As part of a graduate-level studio at UCLA, I collaborated with a five-person team to develop a comprehensive affordable housing proposal for a site in Los Angeles. I contributed to every phase of the analysis, from site selection and environmental review to zoning research and community engagement strategy. Our work included a full CEQA pathway evaluation, stakeholder mapping, and an entitlements timeline that reflected real-world approval sequences. The project demanded the same cross-functional thinking I apply professionally, synthesizing land use policy, environmental constraints, and community context into a single, coherent development strategy.

Building the financial case for the project, I helped construct a pro forma that stress-tested costs against realistic assumptions, including hard and soft loan structures, tax credit programs, and land acquisition costs. I evaluated applicable funding sources and incentive programs to assess project feasibility under affordable housing financing constraints. This work deepened my understanding of how public subsidy programs and private financing interact to make affordable development viable, knowledge I now apply when evaluating entitlement risk and project timelines in my professional work.

The project culminated in a formal presentation to architects and entitlement consultants, where I helped communicate our team's findings and field professional feedback on design feasibility and regulatory strategy. I contributed to the development of conceptual site and unit plans, amenity programming, and parking analysis. Presenting to practitioners reinforced my ability to translate technical planning work into clear, actionable narratives for diverse audiences, a skill I exercise regularly when coordinating with city agencies, property owners, and internal teams.