Calvin Brown

Calvin T. Brown is a planning professional with nearly 20 years of experience working in urban planning. He previously worked at the Department of City Planning (DCP) as a senior planner, where he supervised project managers working in Upper Manhattan. As the senior planner, he supervised the East Harlem Neighborhood Rezoning Team and worked closely with other divisions within City Planning, other city agencies, elected officials and community stakeholders.

In addition to a Master’s in Urban Planning (MUP), Calvin T. Brown also has a PhD in Urban and Public Policy. His research focused on the neighborhood effect of poverty over time on neighborhood conditions and whether there were identifiable thresholds where changes in poverty begin to significantly affect key neighborhood variables and access.

Dr. Brown is currently the Assistant Commissioner for Neighborhood Development at the Department of Small Business Services. In this role, he manages three program areas—Neighborhood Planning, Capacity Building, and Business Improvement Districts—that are aimed at assisting in the creation and support of community-based development organizations (CBDOs) advancing the growth of commercial districts across the five boroughs.