Lourdes M. Gomez, AICP – Director, Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources

Lourdes Gomez was appointed Director of Miami-Dade County’s Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) in December 2020. She had been the Department’s Deputy Director since March 2014. She manages over 900 employees who deliver a broad portfolio of services affecting businesses and property owners in this community. This includes review and approval of land development applications, construction permits and business licenses and their related code enforcement activities; formulation and implementation of land use, environmental and community planning policy; and economic research. 

RER was created in 2012 through the consolidation of the planning, land development and construction permitting processes previously housed in eight County departments and offices, including the departments of Environmental Resources Management, Building & Neighborhood Compliance, Planning & Zoning, among others.  The merger deliberately located much of the regulatory process in one department to better implement cross sectional process improvements and service efficiencies; and to uniquely position RER to view its regulatory functions through the lens of customer service and economic development.  Ms. Gomez has spearheaded County efforts to attain cohesion and consistency of practice across plan review processes impacting business and development interests in this community, ushering the systematic conversion of each permit and plan review process housed within RER to an electronic, tracked, timed, concurrent, and more transparent and accessible experience for the customer.  

Ms. Gomez previously held various positions directing and advancing policy and legislation within County government.  She began her service with the County in 2002 as a Legislative Analyst, ascending through the legislative ranks to the County Manger’s Office in 2006 where she formulated policy and administrative strategies as an Assistant to the County Manager for the Aviation, Seaport and Transportation Departments.  This included legislation regarding Miami International Airport’s North Terminal Development, the PortMiami Tunnel, and the People’s Transportation Plan fund policy reform.   In 2011 her responsibilities shifted to advancing the legislative and policy agendas for the County’s land development, construction permitting and economic development portfolio in support of the recast Office of the Mayor, which absorbed the functions of the former County Manager’s Office. Her work in this area led to her appointment as Deputy Director in RER with the charge to implement the vision that the regulatory process be deployed in a clear, timely and consistent manner, thus serving to enable the economic development that is the end result of construction and redevelopment.

Prior to joining Miami-Dade County, she served as a Senior Admissions Officer for the Undergraduate Committee on Admissions at Harvard University.  Ms. Gomez received both her master’s degree in Administration, Planning and Social Policy and bachelor’s degree in Government from Harvard University.  She is also credentialed as a certified planner by the American Planning Association’s Professional Institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP).