Blog
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November 14, 2025
Four JAPA Award Winners Honored in Minneapolis
At the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning’s annual conference in Minneapolis in October, the American Planning Association (APA) recognized two scholars and two papers that appeared in the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA). -
November 12, 2025
Quinault Indian Nation Engages in Multi-Year Effort to Move Village to Reduce Flood Risk
Equity in Practice: The Quinault Indian Nation is in the process of relocating the village of Taholah in Washington's Olympic Peninsula to higher ground due to flood and tsunami hazards. The multi-year process is dependent on funding availability. -
November 11, 2025
Advancing Equitable Planning Practices
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how a 2024 survey finds planners value equity but face funding, knowledge, and support gaps that hinder implementation. -
November 10, 2025
Beyond the Platform: How Planners Can Get Digital Engagement Right
As more of daily life is shifted to an online arena, it is increasingly important to understand when — and how — to best leverage digital tools and platforms to improve public participation in planning processes. -
November 7, 2025
With Planning We Can!
A joint statement from the Global Planners Network member organizations about the 76th anniversary of World Town Planning Day. -
October 28, 2025
Idaho Population Boom Spurs Demand for Housing Action
APA’s Brenna Donegan interviewed Idaho Falls’ Catherine McClure on housing challenges, population growth, NIMBY attitudes, and Congress supporting local housing reforms. -
October 27, 2025
Beyond Consensus: Redefining Successful Public Meetings
It's time to stop chasing the impossible dream of achieving perfect consensus in community engagement. Public meetings will always be messy. But when participants can walk out of a public meeting feeling satisfied with the process, that's a win that planners can aim for — and achieve. -
October 27, 2025
Five Things You Need to Know to Advance Your Career in Challenging Times
Discover how APA’s Career Consultations empower planners to invest in themselves, build community, and find purpose in today's changing professional landscape. -
October 24, 2025
FCC Updates Regulations on Wireless Telecommunication Infrastructure
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has agreed to launch a new rulemaking on wireless telecommunication infrastructure and cell towers. Find out how this impacts planning. -
October 23, 2025
How COVID-19 Redefined Urban Public Space
Uncovering JAPA: Recently adopted street policies helped shape emergency responses as cities transformed streets into cafés and social spaces during COVID-19. Explore if these programs represented an adaptation of existing policies or a dramatic change, and needed actions for maintaining viable street cafe programs. -
October 22, 2025
Gwinnett County 2045 Unified Plan
2025 Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan: Gwinnett County 2045 Unified Plan guides suburban growth while improving access to housing, transportation, and community spaces amid rapid growth and demographic change. -
October 22, 2025
The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study
The 2025 Advancing Diversity and Social Change Award in Honor of Paul Davidoff: The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study centers community voices and uses multilingual engagement efforts to expand equitable access to nature, transit, and essential services. -
October 22, 2025
Heavyweight Impact: The Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Planning Study for Inclusive Neighborhood Growth
The 2025 National Planning Excellence Award: The Heavyweight Impact: The Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Planning Study for Inclusive Neighborhood Growth, uses the 30-mile greenway as a catalyst for equitable growth, neighborhood redevelopment, and stronger community connections. -
October 22, 2025
Land Use Planning for Wildfires in California Training Program
2025 Sustainability & Resilience Award: Land Use Planning for Wildfires in California Training Program brings planners and fire officials together to collaborate, apply science-based strategies, and reduce wildfire risk while building stronger, more resilient communities. -
October 13, 2025
Recognizing and Combating Burnout
Learn to recognize early signs of burnout and how to overcome the effects. -
October 13, 2025
Managing AI Build-Out in a Winner-Take-Most World
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: AI may seem like something that happens on a screen, but it’s "deeply physical" with clear stakes for local communities. The data centers that help train and serve AI models and the energy generation, storage, and transmission facilities necessary to power these data centers present a very tangible set of tradeoffs to host communities. -
October 10, 2025
Homelessness Executive Order Prompts Sweeping Changes
Trump’s recent Executive Order on homelessness and public safety, Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets, is prompting regulatory changes from the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice (DOJ) related to existing programs and funding related to homelessness. Learn how this is impacting planning practices. -
October 10, 2025
Pueblo of Laguna Bike and Pedestrian Plan Connects Six Villages
The Pueblo of Laguna used a community-driven bicycle and pedestrian route plan to create safer, connected walking and biking routes across its six villages, improving public safety and promoting healthier lifestyles. -
October 9, 2025
Rethinking Transportation for Aging Communities
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how older adults without cars face mobility challenges, and why flexible, affordable transportation options and walkable communities are essential to keeping them connected. -
October 9, 2025
APA's Office Moves to Chicago Icon AON Center
To better serve APA members and adapt to changing post-pandemic trends, APA's flagship office recently moved to an iconic Chicago building. -
October 2, 2025
How Cities Can Plan For Persistent Remote Work
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to home-based activities, cutting out-of-home travel and office use while boosting remote work and housing demand. -
October 1, 2025
Planning Smart Cities with Enterprise Software
Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. Choosing the right enterprise community development software is essential when it comes to planning a smart city -
September 30, 2025
APA President Sue Schwartz Elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration
APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP, is elected to the National Academy of Public Administration 2025 Class of Fellows. The Academy provides thought leadership that advances the field of public administration. -
September 26, 2025
Advocating for Housing Action on the Hill
As Congress debates federal action on housing, advocates headed to Capitol Hill to ensure planners' voices are part of the conversation. Armed with their community stories, on-the-ground insights, and professional expertise, planners let their representatives know in no uncertain terms: federal investment in planning and zoning reform is the path to solving the housing crisis. -
September 26, 2025
Reclaiming a Forgotten Waterway to Elevate Culture, Safety, and Ecology
Equity in Practice: The San Pedro Creek Culture Park transformed a neglected, flood-prone drainage ditch in downtown San Antonio into a 2.2-mile linear park that combines flood control, ecology, art, and cultural heritage while generating significant community and economic benefits. -
September 25, 2025
San Antonio's Infill District Zoning
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how San Antonio’s Infill Development Zone uses flexible, parcel-specific zoning to promote walkable, mixed-use infill while preserving neighborhood character and aligning with city planning goals. -
September 19, 2025
Emotions in Emails Matter: Communication Dynamics Between Planners and Politicians
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how planners are most effective at shaping political decisions when their emails are positive, consistent, and come from multiple voices—not just by sending more messages. -
September 18, 2025
Sixteen Communities Selected to Participate in National Housing Supply Accelerator Program
NEWS RELEASE: Participants for the Housing Supply Accelerator Challenge have been identified. The Challenge is designed to accelerate the implementation of proven and innovative housing strategies and expand the supply of housing in communities nationwide. -
September 17, 2025
Aging Infrastructure: Modernizing Streetlights to Improve Community Safety
Gary, Indiana’s, Relight the City program, funded by $3.45 million in ARPA dollars, is replacing nearly 2,000 outdated streetlights with modern LEDs to improve safety, reduce expenses, and support broader neighborhood revitalization. -
September 16, 2025
New White Paper: Creating More Housing Doesn't End With Zoning Reform
While great strides have been made in zoning reform across the U.S., some communities are still seeing little or stalled development of missing middle housing due to the cost-restrictive natures of their own building codes and regulations. -
September 16, 2025
In Memoriam: Edward J. Blakely, PhD
In Memoriam: Reflecting on the legacy of Edward J. Blakely. -
September 12, 2025
What Happens When Zoning Meets 'Privatopia'?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Are HOAs a major barrier to zoning reform in your community? -
September 11, 2025
Historic Districts and Housing Goals: A Case Study of Two L.A. Neighborhoods
Uncovering JAPA: Explore how a Los Angeles case study shows historic preservation districts extend beyond architecture, driving debates over zoning, property rights, development, and housing affordability. -
September 11, 2025
Executive Order to Overhaul Federal Homelessness Policy
A new Trump administration Executive Order (EO), "Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets," may prompt significant shifts in federal policy on tackling homelessness. Learn how this impacts planning practices. -
September 4, 2025
Lessons in Managing Public Opinion During E-Scooter Pilot Program in Eugene, Oregon
Uncovering JAPA: Explore how Eugene, Oregon’s e-scooter pilot reveals how planners navigated shifting public opinion, built trust, corrected misconceptions, and helped officials interpret feedback to guide the program’s success. -
August 28, 2025
Planning Through Uncertainty: Lessons from Detroit
Detroit's story offers lessons that all planners can learn from as they face tight budgets and shifting funding streams. -
August 19, 2025
Halftime Report: States Advance Housing Policy in 2025
As we pass the midpoint of 2025, housing policy continues to take center stage in state legislatures. States are heading into the second half with momentum — calling bold plays to boost housing supply, modernize zoning laws, streamline permitting, and ease abundance challenges. -
August 18, 2025
Budget Battle: Senate, House, and the Trump Administration
As planners continue to advocate for fiscal and policy changes that would secure federal level support for local planning-led reform, the differences in each of the Trump, House, and Senate proposals would have a significant impact on the planning work that is able to move forward in our communities. -
August 13, 2025
State EV Funding Restored with New Guidance in Response to Court Order
The Trump administration has released new guidance for an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure program established as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Find out how this impacts transportation and planning practices. -
August 11, 2025
Could Your Zoning Be Doing More to Promote Accessibility?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: While zoning reforms that broaden opportunities to increase housing supply are crucial, these aren’t the only reforms that can support human flourishing. In fact, there are many potential ways that we can use zoning to make places, spaces, and homes more accessible to all people, regardless of age, life stage, or abilities. -
August 5, 2025
APA Joins "America's Housing Comeback"
News Release: APA, along with national partners, join "America's Housing Comeback," an initiative of the Housing Supply Accelerator, to support local governments' ongoing housing supply efforts and ignite a federal focus on policy solutions addressing the nation's housing supply shortage. -
August 4, 2025
Building Professional Sustainability: Small Habits to Improve Your Ability to Cope with Stress
Personal resilience is not just a professional skill, but a personal practice. Learn eight ways to build your resilience framework to improve your ability to cope with stress by shifting how you process daily experiences. -
August 1, 2025
'ROAD to Housing' is Paved by Planning
The ROAD to Housing Act is the biggest housing package in a generation, made possible through bipartisan compromise and support for local reforms. It marks an important victory in bipartisan federal action on housing. -
August 1, 2025
Senate THUD Spending Bill Ignores Trump Budget, Funds Key Housing Programs
The new Senate THUD bill provides more funding than the House Committee's version. -
July 31, 2025
State-Mandated Climate Planning
Uncovering JAPA: Discover a study of California’s Senate Bill 379 found that flexible, state-mandated climate adaptation planning modestly improved local efforts but revealed persistent challenges in coordination, engagement, and local capacity. -
July 24, 2025
Why Urban Segregation is More Complicated Than We Think
Global Perspectives: Discover how medium-sized cities can experience segregation levels comparable to those of major metropolises, highlighting the need for place-specific planning strategies that reflect local economic, social, and institutional dynamics. -
July 21, 2025
The Planner's Paycheck: Where We Go from Here
In times of political instability and economic pessimism, planners cannot rely on our work to speak for itself. The final part of this three-part series offers tips to help planners document the specific sources that fund their positions, explore alternative funding sources, and share stories about the value of planning with decision-makers. -
July 18, 2025
APA Joins Local Gov 250 to Celebrate Local Government
APA joins national partners to celebrate America's 250th by honoring local governments and their role in building strong communities. -
July 18, 2025
One Big Beautiful Bill's Impact on Planning
On July 4, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR 1). Learn more about the important changes impacting the planning profession. -
July 18, 2025
How Geography Shapes Small Island Developing States
Global Perspectives: Discover how Small Island Developing States (SIDS) use global ties and niche strategies to navigate geographic and economic challenges.
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