Luminaria logo with stylized rooftops and a checkmark.

Policy is Complex.

We illuminate the path.

CHHA

California Housing and Homelessness Agency

From Concept to Reality

37,000+

Homes Unlocked Since 2020

200+

Housing bills shaped

A smiling man in a suit and glasses standing outdoors by the water with a city skyline in the background at sunset.

Pedro Galvao
Founder & Principal

Pedro is committed to building a California where everyone has a place to call home — and has spent over 15 years doing exactly that. He brings a rare, full-cycle policy perspective shaped by experience as a government official, legislative advisor, and nonprofit advocate.

Most recently, Pedro led the creation of the California Housing and Homelessness Agency — the first standalone cabinet-level agency dedicated to housing and homelessness in the state.

He served as Deputy Director of Legislation at the California Department of Housing and Community Development, advising the Governor's Office on hundreds of housing bills.

Before that, as Policy Director of the Nonprofit Housing Association of Northern California, he led landmark Surplus Land Act reforms that have unlocked 37,000+ homes since 2020 — in just five years.

He holds a Master in Public Policy from Harvard University Kennedy School of Government and a Bachelor in Politics and French Literature from Whitman College.

Services

What we do

  • From vision to results, a clear path through even the most complex policy landscape.

  • The tools, knowledge, and instincts to read the room and win consistently.

  • Deep networks across government, advocacy, and industry that open doors.

  • Navigating competing interests to build the consensus you need.

  • Lasting relationships at every level of government, from city hall to Sacramento.

  • Keeping your most complex, high-stakes initiatives on track.

Experience

Depth. Clarity. Impact.

  • Conceived the strategy behind the California Housing and Homelessness Agency — the first standalone cabinet-level agency dedicated to housing and homelessness in California — and led landmark Surplus Land Act reforms that have unlocked 37,000+ homes, including 24,000+ affordable homes to date. Pedro brings that same strategic clarity to help your organization identify the right policy levers and pull them at the right time.

  • Having drafted and passed laws as a nonprofit advocate, advised the Governor's Office on all housing legislation as HCD's Deputy Director for Legislation, and implemented policy as a government official, Pedro brings a rare, full-cycle perspective that equips organizations to engage at any level and walk away with a win.

  • From city councils and mayors to state legislators and the Governor, Pedro has built productive working relationships at every level of government. He helps your organization do the same — walking into any room, building trust, and getting results.

  • The policy victories Pedro has secured required deep, sustained partnerships across geographies, sectors, and levels of government — from grassroots advocates to cabinet secretaries — coordinated and managed every step of the way. He brings that same coalition-building experience to help your organization forge and activate the relationships needed to shape outcomes.

Your next policy win starts with a conversation