LOS ANGELES -- The University of Southern California Lusk Center for Real Estate launched a new web site at www.usc.edu/lusk in its continuing effort to galvanize the public and private interests needed to resolve development and growth issues in Southern California and nationwide. The redesigned web site features comprehensive summary reports to be issued at this week's Southern California Real Estate Summit, a gathering of California?s top real estate decision-makers jointly sponsored by the USC Lusk Center and the Urban Land Institute?s Los Angeles District Council.

Executive summaries were released to all participants in the invitation-only event to be held on the USC campus Thursday, September 13, 2001. The summaries provide background for working-session discussions on entitlement reform, jobs/housing balance, water and power, and urban quality of life.


A preliminary posting of the quality of life report at www.usc.edu/lusk/summit/ reveals several recommendations for solving the dilemma of developers and investors taking a second look at the inner city as the nation?s suburbs face increasing traffic congestion, deteriorating air quality and a growing shortage of land for development. The recommendations include improving the lot of core city neighborhoods as well as that of neighborhood residents, according to co-author Stuart Gabriel, director of the USC Lusk Center. Successful economic development efforts may promote upward mobility for some local residents, but unless the livability of their communities improves, they may migrate elsewhere, adds co-author Jennifer Welch who also co-directs the USC Sustainable Cities Program. The report stresses the need for getting low-income residents involved in livability planning to enhance the quality of services, the design and attractiveness of public spaces, and the efficacy of local transportation systems.

In addition to the Real Estate Summit reports -- which will be released online Thursday, September 13 (www.usc.edu/lusk/summit/) -- the USC Lusk Center web site features a comprehensive listing of academic research papers authored by Lusk Center faculty; descriptions of the curriculum for the various undergraduate and graduate degree programs in real estate offered by the USC Marshall School of Business, and the School of Policy, Planning and Development; an alumni and friends directory; plus biographical data for all Lusk faculty members. The site also offers a comprehensive calendar of events open to the public including the weekly Speakers Series lunch gatherings, annual conferences, and career forums/industry nights for students and potential employers.

Related Link: USC Lusk Center for Real Estate

For more information contact:

Francie Murphy
USC Lusk Center For Real Estate
331 Ralph and Goldy Lewis Hall, University of Southern California
Los Angeles
CA 90089-0626
USA

Phone: 858-350-5152, 213-740-5000
Fax: 213-740-6170
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.usc.edu/lusk/