Lawrence B. Gotlieb, Vice President for Government and Public Affairs for KB HOME in Los Angeles (formerly Kaufman & Broad) presented an informal seminar at 12:00 noon, Friday, February 23, 2001, at the Goldman School of Public Policy, 2607 Hearst Avenue, on the UC Berkeley campus.  Gotlieb's appearance was sponsored by the Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy as part of its 2000-2001 seminar series on important topics in the field.

Mr. Gotlieb discussed "The Housing Affordability Crisis: The Builder's Perspective," focusing on impediments to expanding housing opportunities. His talk stressed the need for private-sector participation in the development of housing units for first-time homebuyers.  He contrasted the capacities of large- and small-scale developers in supplementing housing development with mortgage assistance.   He outlined a number of legislative reforms which may enhance housing opportunities, particularly in California.

KB HOME is one of the largest homebuilders of single-family homes in the United States, primarily targeting first-time and first move-up homebuyers.  KB HOME does business in numerous Western US states and in Europe, and even operates its own mortgage lending company.

Mr. Gotlieb's appearance was the last of three such lunchtime seminars sponsored during the 2000-2001 academic year by the Berkeley Program on Housing and Urban Policy.  Prior seminars were led by James Carr of the FannieMae Foundation in Washington, D.C., and Carol Galante of the BRIDGE Housing Corporation in San Francisco.