New Leadership for a Pivotal Moment

A word from Lincoln Institute Chair Kathryn J. Lincoln:

When my father, David C. Lincoln, started the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in 1974, his purpose was clear. Like my grandfather before him, he believed that fostering a better understanding of urban economics, taxation, and land would “ensure that more people have the same opportunities, whatever their lot in life.” More than 50 years later, the Lincoln Institute remains committed to the goal of improving access to opportunity through land policy. In the early years of our sixth decade, I couldn’t be more pleased that Robert Puentes is taking the helm as our sixth president.

Rob, a veteran urban planner who served most recently as a leader at Brookings Metro and the Eno Center for Transportation, has said that land is in his DNA. I share that sentiment—it would be hard not to, given my roots—and I’m looking forward to working closely with Rob as he joins the Lincoln Institute family. In this, his first President’s Message, he shares his thoughts on why this is a critical moment for the Lincoln Institute, for land policy, and for communities around the world.

I am honored to join the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy as its new president and CEO. The opportunity to lead an institution with such a distinguished legacy of improving land policy education, research, and practice comes at a pivotal moment for communities across the United States and around the world. Local leaders are being asked to do more with less, and the Lincoln Institute’s role as a trusted, nonpartisan resource has never been more essential.

Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of land use, infrastructure, and metropolitan development—where communities confront their most consequential challenges. From leading the Brookings Institution’s program on cities and metropolitan areas to serving as president of the Eno Center for Transportation, I have focused on developing data-driven, evidence-based solutions to the problems local leaders prioritize: improved accessibility for all residents, a healthier climate, and a stronger, more equitable economy. These priorities align directly with the Lincoln Institute’s mission to integrate land policy with social justice, economic opportunity, and environmental sustainability.

Land policy shapes how people live their daily lives—how they get to work, find housing, access services, and connect with one another. It determines housing affordability, economic development, environmental health, and climate resilience. As a local planning commissioner in Virginia, I saw firsthand how restrictive zoning perpetuates segregation and limits opportunity, and how fragmented land use decisions deepen climate vulnerability. But I also saw what becomes possible when communities capture the value of land and link land policy with infrastructure investment, housing strategies, and regional planning. This integrated perspective will guide my leadership at the Lincoln Institute, where our work must bridge traditional divides between disciplines and sectors—connecting planners with transportation professionals and water managers, public finance experts with development agencies, and local practitioners with state and regional policymakers—because today’s challenges are too complex to address in isolation.

As I step into this role, I envision several key priorities for the institute moving forward.

First, we must continue to strengthen the evidence base for sound land policy. This means producing rigorous, accessible research that helps practitioners understand what works, why it works, and how to adapt successful approaches to their local contexts. The Lincoln Institute has always been a leader in generating knowledge, and we will build on this foundation by engaging directly with new policy debates—here and abroad—where our expertise can bring rigor and independence to consequential national conversations.

Second, we must expand our role as convener and connector, while meeting practitioners where they are. Innovative solutions emerge when people from different backgrounds and sectors come together, and the Lincoln Institute is uniquely positioned to create spaces—physical and virtual—for practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and community leaders to build lasting partnerships.

Third, we must address equity head-on. Land policy has too often been a tool of exclusion and dispossession. We cannot change this history, but we can ensure today’s land policy decisions create opportunity rather than perpetuate inequality—work that falls increasingly to states, localities, and nonpartisan institutions like the Lincoln Institute. This means centering the experiences and expertise of communities that have been marginalized by past land policies, examining the distributional effects of policy proposals, and supporting practitioners who are working to advance equity in their communities.

Fourth, we must engage more directly with climate change. Land use decisions are fundamental to both mitigation and adaptation—whether that means linking development plans to water demand, enabling transit-oriented growth that cuts vehicle emissions, or implementing nature-based solutions, especially in climate-vulnerable areas. The Lincoln Institute must not only help practitioners navigate this complexity but also help fill the gap, providing the research, tools, and peer networks communities need to act with confidence.

Fifth, we must make sure the field benefits from our transformative partnership with Claremont Lincoln University. Through CLU’s degree programs and the Lincoln Vibrant Communities initiative, this collaboration opens new doors to strengthen the work of practitioners on the ground. We provide more than valuable research insights—we deliver the skills, credentials, and networks needed to drive lasting change. And as we keep evolving our education offerings—expanding digital learning, technical assistance, and peer learning—practitioners will find them increasingly relevant, accessible, and immediately applicable to the work they are already doing.

I recognize the ambitiousness of this agenda and approach this role clear-eyed about both the opportunities and challenges ahead. I am deeply humbled by the trust the Lincoln Institute Board of Directors has placed in me, and I pledge to uphold the highest standards of ethics, fair dealing, and transparency articulated by generations of the Lincoln family in all aspects of my work.

These issues are deeply personal to me. I grew up in a blue-collar family and understand that work is precious—that a job is a critical pathway out of poverty. I was the first in my family to attend college and know firsthand how transformative quality educational opportunities can be. Throughout my life, I have maintained a deep appreciation for place and the enormous importance of how land is used, taxed, and stewarded. These personal experiences inform my conviction that land policy is too important to be left to specialists alone. It affects everyone, and our work must be accessible, actionable, and grounded in the real challenges that communities face every day. I am committed to ensuring that the Lincoln Institute remains a trusted resource for researchers and practitioners, a vital source of knowledge for policymakers, and a catalyst for positive change in communities everywhere.

I look forward to working with the talented staff at the Lincoln Institute and with our extensive network of collaborators and practitioners across the country and around the world. Together, we can advance land policies that build more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous communities for all.

Robert Puentes is president and CEO of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.