We hosted an engaging lecture on the 18-Year Real Estate Cycle. The talk explored how land values, construction patterns, credit expansion, and speculative investment consistently follow a repeating multi-decade cycle—and how understanding these cycles can help communities prepare for housing instability, affordability challenges, and market downturns before they occur.

Attendees learned about historical patterns in the U.S. real estate market, how speculation drives both booms and crashes, and why reforms centered on community-captured land value can reduce volatility while supporting stable, affordable neighborhoods.

Fire-Resistant Architecture Presented by Drew Hubble from Hubble and Hubble Architects, the designer of the San Diego friend center.In the wake of the wake of the devastating fires that have destroyed entire neighborhoods across California, the question of which homes are spared and why has never been more urgent.

Ted Gwartney, Board member for the Foundation for Economic Justice and former president and executive director of the Robert Shalkenbach foundation now progress and poverty institute.

This talk introduced Henry George’s life and the ideas behind his landmark book Progress and Poverty. The lecture highlighted his philosophy of land value taxation, his influence on economic justice movements, and his lasting relevance today

Featuring management consultant John Gordon

With additional commentary on government ethics by Norma Damashek

This talk explored the 101 Ash Street saga, tracing its background and ongoing fallout. It highlighted what the case reveals about government accountability in San Diego and the broader challenges of addressing mismanagement and restoring public trust. 

04/21/2025

We gathered for an informal lunch and conversation with former Congressman Jim Bates at the Friends Center. Bates shared insights into his work on a revolutionary technology aimed at saving the Salton Sea, reflecting on its environmental and economic significance for California. The discussion also highlighted his long connection to San Diego civic life, joined by members of Floyd Morrow’s family in recognition of Morrow’s influence as Bates’s former professor at Mesa College. 

02/23/2025

Our February lecture, Fairhope, Alabama: The Single Tax Corporation & Utopian Community, Then & Now, featured a presentation and discussion led by Alan Ridley of the Foundation for Economic Justice with special guest Carol Huntsman, who shared her personal ties to Fairhope and its legacy as a living single-tax experiment. Co-sponsored by Michael Brackney and the Peace Resource Center, the event included a light lunch and lively dialogue on how Fairhope’s model continues to inform modern ideas of community and economic justice.

 

02/19/2025

Presented by Alan Ridley as a prelude to our later talk with architect Drew Hubbell, this lecture introduced key principles of fire-resistant architecture. Following the devastating Los Angeles fires that destroyed over 12,000 homes and businesses, Ridley examined why some structures survived—highlighting post-2008 building codes and defensible spaces free of combustible landscaping as critical factors.

Our annual dinner featured three engaging presentations. Isaiah Glasoe discussed the effectiveness of municipal utilities and what they can offer communities. Isabel Guitteau presented research on SDG&E, covering its history, donations, and rate assistance programs. The evening concluded with the featured talk by Robert de la Peña, introducing Ensendio—a proposed climate-resilient eco-community in Baja California.