Blogs

October 5, 2022

APA Recognizes 2022 Award Winners

From ambitious comprehensive plans to outstanding planning educators, APA is proud to recognize this year’s award-winning planning efforts.

October 4, 2022

3 Ways Emerging Technology Enhances Your Connection with the Public

Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. Discover three ways you can leverage emerging technologies to better connect with your constituents.

October 4, 2022

Implementing Transit Value Capture Schemes More Equitably

Uncovering JAPA: What can transit value capture teach us about the intersection of entrenched segregation and transportation planning?

September 22, 2022

The Benefits of Repeated Participation

Uncovering JAPA: Outcome of attracting the repeated participation of participants across multiple planning engagement processes.

September 20, 2022

Five+ Federal Infrastructure Programs Every Planner Should Know

The passage of the landmark Bipartisan Infrastucture Law saw the largest direct investment in community planning in a century. Here are 5 new or expanded programs created by BIL that every planner should know about right now.

September 19, 2022

7 Tips for Starting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committees

As municipal planning departments adopt a fairness and equity mindset in their work with the communities they serve it highlights the state of their own workplace practices and the work needed to elevate equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) goals within the planning firms and public agencies. Offer how to get unstuck on translating the goals into action.

September 15, 2022

Planning for Emerging Infectious Disease Pandemics

Uncovering JAPA: A framework for how planners can be involved in infectious disease management.

September 13, 2022

Do Your Planning Boards Reflect Your Community?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: It's time to get serious about diversifying local planning and zoning boards.

September 1, 2022

How Cities Can Streamline the License and Permit Process

Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. The move to digital solutions is often touted as more efficient and easier for both citizens and government employees. When making the switch, the City of Rancho Cordova, California found that to be true, even drawing hard data on how much time their own departments saved.

September 1, 2022

The Need for Human Experience in Big Data Research

Uncovering JAPA: The impact of community participation guiding big data use in planning.

August 25, 2022

Three Ways to Build Support for Community-Centered Climate Planning

Uncovering JAPA: Strategies for building local support for planning climate action.

August 23, 2022

Ralph Willmer Named AICP Ethics Officer

Longtime APA member Ralph Willmer, FAICP, has been hired as the new AICP Ethics Officer following the retirement of Jim Peters, FAICP.

August 18, 2022

Planning for Corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa and Beyond

Uncovering JAPA: Planning can be fraught with corruption. A study in Ghana identifies institutional and interpersonal factors that lead to corruption.

August 16, 2022

How Should We Zone for Post-Retail Streets?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: It's time to rethink zoning requirements that mandate active ground-floor uses.

August 9, 2022

Visual Guide to Agrivoltaics and Wildlife-Friendly Solar

Agrivoltaics — or the placement of a solar energy system on the same parcel of land as agricultural production — and wildlife-friendly solar practices can help communities capture multiple benefits from large-scale solar development.

August 8, 2022

From Data Point A to Zero Crashes, and All the Complexities in Between

Sponsored content from INRIX X GM. Vision Zero is right around the corner. The data exists, the processes and tools are in place, and now it’s up to us to drive it all forward.

August 1, 2022

Assessing Wisconsin's Digital Divide With GIS

Wisconsin uses GIS to survey residents on internet access and affordability to better direct needed resources to help eliminate the digital divide.

July 29, 2022

Making Strategic and Ethical Practice Choices

A Guide for the Idealist: Rick Willson, FAICP, offers an original framework for decision-making in the planning process. Using reflection on choices considering types of information, and analysis tools, as well as addressing the values served and the planners interactions with the public and elected officials.

July 28, 2022

How to Navigate Digital Transformation in Community Development

Sponsored Content from Tyler Technologies. Local governments are bringing community development online to automate processes and effectively engage with citizens. Learn how Columbia, MO, and Temecula, CA, are driving a digital transformation.

July 26, 2022

APA Congratulates Successful May 2022 AICP Examinees

APA congratulates those who successfully completed the May 2022 AICP Certification Exam. These members may use the AICP Candidate designation until they earn the full AICP credential.

July 21, 2022

Five-Part Framework to Guide Climate Relocation Plans

Uncovering JAPA: A new framework offers guidance to help planners navigate the complex process of considering disaster-related relocations.

July 18, 2022

Housing Scarcity Is Worse Than Ever

A recent report demonstrates that the underproduction of housing units affects 47 states and Washington D.C., and its impacts are being felt in all kinds of places, from dense urban areas to small, rural towns.

July 18, 2022

What Comes After Zoning by Zoom?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is your community ready for asynchronous public hearings?

July 14, 2022

Online Dissent: Fostering a Necessary Component to Planning

Uncovering JAPA: How can planners preserve dissent in online public engagement opportunities?

July 7, 2022

Using Forecasting Models to Predict Foot Traffic

Uncovering JAPA: A new forecast model and methodology help planners to estimate foot traffic along streets.

June 30, 2022

Professional Inequality Within Urban Planning

Uncovering JAPA: Planner Eun Jin Shin investigates representation and wage gaps within the planning profession.

June 23, 2022

Ensuring "Open Streets" Plans Advance Social Equity

Uncovering JAPA: Pandemic-created open streets can be a lifeline, but also exacerbate inequities without careful implementation.

June 21, 2022

How Does Your Zoning Treat Crypto Mining?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is it time for zoning to pay more attention to cryptocurrency mining?

June 16, 2022

Supporting Nonprofits During Post Disaster Recovery

Uncovering JAPA: Researchers explore the differences of post disaster recovery on small and medium/large nonprofits and how planners can facilitate nonprofit post-disaster recovery efforts.

June 9, 2022

Pros and Cons of Rightsizing Flint's Water Infrastructure

Uncovering JAPA: Should Flint, Michigan, replace its water infrastructure one-to-one, or resize the system? Read the commentaries on the pros and cons of each approach.

June 7, 2022

Modernize Planning and Zoning Practices to Improve Affordability and Equity

Sponsored Content from enCode Plus: A conversation with planning and zoning industry veteran Bret C. Keast, AICP, on addressing affordability and equity, two of the biggest issues in planning and zoning circles.

June 3, 2022

It’s Not Necessarily Solar vs. Agriculture

The topic of large-scale solar development in rural communities doesn't have to be controversial. Learn how local officials and developers can work together to clear up the misconception that these two land uses cannot co-exist.

June 2, 2022

Understanding Relocation Patterns of Older Adults

Uncovering JAPA: Who, why, and where do adults age 60 and older relocate in the U.S.?

May 19, 2022

Learning from London’s Transition to Sustainable Modes

Uncovering JAPA: Learning from London's transition to sustainable transportation modes.

May 17, 2022

Addressing the Nation's Housing Crisis

Get the latest information on housing reforms at state and federal levels, including the Biden administration's launch of the Housing Supply Action Plan.

May 13, 2022

Going Beyond "Use" Zoning to Promote Housing Equity

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can deregulation expand housing supply and support housing equity?

May 12, 2022

Does Disaster Relief Actually Help Small Businesses?

Uncovering JAPA: As disaster relief becomes more necessary under climate change, are SBA loans for disaster recovery actually used by small businesses?

May 4, 2022

Scenes from NPC22: Together Again

Catch a glimpse of the attendee experience — learning and connecting — at NPC22 in San Diego, April 30 - May 3.

May 3, 2022

Planners Take San Diego

More than 3,000 planners attended the in-person NPC22 in San Diego, April 30-May 2. The group spread out throughout San Diego and the surrounding region to explore the area's planning endeavors and all the host city had to offer. Check out what got planners excited.