I am responsible for all aspects of municipal planning including zoning, current and long-range planning, site planning, sub-division planning, and special projects. This position interprets, enforces, and updates zoning ordinances, subdivision regulations, and sign ordinances; provides information and technical services to various boards and committees; conducts research and analyzes data on land use, infrastructure, and economic base to assist in the resolution of planning related issues; develops planning presentations and graphics including preparation of agenda packets for meetings.

Clesia Ventures is a real estate development company providing public and private sector development and consulting services.• HUD Choice Neighborhood InitiativesCharles acts as the Senior Planner at Clesia overseeing all planning activities as well as severing as project manager for the CNI projects. They include planning, resident and community engagement, SHPO, partner meetings and partner development, developing and building local government and organizational support.• PlanningI worked with local planning agencies to better understand the direction that the city wanted to undertake in their comprehensive plan. I would review zoning and land use to see how the PHA and city could build a sustainabile environment for public housing residents.• Conduct PHA and Community AssessmentsI would visit a Public Housing Authority to do a full assessment for each property to see what would be their best option. This included a planning process that aligned with the local comprehensice and/or regional planning.• Real Estate ProjectsWorked with a PHA's to develop and advise the PHA on the best redevelopment options. Best use of LITHC and other tax credits offered by the state.• Grant WritingServed as the main grant writer for the City of Selma (Alabama) and the senior grant writer for Clesia Ventures. Written two CNI grants (1 was awarded to Fort Wayne Housing Authority), Youthbuild, FSS Grant, DOT grants, and many others.• Community and Resident Engagement TrainingTrained PHA staff on community and resident engagement activities to better connect with the residents they serve.

While at the Montgomery Housing Authority’s Real Estate Development Department, I have constructed a 5-Year Action Plan as well a 5-Year CFP Budget together with the team. I was tasked with gathering projects that need to be completed at MHA properties and developing the timeline for projects ranking by need and priority. In addition, I have worked with Resident Services Department developing a TAAG survey for the CNI at Paterson Court. I continue to be a part of the CNI HUD Grant for Centennial Hill planning process in which I am working on funding projects, community outreach, working with APD Urban Planning, and maintaining our CNI website to keep residents of Centennial Hill Neighborhood and Montgomery at large up to date on the project monthly. I continue to actively work with all departments of MHA.

During my graduate research assistantship (GRA), I gathered voting data on African Americans living in Montgomery, Alabama from the 1920s through the 1970s. I went through the Polk County Directories matching names with addresses and making sure those addresses were correct with the current zip codes and addresses in Montgomery.