May 22, 2025
"It can't last."
That's what I remember thinking as planning efforts and funding increased between 2021 and 2024. Seeing new enthusiasm for transportation, environmental justice, and climate change, driven by pandemic-era recovery dollars and fresh infrastructure spending, was thrilling, but I was still cautious.
I'd had a similar feeling many times growing up as a beleaguered Boston Red Sox fan. In 1978, they blew a 14-game lead over the hated New York Yankees to lose the division in a heartbreaking tiebreaker game. Then, in 1986, the Red Sox famously got within one strike of winning it all, only to see their defense fail and eventually lose the title to the New York Mets.
Similarly, during these past four years — when it felt like planners were on offense and the question was not how to raise funds for planning efforts, but how to get the capacity to even spend the funds — a new generation of planners came into the field feeling optimistic about where things were headed with the American Rescue Plan Act and the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act. But were we prepared to play defense if the policy landscape took a tough bounce and the outlook of the game shifted?
Most planners are good at being on offense, but sports fans know that half the game is played on defense. Basketball diehards know that defense is the key to winning championships, because the best teams possess the ability to swiftly transition and maintain a strong connection among players.
Over the next several years, we will have to dedicate a significant amount of our time to playing defense. The sooner we adapt to this new game plan, the better.
The "bad boy" Detroit Pistons of the 1980s are often remembered as a rough-and-tumble team that won games through brute force. What is overlooked is that they also won as many games by playing aggressive defense as they did on offense. The 2007-08 Boston Celtics and 1995-96 Chicago Bulls are considered two of the best defensive basketball teams of all time — and they both won championships. That year, the Bulls finished with a 72-10 record and did not lose a single game that January.
As planners, I think we've become so used to shooting the ball that we become demoralized when the other team steals it. We forget to pivot back to defend our half. At this moment, maybe it's time for planners to keep their eyes on the ball and play some lockdown defense.
The keys to playing defense in 2025
To be a planner often means to be under fire. It may feel very hot right now, when almost every program that planners love and value is being defunded or even dismantled. With such important issues facing us, we can't just give up. It's time to get back on defense.
What does that mean in this context? It can be as simple as protecting the good programs that already exist from being eliminated. Or it could mean telling the same stories — just in a different way. Here are a couple of examples:
COMPLETE STREETS: The federal government recently deleted online resources and information related to complete streets efforts that accommodate all modes of transportation. We may initially be shocked about this change, but it's really a return to longstanding federal policies on prioritizing cars. To regain support, planners should describe how complete streets increase economic activity to win back skeptical federal officials. Economic arguments are more likely to get attention from the current administration than talking about bike lanes and slowing traffic.
HOUSING: Similarly, the proposed federal budget cuts funding for low-income housing programs, like Section 8. Planners often make equity arguments to support affordable housing efforts. But an alternative framing opportunity would be to provide data on how housing people is actually cheaper than allowing people to become unhoused.
These approaches may not immediately get the ball back but can stop the other team from scoring.
Embrace the defensive mindset
Over the next several years, we will have to dedicate a significant amount of our time to playing defense. The sooner we adapt to this new game plan, the better.
The fundamental elements of planning best practices and values remain unchanged. Authentic community engagement, communication, technical expertise, and explaining why planning matters will be more important than ever. While we may not have well-funded programs to use in implementing good planning, we will build the framework for future programs by protecting the need for them.
We must all embrace a defensive mindset while remaining ready to execute the transition game and capitalize on scoring opportunities when they arise. Let's get good at getting the ball back and scoring some points!
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