“Broken City– Does Upzoning Produce More Affordable Housing?” a conversation presented by the Committee of 100 will take place at 6:30 pm, Wednesday, April 23, 2025 at United Church of Christ 945 G St. NW. Featured Speaker:
Patrick Condon, author of “Broken City: Land Speculation, Inequality, and Urban Crisis”
Professor Condon teaches at the University of British Columbia and is a landscape architect, author, and former city planner.  He backed upzoning in Vancouver for years with the goal of reducing housing costs before concluding that it doesn’t work and never will. He’ll discuss why and what comes next.

Panelists:
Patrick McAnaney, Director of Development, Somerset Development Company
Somerset is a socially responsible real estate development company that focuses on expanding affordability and revitalizing communities. Mr. McAneny will discuss development cost categories for affordable housing (property acquisition, design, construction, etc.) and the basic funding structure (equity and loans from private lenders and gap funding from local and federal government. 

Yonah Freemark, Urban Institute, Principal Research Associate, Housing and Communities Division
Mr. Freemark will address the data-based factors that add important market context to Mr. Condon’s and McAnaney’s comments.

This is another episode of the Committee of 100’s popular Conversation series, begun in 2023. You can register for the event HERE. There is no charge, and light refreshments will be provided.