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Federal Policy & Program BriefingPreliminary AgendaPolicies for Building Stronger and More Resilient Communities Washington, D.C. • September 29–October 1, 2013 Sunday, September 29, 2013Opening Keynote What will it take to move from "highways, houses, and hedges" to "trains, towers, and trees"? Explore the possibilities with Vishaan Chakrabarti, AIA, author of A Country of Cities: A Manifesto for an Urban America. His opening keynote will look at the broad policy changes needed to move toward a more prosperous, sustainable, and equitable future. Chakrabarti, a partner at SHoP Architects, directs the Center for Urban Real Estate at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Earlier, he headed the Manhattan office for the New York Department of City Planning. Plenary Session Sequestration and other federal austerity measures could cut into important planning programs. In response, states and municipalities are thinking about major changes to tax policy and new ways to generate revenue. How will continued federal fiscal pressure play out on the local level? This session will look at the future of sequestration, the prospects for new federal funding, and the chances of relieving the pressure for all levels of government. Concurrent Session As the U.S. population ages, policy makers need fresh approaches to mobility, housing, livability, public services, and fiscal stability. APA is leading the way by developing a policy guide on aging. Join in exploring the issues for seniors and the solutions for communities. Concurrent Session More than a third of Americans in poverty now live in the suburbs, a number that has increased sharply over the past two decades. The spike in economic inequality and the drop in economic mobility raise important policy and planning questions. Examine the latest research and discuss potential policy solutions to address the nation's changing social equity challenges. Daniel Burnham Forum on Big Ideas5:30–6:30 p.m. National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW, Washington Opening Reception — National Building Museum
Monday, September 30, 2013Breakfast Workshop Get the tools you need to make a compelling economic argument for good planning. This workshop takes APA's popular 2012 Communications Bootcamp to the next level. Learn to take on confrontational stakeholders and keep the public engaged in a positive, informed discussion. You'll come away with proven strategies for reframing the public discussion about planning and building political support. Plenary Session Find out right from the source what FEMA is doing to bolster local resilience to natural disasters. Speaker David Miller has served as the agency's associate administrator for the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration since September 2011. And learn how the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is helping communities minimize losses. Dr. Holly Bamford, deputy assistant administrator for the National Ocean Service, will explain NOAA's efforts to help communities protect themselves against flooding, hurricanes, sea level rise, and other coastal hazards. Plenary Session The U.S. housing market is changing. Demand is rising for multifamily housing and mixed use development in walkable, urbanized areas. Demographic changes are driving shifts in household formation. Affordability is a growing challenge in many areas. And federal housing policy is still dealing with fallout from the housing market collapse of 2008. How will all those changes affect federal housing and community development policy? What's ahead for public and affordable housing aid? What direction is Washington taking on housing finance reform? Hear what leading experts have to say about today's housing market dynamics and the implications for policy makers. Concurrent Session Federal agencies are working to provide communities with critical data and planning tools to help them prepare for changing economic and environmental conditions. In this session, agency leaders will talk about how they are engaging communities to ensure that these data and tools facilitate better local decision making. Concurrent Session The Obama administration has focused its economic development strategies on bundling infrastructure, community development, and job creation for regional impact. With the second term under way, what's the future of programs like Choice Neighborhoods and Promise Zones? What's happening to well-established initiatives like Community Development Block Grants? Learn about the vision for HUD's renamed Office of Economic Resilience and find out how the Economic Development Administration is spurring economic growth through innovation and advanced manufacturing. Luncheon Are communities better prepared to meet the challenges of vacant housing, unemployment, and underinvestment in infrastructure than they were four years ago? Award-winning reporter Michael Grunwald shares how he sees the outcomes of President Obama's $800 billion economic stimulus bill. Grunwald is the author of the New York Times bestseller The New New Deal: The Hidden Story of Change in the Obama Era. He is currently a senior national correspondent for Time magazine. Previously, he was a congressional correspondent, New York bureau chief, essayist, and national investigative reporter at the Washington Post. Concurrent Session MAP-21 expires in less than a year. It's time to evaluate the changes the legislation has produced and look for opportunities for improvements. Beyond the issue of funding, policy questions remain unanswered. What is the appropriate population threshold for a Metropolitan Planning Organization? What safety considerations need to be addressed for federal-aid transportation projects? What's happening with multimodal planning on the national level? Come and get the lay of the land for MAP-21. Concurrent Session Policy makers see green infrastructure a cost-effective way to manage stormwater and meet Clean Water Act goals. That's not to mention the benefits of improving livability and boosting economic competitiveness. The Obama administration is targeting green infrastructure through programs like the Urban Waters Federal partnership and the State Revolving Funds for water infrastructure. At the same time, Congress is preparing to reauthorize the Water Resources Development Act, which could lead to much-needed investment in both gray and green water infrastructure. Dive in and explore what these changes mean for communities considering green infrastructure. Concurrent Session Probe the fiscal and political realities that are pushing national policy makers toward tax reform. Given the political dynamics, what's likely to happen to municipal, private, and alternative bond programs like Build America? What can we expect for low-income housing and new market tax credits? What's down the road for the Highway Trust Fund? Take a look at the opportunities — and threats — for fixing or completely reinventing the tax system. Concurrent Session The public trust doctrine — that the government must protect certain resources for use by the public and future generations — has been consistently applied to navigable waterways. But as sea levels rise, who is responsible for the new shoreline? Is the atmosphere part of the public trust? Does the government have an obligation to protect it from greenhouse gases and other pollutants? Listen as speakers debate the boundaries of the public trust doctrine and report on recent efforts to expand its scope. CM law credits are requested for this session. Closing Plenary For many planners, the state legislature has become the focal point in major policy debates. Last year planning opponents scored no big wins on the state level — but don't discount the impact of increasingly polarized debates across the country. Get an update on important state legislation and look at the strategies behind successful advocacy campaigns aimed at state legislators. Find out what lies ahead in the states and how planners can be effective advocates for state policy. Tuesday, October 1, 2013Planners' Day on Capitol HillAdvocacy Day Mentoring and Networking Breakfast NEW! Are you interested in advocacy but unsure where to start? Pair up with an experienced planner for the day as you speak with policy makers about important planning issues. Advocacy Day Training and Issue Briefing What can you expect on Capitol Hill? Find out from "advocacy guru" Stephanie Vance. She'll give a complete briefing on the issues and asks for Planners' Day on Capitol Hill. Get answers to your questions, and head to the Hill as an effective advocate for good planning. Meetings on Capitol Hill Make your voice heard! APA will coordinate meetings for you with your congressional representatives. Speak with your representatives about what matters most to planning. Establish relationships with congressional staff and become your community's go-to resource for on-the-ground planning issues. Congressional Luncheon Hear directly from APA Legislators of the Year about the latest developments on Capitol Hill. Capitol Hill Briefing APA members brief congressional staff on the recent Netherlands professional study tour. Planners share what they learned firsthand about innovative solutions for enhancing the resiliency of communities near deltas, coastal regions, and river basins. | My APA
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