Real estate is much more than malls, office towers, condominiums, and suburban homes. Significant issues of social and environmental policy are played out each year in the real estate arena. State and federal laws and regulations are constantly evolving to address the challenges and promises of real estate development. Affordable housing laws and incentives grab the headlines today, but real estate development must also grapple with, and provide solutions for, urban sprawl, transportation impacts, energy efficiency, potable water, pollution, resource scarcity, retail “redlining,” zoning restrictions, and other social and environmental challenges. This course will develop a comprehensive and holistic understanding of real estate as an integral part of both our economy and our society.
