Fisher Center for Real Estate + Urban Economics

In a co-authored op-ed with MIT Sloan School Professor Simon Johnson, Amir Kermani, professor at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, argues that the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is having devastating global consequences.

Around the world, cash-strapped governments and people already struggling with poverty are asking with increasing urgency: Is there an off-ramp for the latest conflict in the Middle East? There is—but it requires taking economic incentives seriously.

Read the article here: https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/ending-iran-war-requires-recognizing-economic-incentives-by-simon-johnson-and-amir-kermani-2026-04

We’re saddened to share that Doris Fisher has passed away at the age of 94. As the Fisher Center’s namesake, she and her late husband, Donald G. Fisher, played a huge role in shaping what we do, with a lasting impact across business, philanthropy, and the arts. We’re grateful to continue carrying their legacy forward.

You can read more in The New York Times here: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/business/doris-fisher-dead.html?unlocked_article_code=1.gFA.wtqo.NvVhIwW0rq0u&smid=nytcore-ios-share

We recently hosted Professor Eric Chyn from UT Austin, who presented his research on magnet schools in Los Angeles, highlighting the academic gains of students who were selected to attend through the lottery system.

Huge congratulations to our Berkeley team for bringing home the Golden Shovel.
Christian O’Connor, Hayley Carter, Isabella Tangherlini, Brian Krall, and Colin McCarthy delivered an outstanding, pitch-perfect proposal reimagining an SFMTA bus yard in Fisherman’s Wharf—an impressive showcase of innovation, collaboration, and real-world impact.
A special thank you and congratulations to team coaches Abby Franklin and Bill Falik for their leadership and mentorship throughout the competition.
We’re incredibly proud to support students who continue to raise the bar and represent the strength of the Berkeley community.
Go Bears 💙💛

We’re proud to celebrate our UC Berkeley student teams for an outstanding performance at the Holland & Knight JV Negotiation Competition hosted by UCLA. Berkeley teams secured both 1st and 2nd place, an incredible achievement that showcases the impact of cross-disciplinary teamwork.

First Place – Team B (Cal Team 3)
Angela Chien (EWMBA ’28)
Sanchi Bansal (LLM ’26)
Layla Yousef (JD ’27)

Second Place – Team C (Cal Team 1)
Visraant Iyer (EWMBA ’27)
Allan Yeung (MBA ’28)
Agil Huseynli (LLM ’26)
Jem Williams (JD ’28)

Congratulations to all participants for representing Berkeley so well.
Go Bears!

On Wednesday, we had the pleasure of hosting Professor Shifrah Aron-Dine from the Agricultural and Resource Economics department at the Real Estate Research seminar.

Professor Aron-Dine shared her work on the distributional effects of natural disasters and the impact of post-disaster policies, focusing on the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Thank you to Professor Aron-Dine for shedding light on the complex intersection of economics, housing policy, and natural disasters.

We are thrilled to announce that four of our MBA students have been awarded prestigious scholarships through the UC Berkeley Haas Real Estate Program to support their future careers in real estate. These awards, offered to dedicated members of the Berkeley Real Estate Club, recognize not only academic excellence but a deep commitment to shaping the future of the built environment.

Join us in congratulating Frederick Amoako Awuah, Hayley Carter, Christian O'Conner, and Sirui Zhou!

Great discussion at the Fisher Center yesterday with Benny Kleinman, Assistant Professor of Economics at Stanford, on “Location Effects or Sorting? Evidence from Firm Relocation.” The research explores how worker and firm sorting—not just geography—drives wage differences across cities. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

In a recent interview with L’Express, Professor Antoine Lévy explores the potential trade-offs of rent control policies, from housing supply shifts to urban mobility.

As cities worldwide grapple with housing affordability, Lévy offers a critical look at the structural consequences of price caps.

Read the full perspective in bio

Interested in learning more about the top-rated Real Estate Program at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business?

Join us in Los Angeles for a Real Estate Happy Hour and connect with:
-Current real estate–focused students, including members of the Berkeley Real Estate Club (BREC)
-Alumni working across the real estate industry — with special thanks to the Berkeley Real Estate Alumni Association (BREAA)
-Abigail Franklin, Lecturer and Managing Director of the Accelerating Careers in Real Estate Program at Haas

You’ll gain insight into our real estate curriculum, co-curricular opportunities, career support for internships and job searches, the diverse career paths our students and alumni pursue, and our unique Interdisciplinary Graduate Certificate in Real Estate.

We can’t wait to meet you and share more about the Berkeley Haas real estate community.

👉 Register here: https://mba.haas.berkeley.edu/admissions/upcoming-events/event-detail-page?id=695d5bd8-9ab0-48a1-9c16-3e285ffe3f58