.)  The Mayor's office considers the convention center to be a key economic driver for the City, with $751.8 million in direct delegate spending and $31.9 million in City tax revenues in FY 2008.

Civic Center:  After decades of study, San Diego may?pursue further study of a possible new City Hall complex as part of a public/private partnership with Gerding Edlen Development of Portland OR.  The Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) has managed the most recent two-year process of financial feasibility analyses, developer solicitation, and evaluation of developer proposals for replacement of the existing 1960s high-rise office building and redevelopment of the four-block site in the core of downtown San Diego.
  The City Council is expected to consider an Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with Gerding Edlen later this year.
 
Paul Marra, Scribe

Simcoe Chapter:

Interesting Spring Programmes

Simcoe Chapter recently completed a very interesting and well attended spring programme.
 
Gentrification with Frank Cunningham and David Hulchanski
 
In March two members of Toronto's  academic community gave a fascinating presentation on their research on the changes, over 30 years, in Toronto's neighbourhood's socio-economic characteristics. While some of these trends were not surprising the degree of the changes was including:

• The movement of higher concentrations of lower income households to the ?inner? suburban areas which had previously been almost exclusively in the core area,
• The very high ?clustering? of ethnic groups in specific neighbourhoods,
• The increase in higher income households, largely in newer condominium apartments and lofts, in the core where previously there had been limited population in low rise neighbourhoods around the core.

  
Metrolinx Update with Rob MacIsaac and Paul Bedford
 
Our second spring programme featured a presentation by the Chairman and a Board member of the Provincial authority, Metrolinx, which recently finished a Regional Transportation Plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. This is the first Regional Transportation Olan prepared for the area in a number of decades and has been adopted in provincial legislation.  It implementation over 25 years requires capital funding of over $50 billion.  The first pahse of the plan has received an provincial commitment of $11.5 billion.
.
A lively discussion with Rob and Paul followed the presentations focusing on the implementation of the Plan and its related recommendations.
 
Tour of the Wychwood Barns Project with Joe Lobko.
 
In  June we had what may have been the Chapter's first dinner meeting ?in the field. We toured the Wychwood Barns project ? a project foscussing on providing affordable space for arts groups and housed in restored/converted historic electric streetcar ?barns? initially erected in the early 1900s. The tour was conducted by Joe Lobko, the project architect, and was followed by dinner in a local restaurant.
 
Below a photo of the project.

Toronto Area Experiences Very Promising Housing Market Trends

Recently released housing statistics for May 2009 in  the Toronto area were very promising as evidenced from the following report in the newsletter of the Building Industry and Land Development Association:
Toronto, June 22, 2009 -- With each successive month this year, the number of new home sales in the Greater Toronto Area has moved higher, the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) said today.

There were 2,520 new homes and condos sold in the GTA in May, 2009, representing the highest monthly total so far this year

Sales of low-rise (single-detached, semi-detached, town-homes) rose by 9.3 per cent in May however sales of high-rise units declined by 53.1 per cent, resulting in the 24 per cent decline in total sales compared with May, 2008. 

We're looking at a very positive trend-line with some quite interesting sub-trends between the low- and high-rise markets," said BILD President and CEO Stephen Dupuis. We're seeing homebuyers shift from high- to low-rise purchases as they re-do the math and realize that between price adjustments, incentives and interest rates, they can afford a semi-detached, town-home or even a single-detached home versus a high-rise condo suite," Dupuis added.

Dupuis expressed optimism that the positive sales trend would continue in June based on anecdotal reports from builders, while cautioning that the market as a whole is still down 44.5 per cent through the first five months of the year. "We're clawing our way back but it's a slow process and a fragile situation," Dupuis concluded.

Source:  RealNet Canada Inc.

With more than 1,400 members, BILD, formed through the merger of the Greater Toronto Home Builders' Association and Urban Development Institute/Ontario is the voice of the land development, home building and professional renovation industry in the Greater Toronto Area.  BILD is proudly affiliated with the Ontario and Canadian Home Builders' Associations.
 
3. June Housing Data For Canada Even More Promising
Housing data for June 2009, provided by the Canadian Real Estate Association, was even more promising and included:

• Canadian existing home sales in June were up 17.9% year over year,
• National average sale prices, on a monthly basis, climbed 3.6% on a year over year basis,
• Except for the Atlantic region at -3.5%, existing home sales in June rose in all other Canadian regions ranging from a high of +39.8% in British Columbia to 9.8% in Quebec.

Scott Burns, Scribe

Land Economics Foundation (LEF)

LEF Grant Program   

Ron Buss, LEF Vice President

Announcements

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Save the Date ! ! !

Chicago, Fall Land Economics Weekend
October 22-25, 2009
Celebrating the Centennial of the Burnham Plan
The Drake Hotel, Chicago, IL
Hotel Reservations Rates:
*$255.00 US + taxes Single/Double
Phone: 1-800-55-Drake
Register Today!
 

Future Land Economics Weekends (Subject to Change)

2010
Spring: Minneapolis, Minnesota Chapter, May 13-15, 2010
Fall: New Mexico, Zia Chapter, October 21-23, 2010

2011
Spring: Scotland, June 1-4, 2011
Fall: TBD