Robert Jacobson

Robert Jacobson is an adjunct practice instructor in urban and regional planning at Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning. He is an expert in affordable housing with over 25 years of experience in the field. His extensive portfolio includes the development of new construction units, the acquisition and rehabilitation of affordable housing, and the adaptive reuse of historic structures. His projects have spanned from 12 to 200 housing units, totaling approximately $500 million in transactions. He has also skillfully renovated around 700,000 square feet of historic properties into modern, LEED-certified affordable housing and commercial spaces, adhering to the standards set by the United States Secretary of the Interior for the Treatment of Historic Properties. In addition to his professional achievements, he serves on the board of directors for Shelter America Group, a Seattle-based nonprofit that oversees 28 affordable housing developments totaling 3,000 units. This organization, originally focused on the Pacific Northwest, is now expanding into new regions, including Tennessee and North Carolina, through significant bond transactions. He is also the owner and president of Leelanau Wine Cellars, Ltd., the 60th-largest winery in the United States. A proud alumnus of the University of Michigan, he holds a bachelor’s degree in political science.