Michelle M. Thompson

Associate Professor, University of New Orleans Department of Planning and Urban Studies

"Neighborhood Development Foundation Homebuyer Education Impacts 1986-2017: A New Orleans public & private participation geographic information systems (p3GIS) Case Study"

Michelle M. Thompson, PhD, associate professor at UNO PLUS, presents her financial inclusion project, which evaluates the public and private financial policies, tools, and practices (FPTP) that impact the ability for people to increase their personal and family wealth. The New Orleans case study focuses on introducing p3GIS (public and private participation geographic information systems) in a dynamic study of the Neighborhood Development Foundation (NDF) First-time Homebuyer (32 years) and Financial Fitness (12 years) graduates who have purchased homes. The results of this study provided both a spatial map and financial impact analysis of home investments from 1986-2017.

Continuing education: 1.5 CM (AICP); 1 LU (AIA)

Michelle M. Thompson is an Associate Professor at the University of New Orleans in the Department of Planning & Urban Studies (UNO PLUS). Michelle teaches courses in geographic information systems, community development finance, urban public finance, housing, urban studies and land use planning.  She received a Masters’ in Regional Planning'84 and Ph.D.'01 from the Cornell University Department of City and Regional Planning with a focus on community development and spatial analysis using geographic information systems (GIS). Michelle received her Bachelor of Arts in Policy Studies from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from Syracuse University in 1982. Michelle obtained her Geographic Information Systems Professional certification (GISP) in 2015.

Michelle’s research focuses the application of public participation geographic information systems (PPGIS) in community development and reinvestment.  Michelle is the Project Manager of the web-based community mapping service, WhoData.org, which combines parcel level neighborhood condition information with public data to monitor socio-economic and demographic changes. Michelle & husband Kevin created Cross World Africa, Inc. in 2009 to provide cultural and economic support to families in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Michelle is also the Principal of Thompson Real Estate Consultants LLC, a real estate research and education firm. Michelle has also worked in both public and private companies related to the finance of residential and commercial real estate. Michelle has a long-term interest in working with community development organizations to provide technical support, market research and evaluation services. From 2017-18 Michelle served as the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth Public Interest Technology Fellow evaluate financial wealth of low-impact communities using anonymized and aggregated transaction data.

AICP continuing education credits provided by the American Planning Association New York Upstate Chapter