Employment
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Urban Institute
Housing and Communities Division · Washington DC
- Principal Research Associate, 2024–present.
- Senior Research Associate, 2020–2023.
- Lead, Practice Area on Fair Housing, Land Use, and Transportation, 2021–present.
- Research Director, Land Use Lab at Urban, 2021–present.
Funded research projects led or co-led at the Urban Institute, newest first.
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Transit-Oriented Development in the United States
Exploring best practices for implementing transit-oriented development (TOD) across the United States, including through stakeholder identification.
Principal Investigator
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Expanding Opportunities for Positive Community Engagement
An international comparison of best practices to leverage community engagement to support more effective outcomes for public transportation projects.
Co-Principal Investigator
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Transit-Oriented Development in Virginia
Examining the potential for housing in neighborhoods adjacent to public transportation throughout the commonwealth.
Head of Urban Institute team (subconsultant to AECOM)
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Updating the Metropolitan Council’s TOD Policy
Working with the Metropolitan Council to establish reforms to its TOD policies, in the interest of increasing investment in areas near light rail and bus rapid transit.
Head of Urban Institute team (subconsultant to SRF Consulting)
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Improving Affordable Housing Outcomes in Oklahoma
Studying the use of Low Income Housing Tax Credit, private activity bonds, and the use of other incentives to encourage affordable housing in Oklahoma.
Principal Investigator
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Increasing the Supply of Affordable Housing through Off-Site Construction and Pro-Housing Reforms
Developing a forecaster of housing supply and household choices with the goal of estimating housing availability and affordability in the context of zoning changes. Model uses micro-level household data to make estimates.
Principal Investigator
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Evaluating Upzonings and Constructing Family Friendly Cities
Studying how large-scale upzonings in New York City and Philadelphia resulted in changes to those cities’ housing supply. Also led an exploration of the mechanisms by which core cities can alter their planning policies to make themselves more comfortable for family residents.
Principal Investigator
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Equity Review of Chicago’s Zoning Code
Conducting a detailed analysis of how Chicago’s zoning code may be resulting in inequitable outcomes due to built-in and unfair drawing of zoning district lines over time.
Principal Investigator
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Partnership for Equitable and Resilient Communities
Developing a national database of federal grant awards, with the goal of analyzing the degree to which awards are aiding the United States in achieving its goal of distributing public funds more equitably on racial and economic grounds.
Principal Investigator
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The Effectiveness of Inclusionary Zoning in DC
Reviewing the use of inclusionary zoning in Washington, DC, including examining the number of units it has produced and identifying options for reform.
Principal Investigator
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Building an Effective Transit Workforce for the Future
Establishing current constraints on the public transit workforce to understand how to expand and improve access to jobs for a more equitable distribution of the society.
Principal Investigator
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Expanding Options for Affordable Transit-Oriented Development
Identifying current constraints and potential opportunities for expanding the supply of housing in neighborhoods located adjacent to Washington state’s growing transit system. Evaluating the state’s transit-oriented inclusionary zoning and multifamily property tax exemption policy.
Principal Investigator
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Affordable Housing and Transit
Exploring the links between transit investment and affordable housing, identifying the mechanisms by which the two sectors can be associated with one another.
Head of Urban Institute team (subconsultant to Eno Center)
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Guide to Identify and Mitigate the Negative Effects of Gentrification Caused by Transportation Investment
Examining the causes and consequences of gentrification and displacement related to projects. Developing a new national dataset of investments and evaluating their local impacts. Work with University of Maryland Center for Smart Growth and Toole Design Group.
Principal Investigator
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Land Use Lab at Urban
Piloting a new Urban lab focused on land use. Initial product is an interactive website entitled Cracking the Zoning Code. This site aids the public in understanding the basic elements of land-use regulation and help them identify best practices for future changes.
Principal Investigator
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Breaking Barriers: Affordable Housing in Cities for All
Working with counterparts in Germany to identify trans-Atlantic best practices that can aid cities in the US to improve the provision of affordable housing.
Principal Investigator
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Toolbox for Navigating Land-Use Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles
Using historical analysis, interviews, and stakeholder convenings to evaluate ways in which autonomous vehicles may influence land-use patterns, with a focus on equity of access. Work conducted with New Urban Mobility alliance and Justice & Sustainability Associates.
Principal Investigator
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Bridging the Fiscal Cliff for Transit Agencies
Evaluating current funding sources for public transit agencies throughout the United States. Working to identify more stable sources of financing in the face of limited support from the federal government in the post-pandemic period.
Principal Investigator
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Exclusionary Local Zoning Codes in the Puget Sound Region
Developing a zoning “atlas” for the Seattle region to identify which jurisdictions in the metropolitan area are providing their fair share of housing in the context of growing demand. Using innovative approach to model potential impact of state legislation.
Principal Investigator
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Building Equity of Access Through Autonomous Vehicles
Developing an analysis of existing and proposed regulations for autonomous vehicles at the federal and state levels in the US, with the goal of achieving more equitable outcomes in access to transportation. Also includes measures of access potential with AVs.
Co-Principal Investigator
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Urban Housing Forecaster Model
Developing a unique model of housing production in the Washington, DC region to predict how changes in land-use regulations at the municipal and county scale may influence the ability of local governments to meet the residential demands of a growing population.
Lead of housing production forecasting work
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A Data Tool to Help Local Organizations Develop Innovative Transport Projects
Creating a from-the-ground-up tool that will integrate detailed data on transit accessibility options, local demographics, and other needs to allow community groups, residents, and other stakeholders to plan for transit improvements that meet their needs.
Researcher
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Local Exclusivity, State Land-Use Laws, and Transport-Housing Integration
Undertaking a variety of research projects focused on improving access to opportunity for residents of communities throughout the United States.
Co-Principal Investigator
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Homeownership in Assessments of Fair Housing
Conducted detailed document review of assessments of fair housing (AFHs) produced by jurisdictions throughout the US to assess the degree to which municipalities are incorporating homeownership into their goals for achieving fair housing outcomes.
Principal Investigator
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SP2 Housing Policy in Louisville
Aiding Louisville Metro to target zoning changes to increase equity, redress historical injustice, and improve housing access. Developing new research on the relationship between zoning flexibility measures and housing and integration outcomes.
Principal Investigator
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Redefining Walkability: Examining Equity and Creating Safer Streets for All in DC
Created an interactive data tool that summarizes the built environment and lived experience of people using pedestrian infrastructure in Washington, DC.
Co-Principal Investigator
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Making the Case for Improved Bicycling Infrastructure
Examined the effectiveness of the Final Mile bicycling advocacy program deployed in five US cities. Included detailed interviews with stakeholders and a quantitative analysis of the program’s impacts on investments in bicycling infrastructure.
Principal Investigator
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Understanding and Planning for Post-Pandemic Travel
Conducted interviews, scholarship reviews, and data analysis on transit systems nationwide, with the goal of preparing best practices to prepare for future emergencies. Work was conducted with the Center for Neighborhood Technology.
Principal Investigator
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In Search of Equitable Transit Operations
Developed a policy brief on the current distribution of federal transit support, and the role it plays in equalizing access to mobility nationwide. Examined potential alternative funding approaches in the context of new federal support.
Principal Investigator
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Advancing Economic Mobility and Housing Policy
Investigated the roots of differences in access to affordable housing by race in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. Developed a model for identifying neighborhoods particularly susceptible to gentrification and displacement. Targeted key strategies for reducing the homeownership gap between white people and people of color.
Principal Investigator
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Access to Affordable Housing Through National-Government Mandates
Examined the impacts of France’s SRU housing law, which requires communities to achieve a minimum level of affordable housing. Studied the law’s effectiveness and equity and compared it with conditions in Connecticut to recommend best practices.
Principal Investigator
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Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Department of Urban Studies and Planning · Cambridge MA
- Research Supervisor, 2017–2020. Oversaw four undergraduate and master’s students on transportation policy research — project development, field and quantitative research, data analysis, and writing or editing.
- Teaching Assistant, 2017–2019. Led weekly recitations for 11.201 Gateway: Planning Action (fall 2017, 2018, 2019) under Professor Jason Jackson, and advised master’s students on thesis proposals in 11.THG Thesis Prep (spring 2018) under Professor Bish Sanyal. Winner, Excellence in Teaching by a Teaching Assistant, 2018.
- Research Assistant, 2010–2020. With Professor Jinhua Zhao on self-driving and shared vehicle use (2016–2020); Professor Lawrence Vale on public housing history, including research for Purging the Poorest (2010–2013), and on opposition to Haussmann’s redevelopment of Paris (2018–2020); and Professors John Attanucci and Nigel Wilson on London’s Underground (2011–2013). Also assisted Professors Justin Steil and Kathleen Thelen.
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The Transport Politic
Founder and editor
- Founded and write the majority of The Transport Politic, a national website tracking the state of transit in the United States and abroad — hundreds of articles on transportation policy, funding, and project development.
- Created Transit Explorer, an interactive map of every fixed-guideway transit line in the world.
- Created Transport Databook, a frequently updated reference of data on transit systems and transportation investment.
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Metropolitan Planning Council
Chicago IL
- Project Manager, 2014–2016.
- Associate, 2013.
- Work programs in housing policy, transportation policy and finance, and transit-oriented development.
- Supervised dozens of research assistants in geographic and data analysis, and managed staff on multi-phase community engagement projects in two neighborhoods.
Funded projects led at the Metropolitan Planning Council, newest first.
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Chicago Transit-Oriented Development Program
Developed initiative to support rezoning parts of Chicago, to build more equitable communities. Worked with ITDP to create an action plan for city initiatives related to transit-oriented development. Created “TOD Calculator” for public to explore development options.
Principal Investigator
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Corridor Development Initiative Program
Community engagement programs in Logan Square and Uptown neighborhoods. Aided community in understanding trade-offs between development options, and to come to consensus about the appropriate ways to redevelop publicly owned sites near train stations.
Co-Principal Investigator
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Transportation Initiatives
Research lead for the organization’s major transportation projects, including an assessment of a proposed new highway (the Illiana), and an analysis of existing conditions on public transit systems in Northeastern Illinois.
Principal Investigator
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Roosevelt University
Chicago IL
- Adjunct Professor, 2013–2014. Developed the syllabus, lectured weekly, graded, and supervised student projects for SUST 320, “Sprawl, Transportation, and Planning,” an undergraduate introduction to planning history and theory (fall 2013, 2014).
- Member, Roosevelt Adjunct Faculty Organization (IEA-NEA).
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Next City
Writing Fellow
- Wrote dozens of articles examining transportation investment across the United States.
Public Service
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Chicago Regional Transportation Authority
Member, Transit-Oriented Development Research Panel
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Dupont Circle ANC 2B
Member, Land Use Committee
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Urban Land Institute
Member, ULI District Council Partnerships for Health Equity, Selection Committee
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Cambridge New Mobility Blueprint
Member, Technical Advisory Group, City of Cambridge working group
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Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning
Member, Transportation Committee of the Chicago region’s metropolitan planning organization
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Chicago Museum Campus Transportation Study
Led community engagement effort; sat on committee convened by the Mayor’s Office of the City of Chicago
Scholarly Service
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Climate and Community Institute
Fellow
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Urban Affairs Review Editorial Board
Member
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Journal of Urban Affairs Award Committee
Member
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Social Sciences Advisory Board, Poverty and Race Research Action Council
Member
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Peer reviewer
Urban Affairs Review, Housing Policy Debate, International Journal of Housing Policy, Journal of Public Health, Journal of Urban History, Housing Policy, Transportation Research Board, Transportation Research Part D, The Milbank Quarterly, and Political Geography
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Global Planning Educators Interest Group (GPEIG)
Member · Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning
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Student Advisory Team, MIT Urban Mobility Lab
Member
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Kevin Lynch Award Selection Jury
Member · MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning
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PhD Committee
Member · MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning
Internships
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Transport for London
LU Strategy & Service Development Group; Piccadilly Line Analytics with MIT
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MTA New York City Transit
Strategic Initiatives Group
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Dean Sakamoto Architects
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Regional Plan Association
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Urban Design Center