Unlocking Housing Potential in San Diego

How might San Diego access untapped housing potential?

Last year, San Diego became the most expensive housing market in the U.S. Families at all income levels are being priced out of the housing market. To meet the housing demand, we must act together to leverage all opportunities to increase the supply of housing. We bring together experts who will share the latest research on available faith-based and college land, experiences with developing affordable housing on creative parcels, and why San Diego's economic competitiveness depends on increasing the supply of missing-middle housing. Come learn from and engage with housing researchers, developers, bankers, and experts to learn how San Diego access untapped housing potential.

This event is organized by the newly established Center for Housing Policy and Design at UC San Diego.

Where: The Guild Room, Saint Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, 2728 Sixth Ave, San Diego, CA 92103

When: May 19, 2025, 5-7pm

What: Be a part of San Diego's housing solution. Good conversations guaranteed and light refreshments provided.

Co-Sponsors: The Design Lab and YIGBY San Diego

Street parking is available around the Cathedral in Bankers Hill, paid parking is available at Saint Paul's Episcopal Cathedral in their underground parking structure located at 525 Olive Tower. To access the underground parking, enter on Olive between 5th & 6th and park in any slot with an OPEN sign and Cathedral Shield. Then, take the elevator to Floor 1.

About the Speakers

Bill Fulton

William Fulton, FAICP, is a professor of practice at the Design Lab at UC San Diego and one of the nation’s top thought leaders on land use and housing policy. In addition to his role at UCSD, Bill is a fellow at the Terner Center for Housing Innovation at UC Berkeley and a former director of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University, where he did extensive work highlighting the growing affordable housing problem in Houston. He is a former mayor of Ventura, California, and planning director of the City of San Diego. He has done extensive research on innovative financing techniques for affordable housing throughout the nation, especially in California and Texas. He holds a master’s degree in urban planning from UCLA.

Mai T. Nguyen

Mai Thi Nguyen is a professor of Urban Studies and Planning and director of the Design Lab at the University of California, San Diego. She is an award-winning public scholar, researcher, and teacher. As a housing scholar, she focuses on the intersection of housing, land use, community and economic development, and climate change adaptation. Her passion ist designing cities that are inclusive, resilient, and vibrant. She has served in major national leadership roles, including board chair for the Urban Affairs Association, president of the Faculty Women’s Interest Group for the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, and founder and administrator of Planners 2040, a Facebook discussion group with a membership of over 2400 planners across the globe. She also served as board chair of the World Design Capital San Diego Tijuana 2024.

Amy Denhart

Amy Denhart is the executive director of Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego (FTEHSD) at Catalyst, where she supports FTEHSD’s strategic grantmaking and advocacy in systems change and permanent housing opportunities to reduce homelessness. In 2018, Funders Together founded Yes, In God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) to activate faith-based land for affordable housing. Amy serves on the YIGBY Steering Committee. For the past 25 years, Amy has held positions in fundraising, public policy, and community engagement. During more than a decade as director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood, she worked with donors and the board of directors to advance public policy in support of reproductive health care. Prior to that, she was area director for US Senator Barbara Boxer, serving as the senator’s liaison to the San Diego community, connecting constituents to the senate and other government bodies. Just prior to joining FTEHSD, Amy worked closely with the City of San Diego and County governments as the lead finance and contract management staff for a local community engagement and design firm. She has served on the City of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation committee and is currently a board member on the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.

Tim Quinn

Tim Quinn is senior project manager for real estate development at Self-Help, where he leads innovative community real estate projects across California. Since joining Self-Help in 2020, Tim has focused on advancing housing solutions through strategic partnerships with mission-aligned nonprofits, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods of Los Angeles and throughout the state. Tim currently spearheads Self-Help’s “Preserve + Build” initiative, an emerging model that preserves and renovates rent-stabilized housing while integrating new infill units in northeast LA. Tim also manages high-impact civic and housing projects across the state, including a 30,000-square-foot community organizing and cultural center in downtown Bakersfield developed with the Dolores Huerta Foundation, and a transit-adjacent seniors’ housing development in Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. In addition to his development work, Tim is leading the creation of a fractional TIC mortgage product at Self-Help aimed at expanding homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents in south Los Angeles. Before joining Self-Help, Tim was a Director at HR&A Advisors, Inc. in Los Angeles, where he advised public and private clients on equitable economic development strategies. He holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond.

Evan Gerber

Evan Gerber is a real estate and development professional with over $250M of acquisition, development, and disposition experience. He graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in urban planning. Gerber serves as the director of housing for YIGBY San Diego, and was the developer for the first YIGBY project in San Diego with the Bethel AME Church.