Throughout 2025, Strategic Economics worked closely with the Concord, California community to prepare a new City of Concord Economic Development Strategic Plan. We are pleased to announce that the City Council adopted the new EDSP on December 2nd!

The effort combined in-depth technical analyses with the local knowledge contributed by over 60 business and institutional stakeholders who participated in focus groups and one-on-one interviews. The EDSP provides an implementation-focused economic development roadmap for the next five years, with special focus on high-priority issues related to office vacancies, downtown support, targeted industry sectors, and enhancing and transforming older shopping centers. Many thanks to the Concord community and to our team partner Greensfelder Real Estate Strategy!

Derek Braun and Jake Cummings attended the American Planning Association California conference in Monterey last week. Maybe you saw them there!

Derek presented at and helped facilitate sessions for Strategic Economics’ work for the California Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation to update components of the State of California’s Planning Guidelines. Strategic Economics has joined an experienced team for this comprehensive update to the General Plan Guidelines, Specific Plan Guidelines, and Tribal Consultation Guidelines. Learn more about the project and get engaged at https://planningupdate.lci.ca.gov/!

As we turn to a new season, we thought we’d provide some news about ourselves. In August, we welcomed Malia Wing to our staff as an Associate. Malia comes to us with a newly minted master’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of Washington, after having a previous career as a high school math teacher. We also welcomed our Associate T.J. McKiernan to the Bay Area. T.J. had been living in upstate New York since he started his position here last summer. But now he’s in residence here in our Berkeley office. And, finally, we want to congratulate Chris Holcomb who has been promoted to Senior Associate. Chris is a wonderful leader within the SE team, and we are so excited to have him continue expanding his role within the firm.

Conferences and New Projects

We are excited to be starting several new projects, including an equitable TOD implementation strategy for the Baily Corridor in Buffalo, New York. We are also working with Raimi + Associates on an update to the California general plan guidelines for the Governor’s Office of Land Use, Climate, and Innovation (LCI). Come see Derek Braun on September 30th at the California APA conference sessions “Shaping Neighborhoods, Districts and Corridors: Specific Plan Guidelines” and Parts 1 and 2 of “Shaping California’s Future: General Plan Guidelines Visioning Workshop.”

In March we had a wonderful staff retreat that included a fun craft project. Clearly, Strategic Economics is blooming.

Fall has been conference season here at Strategic Economics! Back in September, Derek Braun and Arpita Banerjee attended the American Planning Association California Chapter conference in Fresno. It was a great time of catching up with old colleagues, meeting new ones, and learning from everyone’s latest work. Feeding a giraffe at the opening reception wasn’t bad either!

Arpita feeding giraffe

Meanwhile, Chris Holcomb is at the Mpact Transit + Community conference in Phoenix right this week (the week of 11/6). Be sure to say hi! Dena is off to the Build it Green California Housing Systems Innovators Network convening in Folsom, California.

In project news, we recently kicked off work on the San Leandro Economic Development Strategy and the Dublin Economic Development Strategy and Element. We’re excited to support these communities in identifying new opportunities and supporting their ongoing prosperity. We also wrapped up our three year engagement with the Metro Rail extension in Buffalo, New York, having prepared an Equitable TOD Strategy for the Corridor.

We’re pleased to announce awards for two of our recent projects! The American Planning Association selected the Rancho Cucamonga General Plan and Climate Action Plan as the winner in the Community-wide Award category of the 2023 APA Sustainable Communities Division Awards for Excellence in Sustainability. And the American Planning Association of California Northern Section bestowed a Planning Award of Excellence for the South San Francisco 2040 General Plan

We are proud to have been part of the collaborative and thoughtful consultant teams that supported Rancho Cucamonga and South San Francisco in the development of these plans. Many thanks to the City staff members, community stakeholders, and decision makers who charted a course for equity, resiliency, sustainability, and prosperity in their communities.

On May 9th Strategic Economics hit a significant milestone! This was the 25th anniversary of our first day in operation. Over the years we’ve had so many wonderful staff, fantastic clients, outstanding partners, and interesting projects. So I want to take this moment to thank everybody who has contributed to our success. It has truly been a team effort. Now we are looking forward to continuing to work on projects that are helping to reshape our communities into more just, resilient, and economically robust places.

-Dena Belzer

2023 is off to a great start!

In people news

We have promoted Chris Holcomb from Associate to Associate II. Chris continues to build his team leadership skills and is emerging as a thought leader within the firm and with our external colleagues and clients.

Arpita Banerjee joined SE as an Associate last September and is already making an impact on several groundbreaking projects, including preparing an economic and cultural impact analysis for the Berryessa Flea Market in San Jose, California. Arpita recently completed her Master of Urban Planning degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. And, last but not least, Derek Braun, Principal was appointed by Mayor London Breed to sit on the San Francisco Planning Commission. We are so happy that the citizens of San Francisco are benefiting from Derek’s deep experience and wise thought process regarding all things urban.

In project news

Strategic Economics led an outstanding consultant team including Opticos Design, Sherwood Engineering, Toole Design, and W-ZHA in working with the City of Santa Fe, New Mexico to adopt a master plan and rezoning for the Midtown District. This was truly a team effort including our team, the fabulous city staff, and the many community organizations who led an exemplary engagement process. Five years after the City took on the monumental task of envisioning what this former college campus could be, Santa Fe is finally moving forward with a strategic disposition. We can’t wait to see what happens in response to the two developer RFPs issued late last year.

We are also excited to say that the City of South San Francisco adopted its new “Shape SSF 2040” general plan update! Strategic Economics was part of a talented and thoughtful consultant team led by Raimi + Associates. The efforts of this team, City staff, city decisionmakers, and numerous stakeholders produced an equity-focused plan that charts a course for the city to continue thriving. Strategic Economics is now working with a team led by Raimi + Associates to create the Lindenville Specific Plan as a next step in implementing South San Francisco’s vision for its future.