Michael W Mehaffy, Ph.D.

Michael offers strategic consulting for walkable mixed-use projects, with an international practice based in the Columbia Gorge near Portland, Oregon.  He consults on projects for private developers, NGOs and governments in the US and internationally.

Michael is also a noted researcher, author, speaker and educator in urban planning and architectural design. He has held teaching and/or research appointments at seven graduate institutions in six countries, and he is currently on the editorial boards of four international journals of urban design. He is also on the boards of four NGOs in sustainable development and livability, including the Portland-based Sustasis Foundation, where he is Executive Director.  He is also a regular author for noted research and professional publications including Urban Land, Metropolis, Bloomberg CityLab, and Planetizen, and he is a frequent interviewee by media outlets as diverse as The Wall Street Journal, Voice of America, Newsweek, and The Guardian.   He holds a Ph.D. in architecture from Delft University of Technology (NL), and he did graduate work in business, public affairs, philosophy of design, planning and architecture, at The University of California at Berkeley and The University of Texas at Austin.  

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Reflecting his real-world expertise, Michael has also personally managed and/or co-designed projects up to $100 million, performed on-site construction management, owned a development and construction business, served as development executive for a major pension fund partnership, secured financing, structured deals, assembled and managed large teams, prepared and secured entitlements, conducted or assisted marketing, sales and leasing, designed and/or personally built over 20 houses up to $2 million, supervised up to 25 employees, and designed and built gardens, furniture, signage, and individual building details.