On December 6, 2024, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University hosted the 23rd annual Alfred B. DelBello Land Use and Sustainable Development Conference. This year’s theme, Fostering the Development of Sustainable Communities through Innovative Strategies, brought together hundreds of attorneys, professionals, and local leaders to discuss best practices in land use and sustainable development.
The conference opened with remarks from Jessica Bacher, Esq., Executive Director of the Land Use Law Center, and Tiffany Zezula, Esq., Deputy Director of the Land Use Law Center, followed by ethics sessions and a morning keynote session delivered by Jerold S. Kayden, Esq., Frank Backus Williams Professor of Urban Planning and Design, Founding Director, Master in Real Estate Program, Harvard University Graduate School of Design on privately owned public spaces. Afternoon breakout sessions focused on public engagement, innovations in land use zoning, housing action plans, community preparedness and resilience.
During the conference, the annual Groundbreaker’s Award was presented to Sabrina D. Charney Hull, AICP Director of Planning, Town of New Castle, NY. As a graduate of the Land Use Leadership Alliance (LULA) Training Program, Sabrina was recognized for the exemplary work she has done in her community using the types of land use and decision-making tools and techniques taught in the LULA program.
A highlight of the conference was Chris Allen, Director of Events and Partnerships, Strong Towns, delivering an informative keynote address on Strong Towns: A Bottom-Up Revolution to Rebuild American Prosperity. During the keynote, he focused on examining why so many cities and towns across North America are “going broke”. He discussed not just why, but how we can all build and rebuild strong and resilient cities. The conference concluded with a legal update session and a wine and cheese reception.
Founder’s Award Reception and Honorees
The conference was preceded by the Founder’s Award Reception on December 5, where three individuals were honored:
- Geraldine N. Tortorella, Esq., '97, a founding partner of Hocherman Tortorella & Wekstein, LLP, received the Founder’s Award for her career-long commitment to community collaboration and positive change.
- Anne Kline ’12, an associate at DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP, was honored with the Distinguished Young Attorney Award for her contributions to land use and real estate law.
- Sophie Coassin, a current Haub Law student, received the John R. Nolon Student Achievement Award for her dedication and commitment to excellence in fulfilling the mission of the Land Use Law Center.
Supporting Sustainability Through Collaboration
Each year, the Conference is made possible by the generosity of a significant number of sponsors who believe in the mission of the Land Use Law Center and the importance of this annual conference. Special thanks is given to M&T Bank, top sponsor of the event, along with DelBello Donnellan Weingarten Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP, Collins Capital Partners LLC, Zarin & Steinmetz LLP, The Oram Foundation, Inc., Cuddy & Feder LLP, Hocherman, Tortorella, and Wekstein, LLP, and the Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers. For more details visit the 2024 Conference agenda program.
Photos from the 2024 Founder’s Award Reception
