Unlocking Housing Potential in San Diego

How might San Diego access untapped housing potential?

Last year, San Diego became the most expensive housing market in the U.S. Families at all income levels are being priced out of the housing market. To meet the housing demand, we must act together to leverage all opportunities to increase the supply of housing. We bring together experts who will share the latest research on available faith-based and college land, experiences with developing affordable housing on creative parcels, and why San Diego’s economic competitiveness depends on increasing the supply of missing-middle housing. Come learn from and engage with housing researchers, developers, bankers, and experts to learn how San Diego access untapped housing potential.

Please join us for a conversation about evidence-based strategies for “Unlocking Housing Potential in San Diego.” This event is an opportunity to convene housing stakeholders across the region, including faith-based organizations, mission-driven financial institutions, developers, housing advocates, community groups, housing scholars, and more. We will facilitate a robust conversation about innovative ways to increase the supply of housing in San Diego, including leveraging faith-owned land, accessing creative mortgage products, and developing missing-middle housing.

The Center for Housing Policy and Design at UC San Diego will present new research on the extent and location of land owned by faith based organizations in San Diego, followed by a panel featuring members of YIGBY (Yes in God’s Backyard), and Self-Help Credit Union.

Target Audience

This program is open to all.

Speakers

Bill Fulton | FAICP & Professor of Practice @ Design La & Urban Studies and Planning | UC San Diego

William Fulton, FAICP, is a professor of practice at the Design Lab at UC San Diego and one of the nation’s top thought leaders on land use and housing policy. In addition to his role at UCSD, Bill is a fellow at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and a former director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, where he did extensive work highlighting the growing affordable housing problem in Houston. He is a former mayor of Ventura, California, and planning director of the City of San Diego. He has done extensive research on innovative financing techniques for affordable housing throughout the nation, especially in California and Texas. He holds a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA..

Mai T. Nguyen | Director of Design Lab and Professor of Urban Studies and Planning | UC San Diego

Mai Thi Nguyen is a professor of Urban Studies and Planning and director of the Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego. She is an award-winning public scholar, researcher, and teacher. As a housing scholar, she focuses on the intersection of housing, land use, community and economic development, and climate change adaptation. Her passion ist designing cities that are inclusive, resilient, and vibrant. She has served in major national leadership roles, including board chair for the Urban Affairs Association, president of the Faculty Women’s Interest Group for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, and founder and administrator of Planners 2040, a Facebook discussion group with a membership of over 2400 planners across the globe. She also served as board chair of the World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024.

Amy Denhart | Executive Director of FTEHSD | Member of Steering Committee of YIGBY

Amy Denhart is the executive director of Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego (FTEHSD) at Catalyst, where she supports FTEHSD’s strategic grantmaking and advocacy in systems change and permanent housing opportunities to reduce homelessness. In 2018, Funders Together founded Yes, In God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) to activate faith-based land for affordable housing. Amy serves on the YIGBY Steering Committee. For the past 25 years, Amy has held positions in fundraising, public policy, and community engagement. During more than a decade as director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood, she worked with donors and the board of directors to advance public policy in support of reproductive health care. Prior to that, she was area director for US Senator Barbara Boxer, serving as the senator’s liaison to the San Diego community, connecting constituents to the senate and other government bodies. Just prior to joining FTEHSD, Amy worked closely with the City of San Diego and County governments as the lead finance and contract management staff for a local community engagement and design firm. She has served on the City of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation committee and is currently a board member on the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.

Tim Quinn | Senior Project Manager for Real Estate Development | Self-Help Credit Union

Tim Quinn is senior project manager for real estate development at Self-Help, where he leads innovative community real estate projects across California. Since joining Self-Help in 2020, Tim has focused on advancing housing solutions through strategic partnerships with mission-aligned nonprofits, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods of Los Angeles and throughout the state. Tim currently spearheads Self-Help’s “Preserve + Build” initiative, an emerging model that preserves and renovates rent-stabilized housing while integrating new infill units in northeast LA. Tim also manages high-impact civic and housing projects across the state, including a 30,000-square-foot community organizing and cultural center in downtown Bakersfield developed with the Dolores Huerta Foundation, and a transit-adjacent seniors’ housing development in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. In addition to his development work, Tim is leading the creation of a fractional TIC mortgage product at Self-Help aimed at expanding homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents in south Los Angeles. Before joining Self-Help, Tim was a Director at HR&A Advisors, Inc. in Los Angeles, where he advised public and private clients on equitable economic development strategies. He holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond.

Evan Gerber | Director of Housing | YIGBY

Evan Gerber is a real estate and development professional with over $250M of acquisition, development, and disposition experience. He graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning. Gerber serves as the director of housing for YIGBY San Diego, and was the developer for the first YIGBY project in San Diego with the Bethel AME Church.

Co-Sponsored by