2024 Prize Recipient
Elam Boockvar-Klein (MCP'25)
The Witte-Sakamoto Family Prize in City and Regional Planning
Elam Boockvar-Klein is currently pursuing a Master’s in City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania, where he examines the transformative possibilities associated with creative, equitable development in historically under-resourced neighborhoods. During the summer of 2024, he interned for SHIFT Capital, an impact-oriented, place-based developer in Kensington. Before returning to school, he worked for Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, expanding the impact of the organization's affordable homeownership efforts through strategic partnerships with diverse businesses and mission-aligned institutions.
Elam holds a BA in Sociology from Colorado College. At every stage of his career, he has been grounded by a belief in the power of the intersection of community organizing, urban planning, and real estate development to work towards reparations for marginalized neighborhoods.
Image credits – Elam Boockvar-Klein
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Title Page – “Elam conducted a spatial analysis of Cleveland neighborhoods to help Brilliant Detroit, a network of Detroit-based children’s success centers, determine where to strategically site a hub as they expand to a new city.” -
High Opportunity Areas – “A series of high opportunity focus areas were determined based on a variety of factors, including child density, median household income, and reading proficiency.” -
Hough Zoom – “Hyper-local analysis of neighborhood assets helped hone in on the urban context that would benefit most from Brilliant Detroit’s services.” -
Hough Hub – “Vacant land analysis within each neighborhood led to the identification of a potential site for a Brilliant Detroit hub, with proximity to schools, park space, and libraries.” -
Hub Reach – “City-wide analysis of possible sites shows the potential reach – and associated impact – of a network of hubs in Cleveland, eventually replicating Brilliant’s incredibly successful model from Detroit.”