L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs

2026 Morton B. Gulak Lecture: "Re-Building the Rules for a Flourishing Neighborhoods" 

Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2026

Reception: 6:30-7:00 p.m.

Lecture: 7:00-8:30 p.m.

Location: VCU University Student Commons Commons Theater
907 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23284

What makes a neighborhood a place where people can afford to live, work and thrive?

Across the United States, it has become increasingly difficult to build communities where ordinary people can afford to live, work, and thrive. Housing attainability dominates the headlines, but the underlying challenge is much bigger than housing cost alone. The issue is best understood—and ultimately addressed—at the scale of the neighborhood, where land use, transportation, public investment, and housing choices intersect. This presentation explores how the development approaches and regulations that shaped many of America's traditional neighborhoods also inherently created places that were economically productive, socially inclusive, and resilient over time. During the past 75 years, newer regulations have made these development patterns explicitly illegal. In response, we chart a practical path forward for communities of every size seeking to reform today's regulatory framework and create neighborhoods that are once again vibrant, inclusive, and lasting — places built to flourish for generations.

Registration information will be available soon.