Affordable Housing
Policies and strategies for access to decent housing
Experienced mentors
26 available mentors
ILEKTRA PAPADAKI
Senior Expert UN and EU systems. Former Team Leader at the European Commission
Based in Greece
I advise policy makers of international organizations, national and local governments how to turn complex urban and environmental challenges into actionable strategies, implement and monitor them.With a decade of experience in EU and UN systems, I specialize in policy design, strategy setting, monitoring and reporting, stakeholder engagement, and building high-impact partnerships. I also lead teams and manage multi-year projects. I am committed to support you navigating public sector careers and roles in international organizations, leadership positions, career changes, upskilling and training paths, finding your lost motivation, and dealing with challenging work environments. Also happy to exchange if your career is focused, or you want to focus it, on policy, climate change issues, affordable housing, or monitoring. Don't hesitate to get in touch!Some highlights from my work experience:-As Team Leader and Policy Advisor to management, I led and shaped initiatives for the construction sector and the urban environment at the European Commission (2017–2023), coordinated High Level Fora and multi-stakeholder initiatives, designed and implemented international projects, authored institutional reports.-Senior Expert for the Sustainable United Nations Facility (2024– ), driving sustainability performance improvements and coordinating annual reporting across the UN system toward climate neutrality.-Active in research and practice at the global and EU levels: PhD(c) Spatial and Urban Engineer, with focus on international climate and development policies and their influence to national and local strategies.-Experienced mentor and advisor: URBACT Lead Expert, Cities Forum Mentor, with a track record in city mentoring programs (New European Bauhaus, Net Zero Cities). Mentored over 15 trainees and younger colleagues in their early career, as manager in international organizations.
Oleksandra Tkachenko
Work on the edge between urban planning and strategies.
Based in Netherlands
Oleksandra works at the intersection of urban planning, design, and strategy. This is reflected in her dual academic background. In 2012, she graduated as an urban planner from the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture. In 2016, she complemented this with a Master’s degree in Urban Management and Development at Erasmus University Rotterdam. After gaining experience at several firms, she joined KuiperCompagnons in 2021. Her approach places strong emphasis on development processes such as scenario planning, participation, stakeholder management, and research. Her projects are always strongly oriented toward context, people, and program. In recent years, she has worked on projects ranging from area transformation visions to concept designs. In addition to her daily work at KuiperCompagnons, she also cstarted and leads the NGO Ukraine Netherlands Urban Network (UNUN).
Tanya Jimenez Salas
Based in Netherlands
Tanya Jimenez is an urban development and circular economy professional with experience supporting cities, regions and international organisations in the design and delivery of sustainable urban strategies, with a particular focus on housing, the built environment and inclusive urban transitions. She has worked closely with local governments and international partners to develop evidence-based programmes, project pipelines and policy frameworks that translate strategic ambition into practical implementation. Her work combines strong analytical and research skills with hands-on stakeholder engagement and facilitation, enabling collaboration across public authorities, communities, financial institutions and private sector actors. Tanya has contributed to multi-stakeholder initiatives that strengthen urban resilience, improve housing systems and accelerate circular solutions within complex governance environments. She brings a structured, collaborative approach to project delivery, with strengths in urban analysis, programme coordination and the design of participatory processes that help cities move from strategy to action.
Didier Vancutsem
Based in Germany
Jeffrey Shumaker
Partner, PPD; Former Chief Urban Designer, NYC
Based in United States
Jeffrey Shumaker, AICP, has been working at the intersection of architecture, urban design and planning for more than thirty years, in both the public and private sectors, and in cities across the globe. He served the City of New York as its Chief Urban Designer and Director of Urban Design and held leadership roles in some of the world’s top architecture, urban planning and design firms, including SOM, KPF and BIG. Jeffrey is currently President of Urbanscape, an international urban design and planning consultancy and Co-Founder of Partners in Public Design. Taking a place-based approach to his work, Jeffrey is helping communities, architecture and planning firms, private and non-profit institutions, towns and cities create better places to live, work, study and play. Jeffrey provides a full range of services from urban design, planning and illustration to liaising with city agencies and advising clients on strategy and public approvals. Globally, Jeffrey is serving as expert advisor to UNHabitat on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – participated in two expert panel discussions - and is working with cities around the globe to build internal urban design capacity, most recently in Pretoria, S. Africa and Seoul, S. Korea. Jeffrey holds dual Masters Degrees in Architecture, Planning and Urban Design from MIT and a Bachelor of Architecture with Honors from Syracuse University. He is the recipient of the Public Architect Award from AIANY and the Michael Weil Award from the NYC Department of City Planning, both recognizing excellence in urban design in the public realm. Jeffrey teaches and lectures frequently and is currently an adjunct professor of urban design and planning for Columbia University and the Syracuse Architecture program in NYC.
Patricia Gimenez Franco
Senior Urbanist | Architect | International Advisor
Based in Paraguay
Urbanism is about people’s everyday life — and that conviction has shaped my professional journey. I am an architect and senior urbanist with over 20 years of experience across architecture, urban and territorial planning, and geography. I have built an international career working in multicultural and multidisciplinary environments, living and working in different countries, with strong language skills and high geographical mobility. My professional path spans the public and private sectors, advising cities, governments, development projects, and international cooperation programs in Latin America and Europe. My core areas of expertise include urban policy, planning and design; housing, land management; real estate; public space; urban regeneration; urban governance; resilience; capacity building, among others. I have contributed to complex urban initiatives with institutions such as the WB, IDB, UNDP, UN-Habitat, EEAS, the EU, LILP, KRIHS, and Gehl, among others, through projects, advisory roles, workshops, and learning programs. Beyond academic frameworks, my work is grounded in practice and real-world complexity, shaped by governance constraints, institutional dynamics, implementation gaps, and the relational dimension of urban management — understanding not only how cities are planned, but how they actually work. I write to reflect on practice, translate complexity, and share urban knowledge. As a mentor, I support professionals navigating career transitions, international and consulting pathways, and complex decision-making processes, offering clarity, grounded strategic thinking, and a pragmatic understanding of how urban work unfolds in practice. My mentoring approach is reflective and structured, helping mentees work through moments of uncertainty or stagnation by reconnecting skills, experience, and direction. Despite extensive experience, I continue learning from practice, context, and people — because urban work is dynamic, and context matters.
hemalatha M C
Master Planner
Based in India
Policy, Planning and Design professional in the fields of Urban Development, Industrial corridor planning, Smart Cities, Master Planning including Project Management Consultancies and Project Management Units. Experience working in Middle-east, India, Zambia and Nepal. Team mentoring, and Project Structuring. Experience formulating and strategizing projects from inception upto project implementation methods. Supports program management through conducting Techno Economic Feasibility studies, Land suitability/Capability studies and detailed Site assessments. Company representative and Client fronting.
Merve Akdag
MSc Architect and Urban Researcher
Based in Turkey
Merve Akdağ is an interdisciplinary designer with a background in architecture (B.Arch, Istanbul Technical University) and a Master’s in City and Architecture from Özyeğin University. She has led teams and developed public strategies as a design professional. As the founding leader of Şehrine Ses Ver, she has initiated award-winning participatory projects, interdisciplinary workshops, and interactive urban panels. Her work is grounded in inclusive design, urban justice, governance, public engagement, and data-driven design. She is committed to authentic thinking and effective coordination in shaping equitable urban environments. Her studies focus on producing innovative content, fostering team & community engagement, and developing and detailing unique artificial programs and collaborations in The Spatial J/U/S/T Art & Design Collective.
Konstantinos Kourkoutas
Coordinator of a Strategic Research Community of Sustainable and Smart Cities
Based in Spain
City enthusiast working currently as the coordinator of a multidisciplinary strategic research community of more than 30 groups, research centers and institutes in the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona in Spain, impulsing open urban innovation processes, promoting quadriple helix implication and citizen co-creation. Design Thinker, strategic vision and social catalyst. Experience in masterplanning of ecological mixed-use and residential settlements. Involvement with smaller scale urban and architectural design projects, utilizing bioclimatic criteria. Experience in energy performace analysis and calification for residences and tertiary sector buildings. Research experience in territorial,regional and urban studies in European and National Research programs.
Leyla Saadi
Founder, Managing Director @ Urban Col.labs
Based in Spain
Leyla Saadi is an urban strategist, designer, and founder of Urban Collabs, a practice that supports urban decision makers, governments, consultants, and private developers in making smarter urban decisions through spatial intelligence, mapping, and strategic planning. Her work bridges data and design to help cities become more livable, inclusive, and future-ready. With over a decade of international experience across the UK, EU, Middle East, and the U.S., Leyla has led and contributed to major urban and regional planning projects, including the Soudah Urban Design Codes (Saudi Arabia), the Muscat 2040 Structural Plan (Oman), the Miami-Dade South Corridor TOD Expansion (USA) and many more strategic projects. She has delivered a wide range of initiatives focused on land use strategy, site selection, geospatial analysis, and the integration of technology into creative, place-based solutions. Earlier in her career, she held senior roles at global firms such as Broadway Malyan and Benoy Architects, where she collaborated with high-profile clients on large-scale developments that balance functionality with cultural identity. She managed and liaised with international teams across studios in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, London, Singapore and beyond. Her academic background in Architectural Engineering, combined with advanced studies in Urban Technology, Big Data, and Sustainable Design, forms the foundation of her systems-thinking approach to spatial planning and city-making. This interdisciplinary expertise enables her to bridge the gap between technical analysis and creative vision—allowing for more integrated, data-informed strategies that respond to the complex social, environmental, and spatial dynamics of contemporary cities. It also informs her ability to translate large-scale urban challenges into actionable planning frameworks that support equity, resilience, and long-term impact.
Bernadette Gordyn
Sustainable Urban Development Specialist
Based in Spain
Bernadette Gordyn is an urban planner and architect from Buenos Aires, Argentina, currently based in Barcelona, Spain. She holds a degree in Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires, a European Master's in Urbanism from UPC Barcelona and KU Leuven, a postgraduate degree in Cities and Urban Policies from Di Tella University, and a Public Policy Analysis Certificate from UCL. With over thirteen years of experience in sustainable territorial and urban development, Bernadette has worked across Latin America, West Africa, and Europe. Since 2019, she has served as Urban Development Consultant with the World Bank, supporting operations in West Africa and Latin America. Her work encompasses project management of loans and technical advisory services, policy dialogue with governments, research and data analysis, and technical publications. She has contributed to projects in Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Panama, Togo and Angola, focusing on slum upgrading, housing, urban regeneration, transit-oriented development, climate resilience, and territorial planning. From 2016 to 2019, Bernadette worked with UN-Habitat's Mexico Country Office, where she coordinated programs on housing, the SDGs, and urban prosperity indicators, helping local governments to localize global agendas. Earlier in her career, she advised local governments in Argentina and Colombia on strategic planning and urban development. Bernadette has co-authored numerous publications with the World Bank and UN-Habitat and has taught urban planning at the University of Buenos Aires. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French, and Catalan. Her work is characterized by a commitment to inclusive and sustainable cities, participatory processes, and evidence-based decision-making that translates global frameworks into local realities.
amaia celaya alvarez
Based in Spain
Think about the real needs, propose from the knowledge, and achieve them through passion. Architect, Master Urban Planner, and Master NOHA - International Cooperation and Humanitarian Action-. I’m a tireless reader, still with many things to discover, and a learnaholic. I grew up in a small town in the sunny and windy desert landscape of Bardenas Reales, Spain. I worry about how we're inhabiting the world and leaving people in the midst of their difficulties. I like seeing how good proposals make people live better within buildings and cities. I’m into resilience, sustainability, accountability, networking, urban planning, architecture, knowledge, sun, and bathing in every sea. I believe in hard work, I wish to be happy doing things that fill my soul, and I trust people. Barcelona Resilience Advisor since 2025 / UNOPS urban migration expert since 2024 / URBACT validated expert since 2023 / UN-IOM advisor since 2022 / Master Director Design for Resilience ELISAVA since 2021 / EU-UIA and EUI expert since 2020 / ISO-TC 292 Security and resilience expert since 2018 / UN-Habitat normative and operations coordinator on Resilience since 2016 / EU-H2020 expert since 2015 / SYLFF Fellow since 2014 / LEED Green Associate since 2012 / Project manager of Brand-quality certified ISO 9001 - and ECODESIGN - ISO 14006 - since 2011 / Eco-design consultant at BCD, ICAEN and Construction 21 since 2010 / Co-founder of abar architects 2005.
Andreas Michelsen
Director, Sustainability Lead, Gehl People
Based in Portugal
Since qualifying from Bartlett School of Architecture as a building designer, I have covered a range of architectural fields; I have shaped furniture, interiors, single family dwelling, kindergardens, offices, apartments, neighbourhhoods, districts, cities and recently countries. I have done competition design, site inspection, speaking, strategy, engagement, process design, and teaching across the world. Working in architecture is a journey and it's fun!
rodrigo vargas
Urban and territorial planning consultant
Based in Spain
Architect and urban planner with over 10 years of international experience in urban resilience, territorial sustainability, and strategic planning. My work bridges data science, urban analytics, and planning practice, with a strong focus on integrating ecological systems, infrastructure, and governance into actionable frameworks for cities and regions. I thrive at the intersection of strategic vision, technical rigor, and applied research, developing tools and methodologies that help territories adapt to climate change and build long-term resilience. Committed to innovation in planning, I have promoted collaborative processes across local governments, academia, and international organizations. My contributions have been recognized with the Premio de Urbanismo Español 2025 (ex-aequo), awarded by the Consejo Superior de los Colegios de Arquitectos de España.
Ludo Campbell-Reid
Based in Australia
Angela Lopez
Associate - Urban Planner and Designer at ARCADIS | Architect LEED AP BD+C | MSc Cum Laude Urbanism + Technology in Sustainable Development (TISD) Specialization
Based in Mexico
Urban designer & planner committed to make a positive impact on the people around me and my environment: my city, my country and the world. My wish is that my dedication to sustainability and sustainable living at home and at my workplace ‘practicing what I preach’ will inspire others to follow my lead. My goal is to encourage sustainable designs and practices as my way of making a difference in my professional practice. During my years of professional experience in the construction industry I have sought to combine the success of clients with improving the quality of life of people and caring for the environment. With more than 15 years of professional practice, I have had the opportunity to accumulate experience in the design and development of Interior Design, Architectural, and Urban Design & Planning projects, as well as their execution and coordination. I enjoy new challenges, as evidenced by my educational and professional experiences abroad. As a result of my multi-cultural background I am extremely adaptable which has been essential for my professional career. During my role as the Urban Design Team Lead and Sustainability Coordinator for a small practice in Mexico City I was part of an interdisciplinary team of professionals dedicated to the development of Sustainable Master Plan projects in multiple Mexican cities such as Colima, Culiacán, Durango, Mérida, San Luis Potosí and Mexico City. I joined IBI Group (now Arcadis) Mexico City practice in December 2020. Since then I have participated in master planning, urban design, and sustainability & resilience consulting projects in North America and Latin America, mainly in Mexico, Guatemala and Brazil. The Pedestrianization and Parking Management Consultancy for Oaxaca Historic City Center in Mexico was one of my latest projects where I played a key role as the project coordinator between the client (IDB), the beneficiaries (Municipality) and the community involved.
Vinita Dhume
Based in United Kingdom
Vinita is Director of Urban Design and Architecture. Her work includes projects in both the public and private sectors, specialising in regeneration and housing renewal, master planning, placemaking, and stakeholder-community engagement. Vinita has over 25 years of experience in master planning and architecture, and brings a broad breadth of knowledge on urban regeneration. She places a particular emphasis on a people-centred approach to co-creating places which are liveable and inclusive. She has led complex regeneration projects as part of larger interdisciplinary teams, working jointly to create innovative solutions to challenging problems, drawing critical insights from urban research into community engagement, design guidance (codes), sustainable place shaping and the design process. She serves on many Design Review Panels across the wider South East in the UK. She is also co-chair of the Westminster Design Review Panel and Tower Hamlets QRP in London.
Salvador Herrera
CEO at Urbanística
Based in Mexico
I am an urban planner with a professional journey spanning over more than two decades at the intersection of law, ethics, governance, and urban design. Trained as a Planner, with a graduate specialization in Urban Management in France and a Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture. My experience bridges public institutions, international organizations, and professional practice. I have held senior roles in municipal planning agencies in Mexico, worked with multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, CAF, and UN-Habitat, and since 2014 I lead Urbanística, a Mexico-based planning firm that develops urban, territorial, housing, mobility, and regulatory strategies across Latin America and beyond. My work covers the full planning cycle: diagnosis, legal and normative design, participatory processes, implementation instruments, and capacity building. Cities, regions, and national governments have relied on my expertise to translate policy goals into actionable spatial and regulatory frameworks. As a mentor to other urban planners, I offer three concrete forms of value. First, professional clarity: guidance on how to build a coherent planning profile that goes beyond technical silos and responds to real institutional constraints. Second, practice-oriented judgment: mentoring planners on how to navigate complex political, legal, and social environments without compromising ethical standards or professional integrity. Third, strategic growth: helping emerging professionals understand how to move between academia, public service, international cooperation, and private practice, and how to translate planning ideas into credible projects, instruments, and careers.
Tiago Mota Saraiva
Based in Portugal
Tiago Mota Saraiva is an architect, urbanist, and founding partner at Ateliermob and Working with the 99% co-op. Over the past two decades, his practice has been deeply engaged with participatory processes, community-led design, and cooperative housing in Portugal. He has advised municipalities and institutions on housing policy and is a vocal advocate for structural public support of collective forms of living. Tiago has taught, published, and curated extensively on architecture, urban politics and territory. Nowadays he is Invited Associated Professor at the Architecture School of Lisbon University.
Judy Baker
Based in United States
Judy Baker is currently a Senior Advisor with Cities Alliance, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University, Advisory Council Member on Latin America at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and International Consultant working on urban development issues. Until 2023 she was a Global Lead and Lead Economist at the World Bank in the Global Practice for Urban, Resilience and Land. Throughout her 30-year career at the World Bank she was responsible for leading policy dialogue, project management, and analytical work, particularly in East Asia, Africa, Latin America, and South Asia. This work has spanned engagements in over 30 countries and covered topics related to sustainable urbanization and its impacts, affordable housing, service delivery, climate change, local governance, economic development, urban poverty, and monitoring and evaluation. She has led several communities of practice with outreach to global partners from many organizations. She has published six books, as well as produced numerous country and regional reports for the World Bank. She has also been an invited speaker at many international events and guest lecturer at numerous universities. As a mentor, Judy brings extensive experience in recruiting and leading teams, deep analytics and policy guidance on a wide range of urban development issues in many different types of cities, project design, problem solving, partnership building, and career guidance.
Bram Dewolfs
Director of Placemaking - Educational & Living Lab Expert - EU Projects Director
Based in Belgium
Bram Dewolfs is a placemaking expert, trainer & EU project developer who co-founded and director of Placemaking of Urban Foxes, an NGO working at the intersection of youth participation, placemaking, public space, and inclusive city-making. His work focuses on helping (young) people & children (including those with fewer opportunities) to analyse their neighbourhoods through fun tools, co-design interventions, and turn ideas into tangible pilots that strengthen belonging, safety, play, climate resilience, and everyday quality of place often through an Urban Living Lab model. With strong experience in Erasmus+, Creative Europe and other European collaborations, Bram supports cities and partners to translate ambitious goals into concrete methodologies, workshops, toolkits, and deliverables, while keeping projects realistic, evidence-informed, and implementable on the ground. He is particularly skilled at bridging grassroots creativity with institutional contexts: aligning youth-driven processes with municipal realities, sustainability, accessibility needs, and long-term policy embedding. As a mentor, Bram is practical, creative, ethical and encouraging. He helps individuals and teams move from a compelling vision to a credible project design: clarifying the “why,” sharpening objectives, building partnerships, designing participatory journeys, and stress-testing workplans and budgets so delivery remains fair and feasible. He also brings strong facilitation skills (online and offline), a toolbox of playful and inclusive placemaking methods, and a clear eye for storytelling, supporting participants to communicate their ideas in a way that convinces stakeholders, funders, and communities alike. On top of this, through his NGO, Urban Foxes also is able to potentially provide fully funded EU City Labs (including transport, accommodation and meals) on the above mentioned topics to the mentees. This way building practical knowledge and skils in a real life setting.
Sean Hertel
Based in Canada
Giselle Sebag
Executive Director | Founder
Based in Spain
I’m Giselle Sebag (MPH, LEED AP)—an architect, urban planner, and public health practitioner focused on improving health by design. I work at the intersection of urban planning, public health, mobility, climate resilience, and equity, helping cities and civil society partners translate evidence into place-based strategies that improve everyday life—how we move, what we breathe, how safe we feel, and how connected we are. I serve as Executive Director of the International Society for Urban Health (ISUH), a global network advancing the field of urban health and strengthening the bridge between evidence and real-world action. I also founded Vital Cities, an evidence-driven advisory practice that partners with city governments, the private sector, and mission-driven organizations to ensure urban investments deliver the greatest possible impact—improving health, quality of life, and economic outcomes. My career has been built in the “in-between spaces” where change is hardest—and most promising: between planning and health, policy and design, infrastructure and community life. I’m especially interested in how practical shifts—safe walking and cycling, public-space activation, access to nature, healthier housing and neighborhoods, and inclusive community life—can transform places and reduce inequities. I’m based in Barcelona and New York and work internationally. What I offer as a mentor: Strategic, practical support for mentees who want to create measurable impact across disciplines. I can help you (1) clarify your direction and refine your professional story, (2) translate research and data into implementable urban strategies, (3) navigate cross-sector stakeholder dynamics, and (4) apply a place-based approach that breaks down silos and builds shared purpose. Bring a real challenge—an initiative that’s stuck, a career crossroads, or a project that needs a sharper strategy—and we’ll work together to move from insight to action.
Leelavathy Talapaneni Ramamurthy
Based in Germany
I am an urban development and sustainability professional with an interdisciplinary background in Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning, and Sustainable Mobility Management. I hold a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning and an MBA in Sustainable Mobility Management from Technische Universität Berlin. My work focuses on climate-responsive urban systems, inclusive mobility, integrated land-use planning, and multilevel governance. I have gained professional experience across international development, research, and policy-oriented environments in both Germany and India, supporting EU- and German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)-funded programmes, urban resilience initiatives, and sustainable mobility transitions. At Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), within the Transport and Climate Change cluster, I contributed to research, policy briefs, knowledge products, and cross-country coordination efforts focused on sustainable transport and climate mitigation. This experience strengthened my understanding of climate governance frameworks, donor reporting structures, and evidence-based urban policy development. As a Research Associate at Zentrum Technik und Gesellschaft (ZTG), Technische Universität Berlin, I supported the EU-funded SUMRICA project, facilitating academic cooperation, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building initiatives centered on sustainable urban mobility. I contributed to structured reporting, workshop coordination, and knowledge dissemination across international partners. Currently, as Programme Coordinator at Cities Forum, I support EU-funded and multilateral urban initiatives through programme coordination, concept development, stakeholder engagement, and structured documentation. My work involves synthesizing technical research into actionable insights, facilitating peer exchange among cities, and contributing to climate-smart urban policy frameworks.
Jashwanth tej Kasala
Program Manager (Asia)
Based in India
ashwanth Kasala has over 12 years of experience in urban mobility, transport planning, and sustainable urban development, working across South and Southeast Asia. His work focuses on advancing safer, more inclusive streets through the planning, design, and implementation of people centered mobility projects in rapidly growing cities. He currently supports city partnerships under the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety (BIGRS) and the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI), working closely with municipal governments to advance street redesign, cycling infrastructure, and pedestrian safety initiatives. Through these programs, he collaborates with city agencies, traffic police, and technical partners to help cities translate road safety commitments into practical, on ground interventions. Jashwanth has extensive experience working with municipal corporations, state agencies, multilateral development banks, and international technical partners, bridging policy, planning, design, and implementation. His work includes program management, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, policy advisory, and project delivery, ensuring that city led initiatives are technically sound, scalable, and aligned with global safe street design principles. Through his work, he supports cities in strengthening institutional capacity, fostering cross departmental collaboration, and advancing safe, equitable, and climate responsive urban mobility systems across the Global South.
HLABISHI PETER NTLOANA
Land Use Manager
Based in South Africa
Profile: Ntloana Hlabishi Peter Ntloana Hlabishi Peter is a South African researcher and urban planning specialist whose work focuses on sustainable urban development, public transportation systems, spatial planning, and informal settlement management in Limpopo Province. His academic and professional interests center on improving urban mobility, transit-oriented development (TOD), and sustainable human settlements, particularly in rapidly developing towns such as Burgersfort. He completed postgraduate studies in urban planning and development, including a Master’s research dissertation at the University of Johannesburg, examining government responses to informal settlements in Burgersfort Extension 10. His research highlighted the importance of land acquisition, public-private partnerships, and integrated sustainable settlement planning. Ntloana Hlabishi Peter also completed a Master of Urban Design research report at the University of the Witwatersrand, focused on revitalizing public transport modes to support transit-oriented development in Burgersfort Town. His work proposed integrated transport systems, mixed-use development, and urban densification strategies aimed at improving mobility and economic sustainability. His published academic contributions include studies on: Public transportation infrastructure and urban sustainability Spatial planning and land use management Sustainable urban mobility Transit-oriented development in mining and growing municipal towns