District Council Update
Tony Pauker | Chair

President, Encompass Urban Developers

2008 is already off to a fantastic start and we would like to thank our members and sponsors for their continuous support of our organization. The Executive Committee has planned some innovative programs for the coming months and we hope you have the opportunity to participate and learn something new.

We are proud to announce that the 4th Annual Smart Growth Awards will be held June 26th at the recently renovated Balboa Theater at Horton Plaza. We will be honoring our region's professionals and their initiatives for implementing sustainable practices into development, residential communities and future land use programs. This year, we will be offering nomination forms on our web site for electronic submission which will be due by May 1st. So visit us online soon at ulisd.org to help us celebrate another successful signature event.

It is also with great enthusiasm that I announce our first Technical Advisory Panel (TAPs) will commence next month. TAPs are a low cost service that ULI provides to non-profits and municipalities. TAPs bring together local real estate experts to help solve a problem or create a best land use plan for the entity in need of assistance. ULI has been retained by National City to help evaluate a transit oriented development site that will encourage new investment and smart growth strategies in the coming years. Chris Morrow, the chairman of TAPs, has secured a team of ULI members , each with expertise in their fields, to develop a plan that fits with National City's Specific Plan for the west side and that makes financial sense in these changing economic times.

Last year, we had our first ever cross border event in Tijuana which was a huge success. In 2008, we will continue to place emphasis on our Cross Border Committee. The committee's chair, Carlos de la Mora, will be working with our Programs Committee to continue hosting events in Mexico to broaden awareness of our region and the country's largest border crossing.

The Executive Committee also met early this year to create a 2008 business plan. We discussed the ongoing success of our existing programs and how we can offer even more benefits for our members and sponsors this year. We will continue to provide ground-breaking thinking for our Tuesday morning breakfast series, ULI @ Lunch events, Smart Growth Awards and the fall Real Estate Trends Conference, plus our not-to-be-missed year-end holiday celebration. In addition to this, we plan to implement new programming, such as a Bi-National Mayoral Forum, roundtable dinner series for sponsors, quarterly member socials, cross border events and additional TAPs. We always welcome your feedback as to how we can add value to you and your organization.

As we embrace the challenges that lie ahead in an ever-evolving market, it is encouraging to see such dynamic support for ULI San Diego/Tijuana from across the region. Your continued dedication through sponsorship and participation keeps this organization moving ahead. We look forward to seeing you throughout 2008!