Good Neighbor Program

While earning his master’s degree at Johns Hopkins University (JHU), Phil chose to complete an optional capstone project as a participant in the CityLab program. CityLab is summarized as “an urban social enterprise laboratory applying business and management knowledge and tools to create social value” based within JHU's Carey School of Business.

Phil worked with a cohort of 3 professionals and master’s degree candidates to research challenges presented by the often incompatible confluence of industrial and residential life in Washington, DC, particularly within Ward 5 communities. The Ward 5 Works Plan compiled by the Ward 5 city council member had recommended the creation of a program to address such challenges. Phil's team developed a "Good Neighbor Program" proposal to address underlying problems in an effective manner benefiting all stakeholders – residents, businesses, and DC government – by incentivizing improvements that improve the quality of urban life at minimal cost. As the team lead, Phil managed their partnership with a City Planner from DC's Office of Planning.