Blog
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May 19, 2026
Integrating Art and Creativity Into Public Engagement
Thousands of planners convene each year in a designated host city for the American Planning Association's (APA) National Planning Conference (NPC). The Planners' Day of Service provides visiting planners with an opportunity to make a positive impact on NPC's host community. -
May 18, 2026
AI and Knowledge Work: Critical Thinking
While AI in knowledge work presents opportunities for growth and upskilling, the use of AI may also lead to overreliance or other changes to the way we do our jobs and work with communities. Understanding both the pros and cons of using AI in planning work is essential for making informed decisions about integrating it into the workplace and job descriptions. -
April 6, 2026
The Digital Accessibility Time Bomb: Leveraging AI to Accelerate Compliance
The previous two parts in "The Digital Accessibility Time Bomb" series established the scope of the accessibility problem (Part 1) and the institutional barriers that prevent easy solutions (Part 2). This final part turns to what might actually work: AI tools that can help planners create and remediate accessible documents at a scale that manual processes cannot match. -
March 23, 2026
The Digital Accessibility Time Bomb: Navigating Institutional Barriers
Planners should expect to face institutional barriers as they seek to promote compliance with web accessibility standards. Preparing talking points for conversations with decision-makers and adding contract provisions to planning-related vendor agreements can help planners navigate some of these barriers. Part 2 of 3. -
March 16, 2026
From Kitchen Tables to City Hall: Making Planning Accessible and Personal in Danville
PLAN Danville’s 2024 comprehensive plan was shaped by a women-led team that prioritized accessible, community-centered engagement and inclusivity. -
March 9, 2026
The Digital Accessibility Time Bomb: A Reality Check on WCAG Compliance
The U.S. Department of Justice requires all state and local governments to comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. Planners can take an essential first step toward compliance by auditing existing PDFs, project websites, and interactive tools. Part 1 of 3. -
February 23, 2026
Targeted Online Harassment: Are You Prepared?
As public-facing staff deeply engaged in often-controversial community issues, planners are increasingly at risk of facing targeted online harassment. What would you do if you found yourself the victim of such a campaign? -
February 9, 2026
Free Data Science Tools for Mid-Career Planners
Planners are increasingly expected to leverage technological advances to provide data-driven guidance to decision-makers. Seasoned planners can take advantage of free self-directed and open-source data science courses and texts to build new hard skills and stay current in the field. -
January 12, 2026
Better Metrics for Communicating Planning Agency Value
Process-oriented metrics often fail to communicate the value of planning work to decision-makers and the public. Results-oriented metrics are more compelling but harder to connect to planning agency activities. Planning agencies can elevate the value of their work by developing performance metrics that bridge process and results, aligning daily activities with broader community goals. -
January 5, 2026
Using GIS to Shape Growing Communities
Sponsored content from University of Cincinnati. -
December 22, 2025
Three Ways AI Can Be a Planner's Friend
Discover how AI can help planners streamline routine tasks freeing time for much more important human work endeavors. -
December 11, 2025
Using Public Testimony to Guide Restorative Land Policies
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how planners can use insights from California’s reparations processes to advance land-based justice, equity, and community restoration through reparative planning practices. -
December 6, 2025
Communities Need Planners Now More Than Ever
APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP, was invited to share her thoughts about planners being the pillars of democracy. -
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. -
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 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 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 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. -
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. -
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 15, 2025
Planners Are the Storytellers Our Communities Need
Over 70 advocates across 27 states nationwide met with members of Congress in both parties to share why their communities need federal support for housing and local zoning reform at APA’s online Planners’ Day on Capitol Hill. -
June 26, 2025
France’s Model for Smarter Cities Through Urban Data Standardization
Global Perspectives: Learn how France improved urban data comparability while preserving local context through standardization, a centralized platform, and public-private collaboration. -
May 22, 2025
Get Outside! Improve Your Mental Health and Well-Being
Learn how nature can help reduce your stress and improve your mental health and overall well-being, and how much time you need to spend in the outdoors to achieve positive benefits. -
May 20, 2025
Missing But Not Gone: New Homes for Federal Data
As federal databases are moved off of government websites, other institutions such as nonprofits and universities are stepping in to preserve and house this data. -
May 5, 2025
Three Tips for Engaging Gen Z in Planning
Engage Generation Z in planning decisions to create civic engagement and a commitment to their communities. -
May 2, 2025
Advancing Highway Safety With Insights from Altitude's Harsh Events Capability
Sponsored content from Altitude by Geotab. -
April 30, 2025
Improve Planning Processes by Asking These 3 Questions
Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. Here are three simple questions you can ask yourself to improve your planning processes internally and for residents. -
March 17, 2025
Leveraging Urban Data Storytelling to Create Change in Your Community
Sponsored Content from UC Berkeley + University of Toronto. Earn CM credits by participating in the Workshop in Urban Data Storytelling, a training program to help planners leverage data analysis and storytelling to advance local urban initiatives. -
February 27, 2025
Ethics of AI-Enhanced Planning
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how AI-enhanced planning can drive urban development while requiring planners to tackle biases, ensure transparency, safeguard privacy, and engage communities to promote ethical and equitable outcomes. -
February 13, 2025
Planning is Not Project Management
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how planners can go beyond project management with negotiation, persuasion, and creativity to navigate digital media, advocacy, and development. -
February 7, 2025
Transforming Kansas City’s Historic 18th and Vine District
Equity in Practice: Kansas City invests in 18th and Vine District to overcome past harms and preserve its cultural heritage. -
January 7, 2025
New APA Rules of Conduct Released
The Board approved APA's Rules of Conduct. Learn more about the new Welcoming Environment Committee, updated policies and procedures, leadership training, and online resources. -
December 20, 2024
4 Legislative Wins for Planners and Housing Reform in the 118th Congress
The past two years have brought about significant changes across the country — but housing supply and zoning reform remain top-of-mind for planners, elected officials, and their communities. Here are four legislative wins planners — and APA — made possible in the 118th Congress. -
December 18, 2024
Improving Planning Access for South Los Angeles
Equity in Practice: The Los Angeles City Planning Department improves access to planning services for residents of South LA, overcoming historical harms and exclusion. -
November 11, 2024
Rogers, Arkansas, Planners Take On Regulatory Reform
APA Public Affairs Program Manager Brenna Donegan spoke to planning advocate John McCurdy about how his city of Rogers, Arkansas is addressing housing challenges, and why other small to mid-size communities in Northwest Arkansas need federal investment and support to make smart zoning reforms happen. -
November 7, 2024
How Practitioners Define Sustainability
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how city sustainability leaders define their work, focusing on aspiration, collaboration, and resource sharing to drive local initiatives. -
November 6, 2024
3 Ways Planners Can Help Build a More Future-Focused Community
Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. Planning professionals should stay on the lookout for solutions that empower them to focus on the work that improves their communities. Check out three ways governments can build more connected, future-focused communities by leveraging digital government solutions. -
October 24, 2024
How Nonprofits Are Shaping Community Organizing
Uncovering JAPA: Explore how subcontracting community organizing to nonprofits can enhance resident participation but risks perpetuating power inequities without addressing systemic racial and class-based disparities. -
October 9, 2024
What to Do When the Map Doesn’t Match the Text
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Zoning map-to-text mismatches may be more common than you think. But planners can help prevent and fix these discrepancies. -
October 4, 2024
Planning Advocates Open Doors to New Connections
Policymakers at local, state, and national levels depend on planners to bring data, insights, and guidance that can shape the policies that change lives. This week, planning advocates brought those insights to Capitol Hill during APA’s annual Congressional Fly-In. -
October 3, 2024
From Global Classroom to Home: Confronting Cultural Differences
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how haigui leverage their U.S. education to advocate for innovative planning practices in China, navigating cultural differences along the way. -
September 9, 2024
The Importance of Intergenerational Community Placemaking
Learn how planners can advocate for intergenerational community planning to address the needs of an aging population and create inclusive, equitable spaces for all ages. -
September 5, 2024
Bridging the Gap: Planners and Stakeholders
Uncovering JAPA: See how planners can enhance transparency and collaboration to address power imbalances and prevent corruption in projects. -
August 29, 2024
Applicability and Ethics of Extended Reality (XR) in Planning
Uncovering JAPA: Explore how extended reality (XR) is utilized for urban design and public engagement, and the rising question about whether XR will enhance planning or lead to dystopian outcomes. -
August 26, 2024
A New Urban Vision for Atlanta’s Most Popular Suburb
Learn how Sandy Springs, Georgia, is using geographic information system (GIS) technology to manage rapid urban growth while balancing the needs of diverse communities and preserving the city's character. -
August 22, 2024
Multinational Survey: Planners' Use of New Technology
Uncovering JAPA: Learn how planners are adopting new technologies and how AI is expected to impact administrative work, while its role in community engagement remains uncertain. -
August 21, 2024
Planning Ethics and Generative AI
Understand the intersection of planning practice and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. -
August 7, 2024
Building on Success: Housing Reform in Grand Rapids
Since the 2002 master plan, Grand Rapids has seen more than $7 billion of construction invested in the city. Efforts like eliminating single family zoning and studies of individual neighborhood needs have now positioned Grand Rapids for bolder housing reforms with lower risk of gentrification or displacement of neighborhoods. -
July 18, 2024
Can ChatGPT Analyze Public Feedback?
Uncovering JAPA: Learn how ChatGPT analyzes public feedback data, aiding urban planners with high accuracy and essential human oversight.
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