The Ross Program in Real Estate, sponsored by the Bay Area Council, is a comprehensive, technical training program designed to provide urban developers with the technical expertise and access to resources needed to develop significant urban real estate projects in their communities.

Through the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate, the Ross Minority Program in Real Estate has trained over 500 participants who have played key roles in significant commercial, mixed-use, and housing developments throughout the nation. The Bay Area Council is sponsoring the migration of this successful training program from Southern California to the San Francisco Bay Area.

Program Overview

The Ross Program in Real Estate, sponsored by the Bay Area Council, will bring together professionals from the public, private, and nonprofit sectors who are interested in urban redevelopment and revitalization. Participants will develop technical expertise, gain an understanding of the development process, learn to leverage resources, and build the networks needed to succeed.

The Ross Program will be an intensive three-week long offering in November 2007. Class size will be limited to approximately 25 participants, and the courses will be taught by faculty from the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate in conjunction with the Marshall School of Business, as well as industry experts and professionals from the Bay Area. Participants are generally real estate and community development professionals, refining their skills to succeed as real estate investors or developers in areas such as urban revitalization, nonprofit community development, economic development, affordable housing, and public/private development partnerships.

Curriculum

The Ross Program offers an integrated, practical curriculum that focuses on a wide range of issues associated with real estate finance and development. It is fast paced and incorporates various teaching methods including lectures, case studies, workshops, and team projects. Courses include the basics of real estate finance, financial analysis and modeling, market analysis, real estate law, project design and site planning, valuation methods, highest and best use analysis, and more. Course work will also cover areas related to urban redevelopment such as affordable housing and gap financing. The highlight of the program is a team-oriented feasibility study that offers participants the opportunity to apply and integrate all the materials learned in a challenging "real world" project.

To supplement the coursework, participants will also attend speaker panels with local industry leaders, special networking receptions, and events that address urban development topics.

Important Dates:

?? August 7: Information Session*

?? August 29: Information Session*

?? September. 15: Application Deadline

?? November 12-17: Ross Program, Week 1

?? November 19-21: Team Meetings, Week 2 (meetings independently scheduled)

?? November 26-30: Ross Program, Week 3

*Information Sessions are identical

The Organizers

The USC Lusk Center for Real Estate seeks to advance real estate knowledge, inform business practice, and address timely issues that affect the real estate industry, the urban economy, and public policy. The Lusk Center produces relevant and timely real estate research, supports educational programs for students and executives, and convenes professional forums that bring together academics, students, business executives, and community leaders.

The Bay Area Council is a business-sponsored, CEO-led, public-policy advocacy organization founded in 1945. Created as a way for the region's business community and likeminded individuals to coordinate their efforts, the Bay Area Council is widely respected by elected officials, policy makers and other civic leaders as the regional voice of business in the Bay Area.

Today, more than 275 of the largest employers in the region support the Bay Area Council as members and together focus on shaping public policy in areas such as transportation, housing, resources (energy, water, and environment), education, and business vitality.

Tuition

The tuition fee of $5,500 will cover registration costs, course materials, networking events, and meals. The program is a non-profit entity that is staffed by university and industry professionals, many of whom are volunteers. Tuition fees generated go directly into the program, but only cover a portion of the operating costs. Financial assistance may be provided to applicants who demonstrate need.

How to Apply

Applications for the Ross Program in Real Estate can be found online at www.usc.edu/ross.
Applications may be submitted via US Mail, FedEX, UPS, or any other delivery service and must be postmarked no later than 5:00 pm on September 15th, 2007. Applications should be sent to the Ross

Program at the following address:

Attn: Ross Program in Real Estate

Bay Area Council

201 California St., Suite 1450

San Francisco, CA 94111

A committee from the USC Lusk Center for Real Estate will review and select qualified participants from candidate applications. Deadline for submission of all admissions and financial aid documents is:

September 15, 2007.

Information Sessions

To learn more about the Ross Program in Real Estate, sponsored by the Bay Area Council, please RSVP to attend one of two information sessions. These sessions will be held:

Tuesday, August 7th and Wednesday, August 29th

6:00 pm -8:00 pm

Bay Area Council

201 California St., Suite 1450

San Francisco, CA 94111

Please RSVP by contacting Shanahan Lim at slim@bayareacouncil.org, or (415) 946-8716