Chuy Flores

SENIOR Associate

Chuy@EstolanoAdvisors.com

Chuy is an urban planner with expertise in community economic development and environmental policy.

Based in Southern California’s Inland Valley, Chuy brings an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach in his work with public, non-profit, labor, and philanthropic organizations across the state and country.

Since joining Estolano Advisors, Chuy has helped lead the firm’s climate resilient infrastructure and equitable economic development practice areas managing applied research studies, stakeholder engagement processes, and technical assistance programs. His recent work includes crafting a community-driven remediation and acquisition strategy for the Inglewood Oil Field and successfully providing tailored grant application assistance to under resourced communities applying to California Climate Investment Programs. Chuy currently co-facilitates the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District’s Community Air Protection Program and the San Diego-Tijuana Air Quality Task Force meetings, supporting the development and monitoring of air pollution reduction plans in the region’s most impacted neighborhoods.

Chuy draws from his lived experience and early-career internships with community-based organizations in everything he does. Proudly born and raised in San Bernardino, Chuy is uniquely cognizant of the environmental, economic, and social inequities that many California residents face.  He firmly believes in collaborating with frontline workers and communities to develop holistic and effective policy solutions that enhance their quality of life. In 2021, Chuy was appointed to his hometown’s Planning Commission, where he successfully advocated for more inclusive public notification procedures for residents and business owners. In 2022, the Center for Social Innovation at the University of California, Riverside awarded Chuy with an Innovator of the Year award for his work facilitating cross-sectoral partnerships on environmental justice issues.

Chuy previously worked at the Liberty Hill Foundation supporting the development of the Los Angeles Countywide Sustainability Plan; helped launch and evaluate urban tactical pilot projects at Kounkuey Design Initiative; and served as an Executive Fellow at the California Environmental Protection Agency and Governor’s Office of Planning and Research.  

Chuy received a Bachelor of Arts in Urban and Environmental Policy from Occidental College and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. In his spare time, Chuy enjoys attempting to cook family recipes, visiting local panaderías, and supporting community arts.