Ian's experience spans Primary Research, strategy formulation, feasibility analysis, policy development, and training & Public Speaking
For more than two decades, Ian has examined the complex and context-specific relationships between transportation investments and urban development so that he can help others plan transport systems, implement transit-oriented development (TOD), and capture the value of transit. Ian's research sponsors and consulting clients have included private and public sector entities committed to sustainable urban development: local governments, transit agencies, regional planning organizations, federal agencies, non-profits, landowners, and real estate developers.
To help draft and implement strategies that influence urban development, he leverages the latest transportation and land use studies as well as his professional experiences in real estate investment, transport planning, economic development, business strategy, and primary research. Ian's real estate experience spans the rehabilitation of historic homes in Atlanta, Georgia to 40-square kilometer TOD plan implementation in China. Ian's consulting work with U.S. city governments is equally diverse, with projects ranging from optimizing local transit services in a town of 100,000 residents, to writing an integrated transport and economic development plan for a city of 500,000 citizens, to developing a Transit Orientation Strategy for a city of nearly 4,000,000 people.
Ian previously worked on real estate development finance research for the Center for TOD and managed real estate development initiatives at Central Atlanta Progress. He also worked at Bain & Company, where he consulted with Fortune 500 executives to develop data-driven business strategies. Ian also co-owned residential property investment firms in the Atlanta area, which carried out more than one hundred transactions.
Ian has frequently collaborated with experts in the fields of real estate development and integrated transportation and land use planning to deliver customized solutions for clients. Collaborators have included the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, UC Berkeley Professor Robert Cervero, infill development expert Will Fleissig, author and consultant Terry Moore, and numerous others.
Ian is a member of the Urban Land Institute's TOD Product Council. Ian served for nearly a decade on the Transportation Research Board's Transportation and Land Development Committee and was previously a transportation commissioner in the City of Berkeley, California.
Ian has a PhD from the University of California Berkeley where his research focused on TOD-related transit planning practices. He holds two masters degrees from UC Berkeley - City Planning and Transportation Engineering - and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a focus on land development from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
To help draft and implement strategies that influence urban development, he leverages the latest transportation and land use studies as well as his professional experiences in real estate investment, transport planning, economic development, business strategy, and primary research. Ian's real estate experience spans the rehabilitation of historic homes in Atlanta, Georgia to 40-square kilometer TOD plan implementation in China. Ian's consulting work with U.S. city governments is equally diverse, with projects ranging from optimizing local transit services in a town of 100,000 residents, to writing an integrated transport and economic development plan for a city of 500,000 citizens, to developing a Transit Orientation Strategy for a city of nearly 4,000,000 people.
Ian previously worked on real estate development finance research for the Center for TOD and managed real estate development initiatives at Central Atlanta Progress. He also worked at Bain & Company, where he consulted with Fortune 500 executives to develop data-driven business strategies. Ian also co-owned residential property investment firms in the Atlanta area, which carried out more than one hundred transactions.
Ian has frequently collaborated with experts in the fields of real estate development and integrated transportation and land use planning to deliver customized solutions for clients. Collaborators have included the Center for Transit-Oriented Development, UC Berkeley Professor Robert Cervero, infill development expert Will Fleissig, author and consultant Terry Moore, and numerous others.
Ian is a member of the Urban Land Institute's TOD Product Council. Ian served for nearly a decade on the Transportation Research Board's Transportation and Land Development Committee and was previously a transportation commissioner in the City of Berkeley, California.
Ian has a PhD from the University of California Berkeley where his research focused on TOD-related transit planning practices. He holds two masters degrees from UC Berkeley - City Planning and Transportation Engineering - and a Bachelor of Science in Architecture with a focus on land development from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Primary Research
Examples of potential projects:
- Case studies of real estate developments, transit projects, policy implementation, or other subjects
- Forensic planning and development investigations - what worked and what didn't?
- Policy evaluations, both qualitative and quantitative
- Explorations of professional practices, including in-depth interviews with practitioners
- Research design guidance & research project management
Selected Experience:
Potential Impacts of Autonomous Vehicle Deployment on Parking and Development
This report was conducted with the University of Oregon's UrbanismNext Center and considered the potential impacts that autonomous vehicle deployment could have on parking demand and how that might impact urban development in three distinct areas of San Francisco. While many areas in San Francisco would see minimal development impacts as parking is not currently a significant driver or limiter of development, more auto-dominated areas could see substantial impacts if parking demand could be reduced by more than 40%.
Multilevel Impacts of Emerging Technologies on City Form and Development
Led by scholars at the University of Oregon's UrbanismNext Center, this report examined how the adoption of autonomous vehicles could impact transportation, land use, urban design, and real estate, and what the implications may be for equity, health, the economy, the environment, and governance.
Transit planners' TOD-related practices and theories
This Journal of Planning Education and Research article summarizes dissertation findings describing how transit professionals identified TOD opportunities and how TOD considerations informed transit project designs across 19 U.S. regions.
National Equitable TOD Evaluation
Collaborated with Miriam Zuk on behalf of the Poverty & Race Research Action Council to evaluate all projects built with Low Income Housing Tax Credits and published a report “Equitable Transit-Oriented Development: Examining the Progress and Continued Challenges of Developing Affordable Housing in Opportunity and Transit-rich Neighborhoods.”
Making Effective Fixed-Guideway Transit Investments: Indicators of Success
Collaborated with Dan Chatman, Robert Cervero, and other researchers from the Institute for Urban and Regional Development at UC Berkeley to co-author the Transit Cooperative Research Program's Report 167 that analyzed predictors of transit project ridership. Personally conducted case studies of six transit investments, including more than
50 interviews with transit project stakeholders, to help identify indicators of transit investment success.
Steps to Avoid Stalled Equitable TOD Projects
Conducted in-depth case studies of real estate development projects for Living Cities to help explain a troubling phenomenon observed by multiple philanthropic entities that had invested in sustainable development policies and projects: Transit-oriented development projects, particularly those that included affordable housing, were frequently delayed or canceled in spite of significant grant funding and government subsidy. We identified numerous institutional factors that had complicated the delivery of TOD projects and recommended tactics to address the stumbling blocks.
Transit Planning Practice in the Age of Transit-Oriented Development
Produced dissertation research on U.S. transit project planning that focused on how and why transit planners in 18 regions designed transit projects to foster transit-oriented development - for example, planning alignments and station locations based on real estate development opportunities. In-depth case studies of four transit projects illuminated the artful practice of shaping urban development through transit investment. The study was recognized by the Council of University Transportation Centers with the Wootan Award for the best dissertation on transport policy and planning in the United States.
Strategy Formulation
Examples of potential projects:
- Update existing TOD, value capture, or transit implementation strategies
- Identify local, regional, or state tactics to promote TOD or value capture
- Develop a transit agency TOD or value capture strategy
- Formulate investment strategies for developers or equitable TOD funds
- Facilitate comprehensive, collaborative TOD dialogues as a precursor to strategy formulation
Selected Experience:
Trimet Transit-oriented development plan
TriMet’s regional TOD Plan provides guidance for all stakeholders regarding community-centered development at TriMet's stations throughout the 26 cities and 3 counties in the Portland, Oregon metro region. The TOD Plan codifies the TOD Guidelines and goals that were approved by TriMet’s leadership and includes details on the sites owned by TriMet.
Fund creation for affordable TOD in Vancouver, BC
Prepared a business framework to guide city planners at Metro Vancouver, BC to develop a transit-oriented affordable housing (TOAH) revolving loan fund.
Strategic blueprint for a regional supportive housing fund
Contributed to a comprehensive strategic plan and implementation guide to create a healthcare-seeded Regional Supportive Housing Impact Fund to reduce chronic homelessness in the Portland area. The plan defined the level of need and described an impact fund development process for local healthcare, business, and philanthropic funders.
City of Los Angeles Transit Orientation Strategy
Provided strategic advisory services to the Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Transportation as they pursued a comprehensive TOD strategy for the City of Los Angeles. Co-authored white paper for L.A. Metro and the Mayor's Office.
- I'm often asked if my work for the L.A. Metro and the Mayor's Office is available for purchase; particularly after a September 2013 interview on NPR's Science Fridays. The report's executive summary is available here. Please contact me if you would like the complete report.
Toward integrated transit investment and real estate development
Co-authored a white paper for a Ford Foundation convening that focused on the strategic opportunities to align transit capital funding with both real estate finance and the public benefits of TOD.
City of Atlanta 2030 New Century Economic Development Plan
Worked with city officials and constituents to help create the transport and development impact components of the City of Atlanta's first long-range economic development plan.
Feasibility Analysis
Examples of potential projects:
- Conduct station area or corridor evaluations of TOD opportunities
- Prepare highest and best use site assessments
- Assess development proposals from financial, transit operations, and political perspectives
- Identify local bottlenecks to TOD implementation
- Compare transit design alternatives based on FTA's Economic Development criterion and TOD potential
Selected Experience:
FEasibility analyses for inclusionary housing
With ECONorthwest, developed analytical tools to calibrate inclusionary housing policies in cities as small as Ketchum, Idaho and as large as Austin, Texas. With partners, conducted policy evaluations of California's statewide TOD upzoning bills - including SB 827, SB 50, AB3040, SB9, SB6, and AB2011 - using parcel-level MapCraft.io models.
Equitable TOD feasibility analysis and transit corridor design
With ECONorthwest, developed analytical tools to evaluate TOD opportunity sites in regions (e.g., Salt Lake, Las Vegas, Bay Area, Seattle) and transit corridors (e.g., Sound Transit's West Seattle to Ballard Extension in Seattle, TriMet's Southwest Corridor in Portland).
Transit Value Capture Calculator
With MapCraft.io, NBLC, and ECONorthwest, for Waterfront Toronto, led the development of a web-based policy calculator to understand the spatial impacts of transit alignments on value capture opportunities. Evaluated the revenue generation potential of tax increment districts, assessment districts, and parking in-lieu fees under varied real estate development and transit implementation scenarios.
Corridor Affordable Density Bonus Program Analysis
With MapCraft.io and ECONorthwest, for the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, co-developed computational housing pro forma, tested millions of variants of a local density bonus program, and pinpointed tradeoff thresholds between achieving affordable housing versus other policy objectives.
Sustainable Communities Strategy land use forecasting
Collaborated with researchers at UC Berkeley's Institute of Urban and Regional Development to add realistic financial feasibility analyses to the long-range land use forecasting models used by the San Francisco Bay Area's Association of Bay Area Governments and Metropolitan Transportation Commission when developing their state-mandated Sustainable Communities Strategy.
Assessing the TOD potential of the Southwest Corridor
Worked for ULI Minnesota and with Will Fleissig to assess the TOD potential around five stations on the proposed Southwest Light Rail Corridor in the Twin Cities.
Comparing the TOD potential at Federal Boulevard
Co-authored a report with Robert Cervero comparing two Federal Boulevard Station alternatives along Denver’s pGold Line rail corridor, including projections of real estate development and ridership outcomes.
Policy Development
Examples of potential projects:
- Draft TOD, value capture, and other policies for transit agencies
- Advise local jurisdictions on TOD supportive policy language
- Evaluate existing TOD-related policies, both qualitatively and quantitatively
- Develop public sector investment criteria for allocating transit funds
- Prepare TOD investment guidance for real estate funds
Selected Experience:
housing policy development for the Colorado governor's office
Evaluated various land use policy options with MapCraft.io and ECOnorthwest to help simultaneously achieve greater housing affordability and greenhouse gas reductions. Advised on policy language and, upon passage in 2024, the implementation of various housing laws.
The Economics of inclusionary Development
With MapCraft.io and ECOnorthwest, for the Urban Land Institute Terwilliger Center for Housing, conducted analyses and wrote content for a primer on inclusionary zoning, "The Economics of Inclusionary Development."
Capitol Hill TOD Funding
Managed collaborative development and communication of federal-level TOD policy options for a TOD financing forum on Capitol Hill involving congressional staff, D.C. think tanks, and the Federal Transit Administration. The work contributed to the expansion of the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. Additionally, Ian drafted the initial policy language for the Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development Planning that was included in 2012's Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP 21).
Mixed-Income TOD Action Guide – A report to the United States Congress
Wrote and designed online resource for local transit agencies, governments, and communities that described context-appropriate policies for promoting mixed-income transit-oriented development. Oversaw communications with Federal Transit Administration and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to produce U.S. DOT's first ever electronic report to U.S. Congress and one of the first collaborative projects under their Joint Partnership for Sustainable Communities.
Land Use Performance Measures
Worked with UC Berkeley's Institute of Urban and Regional Development to assess indicators of TOD potential. The project was sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration to improve grant-making evaluations of proposed transit projects.
Transportation Commissioner
Mayor's appointee to the City of Berkeley Transportation Commission from 2011-2013. Developed recommendations for City Council on local transportation planning and policy.
Training & Public Speaking
Examples of potential projects:
- Train transit agency staff on real estate basics and development-oriented transit planning
- Speak on sustainable development, TOD, or value capture at an agency offsite or civic leader roundtable
- Deliver workshop to local officials on TOD benefits and best practices
- Advise project planners on the FTA New Starts' Economic Development evaluation
- Teach students about transit planning and real estate development
Selected Experience:
Portland State University Adjunct faculty
Professor for core planning and ethics coursework in the Master of Real Estate Development program.
University of Oregon Adjunct faculty
Professor for introductory course in real estate development in the Architecture program at the University of Oregon's Portland campus.
Sustainable Communities Boot Camp
Served as faculty at Living Cities’ symposium for recipients of the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development’s Sustainable Community Challenge Grants. Facilitated TOD-focused workshops and group discussions on local TOD policies.
Green TOD Workshop
Organized international exchange program for UC Berkeley's Center for Environmental Design Research, including producing ‘Sustainable Development’ curriculum, and hosted government officials from Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China.
University of Oklahoma symposium and residencies
Curated the University of Oklahoma Institute for Quality Communities biennial symposium for 800 civic leaders interested in hyper-local economic development initiatives. Coordinated week-long residencies during which nationally-recognized experts conducted context-specific workshops in towns and cities across Oklahoma.
Public speaking
Invited speaker at various events and conferences, including the Urban Land Institute Fall and Spring Meetings, Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, Rail~Volution, New Partners for Smart Growth conference, American Planning Association state chapter conferences, and others.