It is published 4 times a year and is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Urban Land's articles cover a wide range of international topics, while concentrating on the needs of professionals in the real estate development and land use industry.

Past and current contributors have included such individuals as former Bogotá mayor Enrique Peñalosa; urban scholar Richard Florida; economist and Brookings Institution fellow Anthony Downs; former director of land-use planning for The Conservation Fund Ed McMahon; former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Henry Cisneros; and Brookings Institution fellow Christopher B.

[2] ULI first began publishing Urban Land magazine in 1941 as a newsletter for members.

"[4] The award, founded by ULI Governor, Mahlon “Sandy” Apgar, was first presented between 1991 and 2006.

ULI reintroduced the award in 2012 and its winners are currently selected by a committee that judges the articles on the criteria of relevance to current industry issues; the clarity of the author's argument and presentation; the strength of the author's analyses; and the overall value of the article in advancing the goals of ULI.