Equitable land development is focus of April 18 forum

Jay Ash, CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership, is the keynote speaker for the Land Access Forum on April 18.

Municipal leaders, state officials and developers seeking best practices and strategies for creating an equitable development environment within their communities are invited to a Land Access Forum in Boston on April 18.

The forum, co-hosted by the Builders of Color Coalition, African American Real Estate Professionals, and the Minority Developers Association, will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport.

The event is intended to bring together community leaders from around the state to discuss current and future opportunities for land and capital asset access, and to connect municipal leaders with developers of color seeking to expand their development locations.

The keynote speaker will be Jay Ash, a former Massachusetts secretary of Housing and Economic Development and city manager in Chelsea who’s now CEO of the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership. Ash will offer insights into creating an equitable development environment.

Three municipal officials — Lynn Planning and Development Director Aaron Clausen, Brockton Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Nathalie Jean, and Boston Housing Chief Sheila Dillon — will discuss practical strategies for accessing land, as well as past, current and future development opportunities and initiatives aimed to diversify the stakeholders in their respective communities.

The presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A session for each city. Each presenting agency will then convene for a 45-minute panel discussion to answer questions and allow municipal leaders to share their experience, challenges, lessons learned and opportunities for growth.

The cost is $125, and the registration deadline is April 17. Registration is available online.