People Behind the Plans: John Rahaim

During NPC19 in San Francisco, host Courtney Kashima, AICP, sat
down with John Rahaim, the city and county's planning director. On
the table during their conversation are issues the city's grappling
with now, from the housing crisis and homelessness to design review
and short-term rentals. John divulges the route he took to his
current position — he grew up in Detroit, got plugged in to
planning in Pittsburgh, and eventually made a move to the West
Coast. The two unpack the phenomenon of highly visible planning
leaders, the growing pains San Francisco experienced in dealing
with Airbnb, and the importance of the Citywide LGBTQ+ Cultural
Heritage Strategy. Through concrete examples of actions the
department has taken in its work, John underscores the need for
planners to experiment with the programs and policies they develop.