Sherri Franklin
Chief Executive & Visionary Officer
As the Founder & CEO of Urban Design Center (UDC), Sherri Franklin champions its core mission to provide strategic thought leadership to non-profit organizations, government agencies and private developers working to catalyze resilient rebranding of urban environments and to enhance economic opportunities for people of color.
Over the past 30 years, UDC has managed the land-use entitlement, capital development and project management for over $200 million in subsidized affordable housing, infrastructure improvement, economic development and enterprise expansion projects. The recent launch of UDC’s online Resiliency Studio is a culmination of its decades long work to build the internal capacity of organizations and businesses and serves as a shared brain trust of “how to” elements for transforming visions into reality.
Sherri led the launch Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles’ efforts to build affordable housing and economic development projects, raised capital and provided project management services for Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' South LA office and Westlake headquarters, procured state grants for the Inner City Arts campus on Skid Row and secured federal grants for the development of the AltaSea blue economy incubator at the Port of Los Angeles. For over 20 years, UDC has served as the consultant to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor overseeing the grant development and construction of six of their capital projects in the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington.
UDC is a noted Business Improvement District Formation Consultant in the City of Los Angeles having formed both the Central Avenue Historic BID and the Greater Leimert Park Village Crenshaw Corridor BID. She also served as a development consultant for the Center for Community Change in the early 90s providing technical assistance on community and economic developments across Western US. Sherri is a staunch fiduciary for community change and dedicates much of her time to building the capacity of leaders and organizations to serve and engage their dynamic constituencies and drive sustainable economic revitalization and enterprise. She is a thought leader for the Leimert Park Village 20|20 Vision Initiative, a 17 year member of the Pacific Coast Regional - Small Business Development Corporation loan committee that approves State of California funded loan guarantees for small businesses, the co-founder of Think and Grow Lab, a green economy incubator and the Chief Visionary Officer of Ujima Tribe Enterprises, LLC, a cannabis brand accelerator. She is a dedicated supporter of Sanctuary of Hope working to assist the organization in developing affordable housing for emancipated foster youth.
Sherri was appointed to the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in January 2019 where she serves on their small business initiative community, BID management committee and PAC. She served as the Co-Chair of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Parking Reform Working Group in 2015. Sherri’s civic leadership dates to 1992 when she was tapped by Mayor Tom Bradley to serve as Vice Chair on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Subsequently, in 1993, she was appointed by Mayor Richard Riordan to the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation Commission where she served as President and, thereafter, to the Los Angeles Housing Department Rent Stabilization Commission in 1995 as a board member.
Sherri received a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles and has been a California licensed real estate professional since 1989 and real estate broker since 1997.
Sherri led the launch Concerned Citizens of South Central Los Angeles’ efforts to build affordable housing and economic development projects, raised capital and provided project management services for Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' South LA office and Westlake headquarters, procured state grants for the Inner City Arts campus on Skid Row and secured federal grants for the development of the AltaSea blue economy incubator at the Port of Los Angeles. For over 20 years, UDC has served as the consultant to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor overseeing the grant development and construction of six of their capital projects in the communities of San Pedro and Wilmington.
UDC is a noted Business Improvement District Formation Consultant in the City of Los Angeles having formed both the Central Avenue Historic BID and the Greater Leimert Park Village Crenshaw Corridor BID. She also served as a development consultant for the Center for Community Change in the early 90s providing technical assistance on community and economic developments across Western US. Sherri is a staunch fiduciary for community change and dedicates much of her time to building the capacity of leaders and organizations to serve and engage their dynamic constituencies and drive sustainable economic revitalization and enterprise. She is a thought leader for the Leimert Park Village 20|20 Vision Initiative, a 17 year member of the Pacific Coast Regional - Small Business Development Corporation loan committee that approves State of California funded loan guarantees for small businesses, the co-founder of Think and Grow Lab, a green economy incubator and the Chief Visionary Officer of Ujima Tribe Enterprises, LLC, a cannabis brand accelerator. She is a dedicated supporter of Sanctuary of Hope working to assist the organization in developing affordable housing for emancipated foster youth.
Sherri was appointed to the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors in January 2019 where she serves on their small business initiative community, BID management committee and PAC. She served as the Co-Chair of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Parking Reform Working Group in 2015. Sherri’s civic leadership dates to 1992 when she was tapped by Mayor Tom Bradley to serve as Vice Chair on the Board of Zoning Appeals. Subsequently, in 1993, she was appointed by Mayor Richard Riordan to the City of Los Angeles Department of Transportation Commission where she served as President and, thereafter, to the Los Angeles Housing Department Rent Stabilization Commission in 1995 as a board member.
Sherri received a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles and has been a California licensed real estate professional since 1989 and real estate broker since 1997.