As a seasoned urban development strategist with over 30 years of cross-sector experience, Paul specializes in navigating the intersection of large-scale planning, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder engagement. He brings a comprehensive approach that bridges the gap between ambitious development visions and practical implementation realities, combining technical planning expertise with deep policy knowledge to guide projects from concept through completion. Paul served as Partner in charge of HR&A’s Los Angeles office from 2007-2020 and as a Board member from 2007-2022, where he directed analysis of major regional infrastructure, entertainment complexes, institutional expansions, and mixed-use developments that have shaped Southern California’s growth.

Paul leads comprehensive master planning for transformative infrastructure projects, including major airport expansion analyses for Los Angeles International, O’Hare International, and San Diego International airports. His approach applies sophisticated economic modeling and multi-jurisdictional coordination to evaluate development alternatives across regional scales, enabling informed decision-making for multi-billion dollar investments that impact entire metropolitan regions. His institutional work includes directing the 5.2 million square foot Specific Plan for USC’s University Park campus expansion and guiding reconstruction of Saint John’s Hospital following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, demonstrating his ability to synthesize multiple planning considerations into cohesive development frameworks.

Paul’s expertise in large-scale entertainment and mixed-use projects showcases his capacity to balance intensive land use with community integration. He directed two iterations of $3 billion Specific Plans for NBC Universal’s entertainment complex redevelopment and guided planning for Disneyland’s two new theme parks in Anaheim. His mixed-use work includes the Hollywood Park Racetrack transformation into a development with 3,000 housing units and regional retail, the 2.4 million square foot Wilshire Grand redevelopment—downtown LA’s first new high-rise in over 20 years—and 10 million square feet of development around Union Station. These projects demonstrate his methodology for comprehensive planning that addresses urban density, infrastructure capacity, and regulatory requirements while creating transformative community assets.

Paul designs systematic approaches that create transparency and equity in development processes through innovative evaluation frameworks. His work translates complex economic concepts into practical tools that streamline negotiations while ensuring appropriate public benefit capture, combining detailed market research with financial modeling to create defensible methodologies. This expertise extends to housing policy, where he has designed municipal regulatory programs and administered affordable housing production initiatives, providing clarity for developers, consistency for public agencies, and accountability for communities.