ABOUT

LURN is redefining “Urban Renewal.”

History has shown that urban renewal projects have had mixed effects on low-income communities.  At times, they have provided much needed investment to marginalized areas, and at others, they have leveled the homes of families and destroyed important physical and cultural infrastructures.

LURN is redefining “urban renewal.” LURN believes that the renewal, revitalization, and revival of low-income communities must be done responsibly, must be led by the community, and must leverage existing resources.  By activating our multi-disciplinary coalition to bring in new ideas and innovative solutions to revitalize communities, LURN intends to do just that.

LURN IS A 501(C)(3), NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION COMMITTED TO REVITALIZING LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES.

OUR MISSION IS TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO DESIGN, BUILD, AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO LIVE THEIR GREATEST POTENTIAL.

WE CATALYZE MULTI-DISCIPLINARY NETWORKS, FORGE TRANSFORMATIVE PARTNERSHIPS, & DEVELOP INNOVATIONS THAT DESIGN, BUILD & PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES.

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LURN is composed of a group of passionate professionals dedicated to supporting sustainable communities by developing solutions to fight poverty, build sustainable economies and resilient communities.  We promote and build places that meet the diverse needs of residents, are sensitive to the environment, and contribute to healthy living and opportunity.

LURN believes that urban planning and community economic development strategies need to be re-mixed with fresh thinking and a little fearlessness. The fact is that the gap between the rich and the poor is only growing, low-income communities in urban areas are severely lacking investments and resources, and the systems in which we operate are often part of the problem.  LURN strives to think freely, act with purpose, and seek results that improve the quality of life of people.

 

LURN Labs

LURN distinguishes itself through its ability to convene innovative people from different fields to solve the issues affecting people in urban areas. The results of these dialogues, collaborations and connections is the heart of LURNlabs, a purpose-driven innovation lab that focuses on developing solutions for real issues that affect people in urban areas.

LURNLabs is currently developing:

    1. The Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign - A citywide effort to create a permit system for street vendors, LURN is helping to lead a campaign to help low-income entrepreneurs build strong businesses and take care of their families.

And to continue to cultivate ideas, LURN convenes social entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, private sector executives and policymakers in a variety of signature events:

    1. The Planning and Land-Use Strategies Summit
    2. SpeedLURNing
    3. Community Workshops
    4. Policy Roundtables

 

LURN Advisors

LURN understands that improving the quality of life of people in urban areas cannot be done alone. Collaboration is necessary, and sharing innovation is paramount.  LURNAdvisors is LURN’s in-house consulting team that is dedicated to helping other organizations of all types develop and implement strategies to help fight poverty, build sustainable economies, and house low-income families.

True to LURN’s spirit, its team is made of up urban planners, attorneys, developers, designers, and management consultants that inject innovation and fresh thinking into the following work:

    1. Strategic Planning;
    2. Program Development;
    3. Sectoral Research; and
    4. Community Outreach

Our current client portfolio includes: The LA Food Policy Council, Self Help Graphics & Art, AARP, Salt Lake City, and the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.

 

LURN Capital

LURNCapital leverages the multi-disciplinary perspective of LURN to address one of the roots causes of poverty in urban areas — access to capital. For the team at LURN, capital in the form of financing, physical infrastructure and education are important resources to build wealth, invest in low-income communities, and build sustainable community-based economies.

LURN also believes that one of the most important building blocks of prosperous, sustainable economies already exists in many communities — workers, innovative entrepreneurs and commitment. LURN works to supplement these assets with innovative, market-oriented solutions to empower communities and build wealth.

Via LURNcapital, the organization is currently focused on:

    1. The (Re)store Fund – LURN has established an equity fund to invest in small businesses in low-income communities. Borrowing lessons from the traditional venture capital industry, LURN is working on not only providing capital to entrepreneurs, but also ongoing coaching that will help them grow their business over time.
    2. – A partnership with 5 other organizations, Free Lots Angeles is an effort to activate vacant lots in low-income communities across Los Angeles. These one-day demonstration projects aim to show the community how they can transform vacant parcels into centers of vibrant and healthy activity.
    3. The LURN Home Challenge – Housing is expensive and out of reach for many residents in low-income neighborhoods. To address this, LURN is not only hosting a competition to design an affordable home, but it’s also exploring creative ways to build the design competition

 

Progressive professionals committed to revitalizing Southern California’s most under-represented communities.

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