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BP Reynoso names Pratt Institute prof. Juan Camilo Osorio to Planning Comm.

Osorio’s been active both in NYC and in Colombia

June 30, 2022 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

Pratt Institute assistant professor Juan Camilo Osorio, just named by Borough President Antonio Reynoso as Brooklyn’s representative on the NYC City Planning Commission. Photo courtesy of Pratt Institute

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Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso on Thursday announced the appointment of planner and Pratt Institute professor Juan Camilo Osorio as the Brooklyn representative to the City Planning Commission.

In this appointment, Osorio will support the equitable development of the city – with an emphasis on the borough of Brooklyn. Osorio brings a wealth of academic experience and peer-reviewed work in the planning profession, with his work being focused on the decentralization of power in the planning process.

“Appointing a highly qualified urban planner who understands how interrelated issues on the ground are and how politics and processes can either aid or hinder the growth and future of our borough and city was critical in making my decision for the City Planning Commission. Juan Camilo fulfilled every qualification I knew was necessary to accomplish this,” Reynoso.

“As an academic researcher, I know first-hand how important the CPC is in guaranteeing a rigorous evaluation of projects and proposals,” said Osorio. “This is as critical space for debate to hear public concerns, respond to community needs and priorities raised throughout the planning process, and build on this dialogue to guide decisions toward achieving the public good.”

The New York City Planning Commission is a 13-member commission composed of appointees from the mayor, each of the five borough presidents and the Public Advocate. Commissioners have a unique opportunity to shape the city through the various projects put before the commission. From affordable housing to economic development, the City Planning Commission plays a key role in advancing policy to tackle some of the city’s toughest problems.

Osorio has served as assistant professor at Pratt Institute School of Architecture, Graduate Center for Planning and Environment, in Brooklyn since 2010, where he leverages his professional and research experience in New York City to help decolonize academic activity and engage students in applied research and planning collaborations with grassroots leaders to nurture mutual learning and explore the ethical and technical complexity of urban planning work.

Prior to his current role at Pratt, Osorio has taught as a doctoral candidate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he continues to serve as a research affiliate to the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative. He has also led and supported research at the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance, Municipal Art Society Planning Center, Massachusetts Fair Housing Center, and local universities in Bogotá, Colombia, where he’s originally from.

Osorio originally trained as an architect at the National University of Colombia. While he has been working in the U.S. for the last two decades, he still collaborates with different partners in Colombia to study community-led low-carbon development strategies (LCDS) to support local communities in monitoring and adapting to climate change.

Osorio is a Ph.D. candidate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology for Urban Studies and Planning, and holds a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in Regional Planning.

“[Osorio’s] approach to community-based planning is just what our city needs to ensure resident participation, while uplifting low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. I look forward to working with Osorio and Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso on our city’s plans for equitable and sustainable development,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

“I’ve worked with Juan Camilo Osorio going back at least a decade when he was policy analyst at NYC Environmental Justice Alliance and he’s a great pick to serve on the City Planning Commission,” said U.S. Rep. Nydia Velázquez. “I know that he will work tirelessly to develop more equitable and just communities across Brooklyn.”

“Pratt Institute is delighted that Brooklyn Borough President Reynoso has nominated Assistant Professor Juan Camilo Osorio to the City Planning Commission,” said Pratt Institute President Frances Bronet. “Professor Osorio’s career in advocacy, research, and teaching is at the nexus of environmental justice and public policy and how the two can meet to benefit communities.