Solomon Greene Named Executive Director and Research Professor of DU’s New Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions
A National Leader in Housing Policy and Research, Greene Joins DU to Advance Data-Driven Housing Solutions Across the Rocky Mountain West.
The University of Denver (DU) has appointed Solomon Greene as the inaugural executive director and research professor of the Center for Housing Research and Innovative Solutions. He will also serve as Distinguished Scholar in Residence at DU’s Sturm College of Law. Widely recognized for his expertise in evidence-based housing policy, land use law, innovative construction methods, and climate resilience, Greene is uniquely qualified to lead the Center in addressing the complex housing challenges facing Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West.
Greene joins DU from his role as executive director for land and communities at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. His distinguished career includes influential roles, including leading the Office of Policy Development and Research at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and serving as senior fellow at the Urban Institute and a senior program officer at the Open Society Foundations. In addition, he has taught at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service and served as a law clerk for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Greene’s track record includes spearheading initiatives that have expanded access to affordable housing, advanced climate-resilient housing solutions, and fostered inclusive economic growth.
Beyond his professional roles, Greene remains deeply engaged in national housing research, policy, and capacity building. He is a member of the National Housing Crisis Task Force and serves as the vice chair of the board of directors for the National Housing Law Project. He also serves on the Colorado Housing Consortium and on technical advisory committees on land use and building codes at UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation and NYU’s Furman Center. He brings a strong academic background to DU, holding degrees from Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and Yale Law School.
“Solomon is an inspiring leader whose expertise and vision will elevate the Center to become a trusted source of high-impact research and innovative solutions,” says Susan Daggett, executive director of DU’s Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute at the Sturm College of Law. “His ability to bridge rigorous analysis with practical policy recommendations will be invaluable as we work to address the region’s most pressing housing challenges.”
“The Rocky Mountain West is grappling with housing challenges that are both urgent and solvable — from supply shortages and affordability pressures to climate risks that are reshaping where and how we build,” Greene says. “I’m excited to lead a center that can bring rigorous research, actionable data, and genuine partnerships to bear on those challenges, and to help Colorado and the region become a model for the rest of the country.”
Supported by $2.65 million in philanthropic gifts and grants, the Center’s mission is to help build vibrant, sustainable communities with a full continuum of housing — from deeply affordable to market-rate — so that people across the Rocky Mountain West can thrive. In its first year, the Center will establish a housing data hub for Colorado and the region; deploy a first-of-its-kind housing policy simulation tool; publish new research on housing supply, affordability, and climate resilience; and convene policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to develop actionable solutions. “We have important work ahead,” Greene adds. “Colorado and the Rocky Mountain West deserve communities where everyone can afford to live and thrive — and that is exactly what we are here to help build.”
Greene will officially join the University of Denver on July 1, 2026.
