He has a Ph.D. in Urban & Regional Planning, an M.A. in Town Planning, and a B.A. in Architecture. He teaches and researches housing policy, land use, smart growth and international planning issues. He was named a HUD Urban Scholar in 2001. His article, “The effect of Florida’s Growth Management Act on housing affordability,” was named one of most outstanding articles published in the Journal of the American Planning Association in 25 years. In 2001, he received the “Excellence in Planning Education” award from the Iowa chapter of the American Planning Association. In 2003 he helped found a non-profit agency, the Housing Trust Fund of Johnson County, to provide a new and flexible source of finance for affordable housing development in Johnson County, Iowa. From 2005 to 2008, he chaired Iowa City’s Housing & Community Development Commission.