In October of 2024, Carrie Tai was named Costa Mesa’s Director of Economic and Development Services.

As Director of Economic and Development Services, Tai leads the City’s economic development, building and safety, code enforcement, planning, and cannabis operations as well as manage the planning and visioning for future housing opportunities in Costa Mesa.

Tai previously worked for the City of Hermosa Beach, where she was the Director of Community Development, overseeing planning, building and safety and code enforcement while leading the certification of the City’s Housing Element. She also served in the City of Manhattan Beach as the Community Development Director where she launched the City’s successful outdoor dining program and implemented process efficiencies throughout the department.

Prior to that, Tai was the City of Long Beach’s Zoning Administrator overseeing the day-to-day planning services during one of the most extensive development periods in the City’s history, including projects that resulted in more than 3,000 dwelling units. She also worked for the Port of Long Beach, the nation’s second largest port, where she developed the first comprehensive update of the Port Master Plan in 30 years. 

A native of Boston, Tai graduated from Boston Latin School, the first public high school in the United States. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree with dual majors in Urban Studies and Music, as well as a Master’s of Urban Planning degree from Hunter College of the City University of New York.

She has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) and is a popular speaker at industry conferences regarding state housing law, environmental review, land-use planning, and leadership development.

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