Land Use Law Center Staff

CONSULTANTS

Meg Byerly Williams
Attorney Consultant, Land Use Law Center

Meg Byerly Williams is a consultant based in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she works on sustainable development projects promoting renewable energy, distressed property remediation, and sustainable neighborhood development, among other related subjects. Previously, Meg worked as a staff attorney at Pace Law School’s Land Use Law Center in White Plains, New York, where she served as lead author on several Center publications, administered academic seminars, guided student research projects, and wrote for legal publications on various sustainable development topics. She holds a JD from Pace Law School, as well as an MEM from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and an MS in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences from Texas A&M University.

Kevin Dwarka, J.D., Ph.D.
Attorney Consultant, Kevin Dwarka LLC

Dr. Kevin Dwarka is a land use and economic consultant specializing in urban revitalization. Broadly trained in both land use law and urban economics, Kevin helps localities throughout the metropolitan New York Area unlock the economic value of their train stations, enhance the fiscal performance of their main streets, build vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods, finance sustainable infrastructure and implement affordable housing policies.

Kevin’s practice offers clients an unusually comprehensive scope of consulting services including market analysis, neighborhood planning, zoning revisions, real estate financial modelling, infrastructure financing, fiscal impact analysis, and environmental impact assessment.

Kevin currently teaches land use law at NYU’s Schack Institute of Real Estate. He has also taught urban economic development at the City University of New York and Israeli Politics at Yeshiva University. His dissertation at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, examined the use of global capital and public private partnerships for financing light rail projects in Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Kevin is admitted to practice before the New York State Bar and serves on the New York City Bar Association’s Housing and Urban Development Committee. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at Pace Land Use Law Center and on the board of the New York chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism.

Prior to launching his own consultancy in 2007, he held senior positions at the MTA, Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates, and the Israel Union for Environmental Defense.

He received his BA from Columbia University, JD from Pace Law School, MCP from UC Berkeley, and PhD from Hebrew University.

Dexter H. Locke, Ph.D.
Science Advisor

Dexter H. Locke is a Research Social Scientist at the USDA Forest Service, within the Urban Forests, Environmental Quality and Human Health Research Unit. Prior to this role, he was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center at the University of Maryland. Dexter describes himself as an Urban Ecologist with a doctorate from the Graduate School of Geography at Clark University. Prior to Clark, he received a Master's of Environmental Science from The Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at The University of Vermont with a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Planning, with Minors in Economics as well as Forestry.

Dexter also worked for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation and the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station in the People and Their Environments: Social Science Supporting Natural Resource Management and Policy work unit.

Conducting applied research with urban natural resource managers is Dexter’s passion. When not doing urban ecology, he can usually be found rock climbing and hiking throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, listening to classic rock music, popping wheelies, and hopping off curbs on a kids-sized BMX bike throughout Baltimore City.

For complete works, including peer-reviewed publications, reports, self-published material, posters, datasets, and select presentations, his curriculum vitae can be accessed here. 

Rosemarie Noonan, J.D.
Executive Director, Housing Action Council

Ms. Noonan has held the position of Executive Director since 1986 and has been with the Council since 1979. She began her housing career as Director of the National Leased Housing Association, the leading trade association for government assisted rental housing development and management located in Washington, DC. She has held program and policy positions at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and the New York State Division of Housing & Community Renewal. She attended Trinity College in Washington, DC, received an advanced degree in Government from Georgetown University, and is a graduate of Pace University School of Law.

Ms. Noonan has developed various programs which have assisted in the development of housing, including tax-exempt financing, mortgage insurance, and housing rehabilitation programs. She has advised State and local housing officials on designing and implementing affordable housing programs and plans. She manages the Yonkers Affordable Housing Office which is responsible for implementing a housing desegregation order. She has designed housing seminars and trained professionals nationwide. She is experienced in integrating the housing development process with health and human service programs.

She has fostered the creation of several Westchester not-for-profit organizations, e.g. The Preservation Company, Washingtonville Housing Alliance, and the New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation. The goal of these organizations is the development of housing which serves low income families and individuals of modest means. She has advised many civic groups, religious groups, and community organizations on appropriate roles for themselves in housing development and assisted them through the development process. Her services are primarily focused in the Hudson Region; however she has provided this service throughout New York State and in many areas throughout the country. She has a strong working knowledge of Federal, State, County and local housing programs and is skilled in integrating them to develop financially feasible and affordable housing developments.

She is the author of over a dozen guidebooks and manuals on housing programs and developing housing.

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RESEARCH ASSISTANT & SENIOR SCHOLAR OF HOUSING

Bailey Andree

Bailey Andree is a 3L at Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, where she is the Managing Editor of Pace International Law Review. Prior to law school, she graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelors in Ecology. Bailey was a Student Associate at the Land Use Law Center in 2021 and has continued her work with the Center as a Research Assistant to Professor John Nolon. She is now a Senior Scholar of Housing. In her free time, Bailey enjoys reading, biking, sewing, and cooking

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LAND USE SCHOLARS

Sophie Coassin

Sophie graduated from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) in 2022 where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology and her minor in Political Science.  At  UCSD she worked on projects that focused on ocean-based climate mitigation and adaptation.  Sophie is a rising 2L at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law who expects to earn her J.D. and  an Environmental Law Certificate. She is a Junior Associate on the Pace Environmental Law Review and is a Student Associate for the Summer of 2023 at the Land Use Law Center. During her 2L year Sophie will continue as a Land Use Law Scholar. She looks forward to exploring all the ways in which land use law can address environmental justice issues. When Sophie is not working on climate change solutions she can be found at the beach or playing with her dog Rosalita.

Natalie Lara

Natalie graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and a minor in Religion. During her undergraduate career, she participated in the UF Environmental Justice Media Intensive where she got to research and contribute to an article about circular climate migration in Orlando, FL. She is a rising 2L at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law and joined the Land Use Law Center as a 1L research volunteer. Natalie then went on to join the Land Use Law Center as a Student Associate for the Summer of 2023 and will continue to work with the Center as a Land Use Scholar. Natalie will also be serving as President of the Environmental Law Society, Secretary of the Latin American Law Students Association, and 2L Representative for the Student Bar Association.

Elizabeth Mazza

Elizabeth Mazza is a rising 2L at Elisabeth Haub School of Law. She graduated from the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. During her time at Dayton, Elizabeth conducted research focusing on the perspectives of gender equality in the Northern Karonga District of Malawi. Elizabeth is expected to graduate with her J.D. and certificate in Environmental Law. She first got involved in the Land Use Law Center during her 1L year as a volunteer researcher and is continuing as a Student Associate for the Summer of 2022. Elizabeth will continue as a Land Use Scholar during her second year of law school. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys running, hiking, and concerts. Elizabeth looks forward to exploring equitable transit-oriented development further and cultivating her knowledge of land use law across all topics.

Houston Porter

Houston Porter graduated from CUNY Lehman in 2020 where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. He is a rising 2L at Elisabeth Haub School of Law and is expected to earn his J.D. and environmental law certificate. Houston started at the Land Use Law Center as a 1L Research Volunteer focusing on climate resilient development and affordable housing. He will serve as a Student Associate and Land Use Scholar. Houston is also the class representative for the Land Use Law Center and the First-Generation Student Club. In addition to land use and real estate, Houston is also interested in food and beverage law. He loves to cook and is working on creating an official hot sauce company. He is looking forward to increasing his knowledge and understand on how land use laws can be used to address affordable housing and sustainable development. 

Brooke Wood

Brooke Wood graduated from Olivet College in 2020 where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Biology and special interest major, Environmental Health & Policy. She is a rising 2L at Elisabeth Haub School of Law and is expected to earn her J.D., environmental law certificate, and international law certificate. Brooke began with the Land Use Law Center in the Fall of 2022 as a 1L Research Volunteer and will continue to serve as a Student Associate and Land Use Scholar. She is an active member of the Student Bar Association, International Law Society, and a representative for the Energy and Climate committee within the Environmental Law Society. Brooke is looking forward to developing her legal skills and knowledge of Land Use Law this summer at the Land Use Law Center and is excited to continue her environmental justice journey.