Somos Group Leadership
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Reuben Duarte
Planning Director
Reuben is Planning Director at Somos Group. Reuben has more than ten years of experience assisting developers, property owners, and other business entities throughout California in guiding their projects through the land use entitlement and regulatory process. That work encompassed early due diligence through construction, including project entitlements and approvals, regulatory and environmental compliance (CEQA), stakeholder engagement, community outreach, and project management.
Reuben writes about urban planning and development for several websites and publications. His primary areas of focus include land use planning and development, housing and transportation policy, urban design, and environmental review.
Reuben also serves as the Vice President for Policy and Legislation for the APA California, the state chapter of the American Planning Association. As VP, Reuben works with state lobbyists to monitor, comment and develop positions regarding state policy and legislation related to planning, land use, transportation, housing, environmental review, resiliency and sustainability, and hazard planning.
Reuben received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in urban & Regional Planning from the University of California, Los Angeles.
