Founding of the Chapter
Founded in 1977, the NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter encompasses members from San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Marin and Sonoma Counties. Of these members, there is a strong representation of owner/developers and a wide array of service providers who cover the spectrum of real estate issues. The chapter’s mission is to support the Bay Area commercial real estate industry by proactively influencing legislative policy, providing superior educational events and fostering networking opportunities. The chapter is proud to have launched the first YPG (Young Professionals Group) yearlong educational program for Developing Leaders in 2013.
History of the Real Estate Challenge & Golden Shovel Award
The Real Estate Challenge was established in 1990 by Steve Chamberlin, a local developer and emeritus adjunct professor in real estate at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, to give graduate students hands-on experience in real estate development. Every year teams are assigned a project site and given just 60 days to come up with a development proposal. A select panel of jurors reviews both proposals in detail and chooses a winner after the final team presentations are presented at the annual NAIOP Real Estate Challenge luncheon, with hundreds of NAIOP members and Cal/Stanford alumni in attendance.
The winning team takes home the highly coveted prize and symbol of the Challenge, the James W. Brecht Memorial Golden Shovel, formerly known as “The Shovel. The winning team keeps the Golden Shovel for one year.
| Year | Winning Team | Development Site |
| 2024 | Stanford | The San Francisco Center |
| 2023 | Cal | SF Market |
| 2022 | Cal | City of Sausalito |
| 2021 | Stanford | Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority |
| 2020 | Cal | Justin-Siena High School, Napa |
| 2019 | Cal | City of San Jose |
| 2018 | Cal | BART / City of Fremont |
| 2017 | Stanford | The City of San Bruno |
| 2016 | Stanford | Prologis 245 South Spruce |
| 2015 | Cal | Fort Mason, Pier 1 |
| 2014 | Stanford | Brooks Hall, San Francisco |
| 2013 | Stanford | SFPUC, Millbrae |
| 2012 | Cal | Balboa Reservoir |
| 2011 | Cal | City of Livermore |
| 2010 | Cal | Downtown Walnut Creek |
| 2009 | Cal | Port of San Francisco, Piers 21-23 |
| 2008 | Cal | Port of San Francisco, Piers 90-94 |
| 2007 | Stanford | Solano County Fairgrounds |
| 2006 | Stanford | Goodwill Industries, San Francisco |
| 2005 | Stanford | The Villas Park Merced |
| 2004 | Stanford | Goodwill Industries, San Jose |
| 2003 | Cal | 8th and Brannan, San Francisco |
| 2002 | Cal | Pacifica Site |
| 2001 | Cal | Mare Island Legacy Partners’ Site |
| 2000 | Cal | Port of San Francisco, Pier 70 |
| 1999 | Stanford | Union City BART |
| 1998 | Cal | Spieker Sunnyvale |
| 1997 | Stanford | Octel Headquarters |
| 1996 | Cal | Hegenberger, Oakland |
| 1995 | Cal | San Leandro BART |
| 1994 | Cal | Hunter’s Point Naval Yard |
| 1993 | Stanford | Santa Rosa Convention Center |
| 1992 | Stanford | Oakland Rotunda |
| 1991 | Stanford | Menlo Park Site |
| 1990 | Cal | Port of Oakland |
