Paul draws on over 45 years of non-profit, public, and private professional experience to help clients navigate urban policy challenges and regulatory complexity and to design implementable solutions that respond to markets and meet community needs.
As a seasoned urban policy and development strategist with over 45 years of cross-sector experience, Paul specializes in directing projects that navigate the intersection of urban economics, large-scale planning, and regulatory complexity. He works on projects that bridge the gap between ambitious development visions and practical implementation realities, combining technical economics and planning expertise with deep public policy experience to guide projects from concept through completion. Paul has been with HR&A since 1986 and has been a Partner since 1992. He served as Partner-in-Charge of HR&A’s Los Angeles office from 2007-2020 and as an HR&A Board member from 2007-2022. He has directed analysis of major development projects, urban infrastructure, sports and entertainment complexes, institutional expansions, mixed-use developments, and regional and municipal housing strategies that have shaped Southern California’s recent growth.
Paul leads specialized analysis for transformative infrastructure projects, including major airport expansions 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 entitlements analytic work for the 5.2 million square foot Specific Plan for USC’s University Park campus expansion and reconstruction of Saint John’s Hospital following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and implementation of the Keck Graduate Center for Applied Life Sciences, demonstrating his ability to synthesize multiple planning and economic considerations into cohesive development frameworks.
Paul’s expertise with large-scale entertainment and mixed-use projects showcases his capacity to balance intensive land use with economic and fiscal imperatives. He directed HR&A’s work on two iterations of multi-billion-dollar Specific Plans for NBCUniversal’s entertainment complex in Universal City, and planning for two new theme park attractions at Disneyland in Anaheim. His experience with large-scale, mixed-use projects includes the transformation of the former Hollywood Park Racetrack into a a new NFL stadium mixed-use development with 2,500 housing units and regional retail and office uses; the 2.4 million square foot Intercontinental Hotel and office/retail development in downtown Los Angeles; —and and implementation of the Concord Naval Weapons Station Re-use Plan, which envisions 12,000 housing units and 6.1 million square feet of commercial and community uses. These projects demonstrate his experience guiding analysis 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 implementation strategies. This expertise extends to affordable housing policy, where he has designed and tested municipal regulatory programs and affordable housing production initiatives throughout Southern California, providing clarity for developers, consistency for public agencies, and accountability for communities.
Paul earned a Masters Degree in Architecture and Urban Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles and received a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies, with Honors from the University of Illinois, Urbana.
- Member and former Chair, Financial Oversight Committee, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District
- Member, Urban Land Institute
- Member, International Economic Development Council
- Member, American Institute of Architects (professional affiliate)
- Member, American Planning Association
- Member, American Real Estate & Urban Economics Association
- Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Adjunct, Faculty Associate
- City of Santa Monica, California, Policy Development Manager and Director of Planning
- Skid Row Development Corporation, Economic Development Specialist1983
- Urban Innovations Group , Project Manager
- University of California Los Angeles, Graduate School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant
- Pacific Missile Test Center, Pt. Mugu, CA, Public Works Engineering Department, Architect, Plans and Programs Branch
Projects
HR&A worked with local governments across California to evaluate Joint Powers Authority bond transactions for moderate-income housing, ensuring more than $5 billion in tax-exempt financing maximizes public benefits and meets local policy objectives. Our project evaluations and white paper analysis, co-authored with the California Housing Partnership and CSG Advisors, guided negotiations for this emerging transaction type and informed Assembly Member Ward's proposed AB 1850 legislation establishing minimum standards for JPA-sponsored housing conversions.
HR&A advised Los Angeles World Airports on the local and regional economic impacts of redeveloping and expanding Los Angeles International Airport over nearly a decade spanning three mayoral administrations. Using extensive REMI and IMPLAN modeling, we prepared detailed economic impact analyses that evaluated alternative master plan concepts and provided critical data for decision-making by senior LAWA management, City officials, and regional leaders while addressing questions from elected officials and the public about development implications.
HR&A developed a data-driven evaluation tool for the City of West Hollywood that quantifies the economic value generated when developments exceed zoning limits, enabling more transparent negotiations and equitable public benefit captures. Approved by the City Council in 2018, the tool provides city staff with a standardized methodology to assess appropriate community benefit contributions from developers seeking zoning flexibility, ensuring the city maximizes public value from private development.
HR&A worked with the Los Angeles Department of City Planning to design a comprehensive incentive zoning system for Downtown Los Angeles as part of the DTLA 2040 Downtown Community Plan update, creating a three-tier framework that balances development feasibility with public benefits and will generate affordable housing, public open space, and community facilities while establishing clear expectations for future growth.
