December 12, 2006

New APA Division Will Address Hispanic Issues

WASHINGTON, DC — The American Planning Association (APA) is now home to the only national entity for professional planners and others concerned about community planning issues affecting Latinos. Named the Latinos and Planning Division, it is the 20th and newest division of APA.

"We're excited to offer a division within APA that will be focusing exclusively on the planning-related needs and concerns of Hispanic planners and their communities," said APA Executive Director and CEO Paul Farmer, FAICP. "The formation of this division comes at a critical time given that Hispanic Americans represent the largest ethnic minority in the country and public awareness of their concerns is growing," Farmer said.

Leading the effort to establish the division were about a dozen volunteer planning professionals and academics from around the United States. Since October 2005, they have been holding forums that have engaged approximately 200 professionals from around the country to establish a national agenda for action. Latinos and Planning has attracted a broad spectrum of practicing planners and community development professionals, students, and professors.

The national discussions took place in 10 dialogos (Spanish for "dialogues"), which were held between October 2005 and November 2006 and focused on two questions: What are the biggest challenges facing Latino planners? and What are the biggest planning challenges facing Latino communities? Findings of the dialogos were used to help shape the division's national agenda, as well as its goals and bylaws.

The division's website includes information on the national agenda, how the division was formed, and information about division membership. Site enhancements will include resources for planners working in Hispanic communities — ways to engage Latino residents and organizations in community planning efforts and ways to build planning capacity of organizations within Latino communities.

Other APA divisions include Planning and the Black Community, Indigenous Planning, New Urbanism, Economic Development, Private Practice, Housing and Community Development, Urban Design and Preservation, and Transportation Planning.

Contacts

Denny Johnson, APA Public Affairs, 202-349-1006; djohnson@planning.org