From October 16-18th, New York Chapter Vice President, Jason Barr represented the LAI New York Chapter at the Land Economics Gathering in Phoenix, AZ. Nearly, 100 people from LAI chapters worldwide gathered to explore key issues in land economics, and hear from and talk with exceptional leaders in the field.
The event kicked off with an opening dinner and awards ceremony. Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego welcomed the LAI members to her great city. LAI President Kathline (Kathy) King and LAI Awards Committee Chair Dr. James Fawcett presented the awards. Congratulations to Hazel Ruth Edwards, of Howard University, and member of LAI George Washington Chapter, for winning the Richard T. Ely Distinguished Educator Award. Kudos to our very own Jason Barr for winning the International Author Award for his books Building the Skyline and Cities in the Sky. And, a hearty congratulations to Susannah M. Bergmann, LAI International Regional VP, East for winning the LAI Member of the Year Award. The evening concluded with a talk from the Keynote Speaker Terry Goddard, Central Arizona Project (CAP) CAWCD Board President, former Phoenix Mayor, and Arizona Attorney General.
For the next two days, LAI members had the opportunity to visit many projects and sites in the Phoenix metro area. On Thursday, events included tours and talks in the booming West Valley, with stops at Estrella in Goodyear, and visits to Peoria and West Glendale to hear about their economic development plans. On Friday, the group was privileged to hear about the redevelopment of Aeroterro public housing community in Phoenix. The group then heard an amazing presentation from Dr. Kil Huh of the Pew Charitable Trust on the state of housing affordability in America. Finally, LAI members toured Devine Legacy, an affordable housing development in Phoenix.
The gathering featured engaging discussions on critical topics such as Water, Sustainability & Energy, Housing & Affordability, Quality of Life & Community Diversity, and Growth & the Environment.
Next year’s 2025 LAI Land Economics Gathering in Montreal promises to be equally as fun and informative. We hope to see you there!
