Blog
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January 10, 2023
Congress Funds New ‘YIMBY’ Grants for Zoning Reform
Congress passes a new $85 million grant program aimed at zoning reform. The funding represents a new and significant incentive and support for local zoning reform and planning for housing affordability. -
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 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. -
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. -
November 4, 2021
White House Embraces Federal Zoning Reform Provision
New federal support for zoning reform is in President Biden's Build Back Better framework thanks to planners' advocacy. White House leaders recently made the case for why tackling zoning and housing supply challenges is at the center of the President's economic agenda. -
June 17, 2021
Big Little Towns: The Growing Reality of Western Gateway Communities
Uncovering JAPA: The changing realities of Western gateway communities. -
April 19, 2021
Shaping the Future of Municipalities Through Investment in Shared Spaces
Massachusetts' Shared Streets and Spaces grant program offers a look at improving quality of life by investing in public spaces. -
March 25, 2021
Return of Congressional Earmarks Marks New Funding Opportunity For Planners
Earmarks are back on Capitol Hill, giving planners a new pathway for securing funding for critical projects. APA's Jason Jordan breaks down what planners need to know to secure federal support for transportation project earmarks. -
February 25, 2021
What Planners Should Know About the Current COVID Relief Bill
The latest coronavirus relief bill has only one legislative hurdle to clear before becoming law. With the House of Representatives expected to vote on the final legislation tomorrow, planners will see federal action on one of our four legislative priorities this week. -
January 27, 2021
Planners Secure Zoning Reform Win in Massachusetts
A new economic development bill includes provisions that will make it easier for towns and cities across Massachusetts to produce more housing by greenlighting certain local zoning changes with a simple majority vote. -
December 29, 2020
Planners' Activism Spurred Congress to Act for Communities
Despite an unusually contentious and unpredictable two-year session, the 116th Congress acted on several long-time APA legislative priorities. -
December 16, 2020
Planners Poised to Play Prominent Role in Presidential Transition
Planners are advising President-elect Joe Biden's transition team, which could mean more opportunities to build federal support for planning and planning-related programs in the next four years. -
October 14, 2020
APA Urges Census Count to Continue
In light of the October 13, 2020, decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, APA urges the Census Bureau to continue the decennial count through the end of the month. -
September 9, 2020
4 Cost-Effective Ways Planners Can Boost Census Response
With less than a month before the end of data collection for the 2020 Census, planners are making final efforts to help increase self-response rates in the hardest-to-count neighborhoods. -
August 19, 2020
Centering Planning in the Federal Surface Transportation Debate
With the nation's current surface transportation law set to expire next month, APA Policy Director Jason Jordan explores the path to reauthorization legislation and the status of key planning priorities. -
July 8, 2020
Congress Looks to Planning as a Climate Crisis Solution
A new congressional climate action plan positions planning as one solution to tackling climate change. APA supported the creation of the plan by contributing ideas for how federal climate policy can set the context for effective local and regional plans. -
May 6, 2020
The Economic State of the States
A look at the economic state of the states at this point in the COVID-19 pandemic — and why planners are so critical to response and recovery. -
February 3, 2020
3 Top Issues for Planners in 2020 State Legislatures
As 2020 state legislative sessions start up, here are three top issues for planners. -
July 1, 2019
What Did and Didn't Change With the Supreme Court’s Knick Decision
APA Amicus Committee Chair John Baker explains what the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn a longstanding property takings precedent means for planners. -
May 13, 2019
Washington Talks Infrastructure: Will This Time Be Different?
APA Policy Director Jason Jordan reviews the current state of legislative debates on infrastructure in Washington and explores the ways in which APA and its planning advocates are influencing policy ideas in the making. -
November 20, 2018
Three Issues Congress Must Grapple With in 2018 Lame Duck Session
The final act of the 115th Congress is under way and the “lame duck” session has a number of pending issues and imminent deadlines, including appropriations, the Farm Bill, and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). -
November 7, 2018
10 Takeaways from the 2018 Midterm Elections
The 2018 Midterm Elections delivered historic firsts and set the stage for shifts in power likely to affect legislative outcomes on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures nationwide. APA reviews the key takeaways. -
October 12, 2018
Hazard Mitigation Reforms Hitch a Ride on FAA Bill
Congressional legislation reauthorizing the FAA included important reforms that promote hazard mitigation and resiliency. The legislation marks one of the most sweeping changes to federal hazard programs in years. -
October 9, 2018
Addressing Housing Solutions in Washington and Beyond
Housing issues took center stage at this year’s APA Policy and Advocacy Conference. Discussions of the nation’s housing crisis and new solutions to address housing affordability were the clear themes and focus. -
October 4, 2018
Congressional Funding Could Affect Your Local Park
Funding for our parks, green spaces, and the National Park Service are on Congress's agenda. APA is calling on planning advocates to ensure these vital spaces and sources of funding will be protected. -
June 1, 2018
Congress Making Progress on Appropriations, CR Still Likely
Congress is racing to complete as much appropriations work as possible prior to the August recess, but legislators are unlikely to avoid the need for a continuing resolution. -
May 24, 2018
House Appropriators Maintain Some Transportation, HUD Funding Gains
The House Appropriations Committee recently approved a spending bill for transportation and housing programs that maintains some of the dramatic increases to programs made by the FY 2018 omnibus. -
May 16, 2018
House Farm Bill Heads to Vote with Blows to Food Planning Programs
The Farm Bill, expiring in September, is one of the few “must do” items likely to make it across the finish line before election campaign season takes over. Jason Jordan previews the fight ahead. -
May 14, 2018
House Panel Set to Tackle Housing, Transportation Funding for FY 2019
Congress is gearing up to tackle housing and transportation funding questions for FY 2019. Will Congress support the administration’s cuts and return to budget austerity, or will it maintain or increase funding based on current enacted levels? -
May 14, 2018
TIGER Becomes BUILD
The next round of TIGER applications is here, and with it some noteworthy changes to the popular program. Learn about new shifts in the longstanding program and their likely impact on planners. -
April 2, 2018
Critical Planning Programs Fully Funded by the Omnibus
With the passage of the omnibus spending package, federal planning programs are fully funded through fiscal year 2018 (FY18). -
March 15, 2018
Infrastructure Remains a Priority, But Funding Still a Question Mark
APA's Policy Director Jason Jordan recaps the latest congressional overtures on an infrastructure package. -
March 6, 2018
Transit a Focus of Next DOT Automated Vehicle Policy
The U.S. Department of Transportation held a listening summit in Washington to preview its AV 3.0 guidance set for a summer release date. -
February 21, 2018
Taking the "UD" Out of HUD: President's Proposed Budget Kills Off Programs
The President's FY 2019 budget proposal dramatically changes the core functions of HUD by eliminating all community development programs and cutting off funds for renovating and modernizing public housing. -
February 13, 2018
Administration's 2019 Budget Would Devastate Core Planning Programs
Once again, the Trump administration has proposed eliminating federal funding for programs central to good planning. APA believes such attempts only hurt communities, and urges planning advocates to voice their support for these vital programs. -
February 13, 2018
Congress Still Working to Finalize Current Fiscal Year Spending
Congress approved a two-year budget deal that will allow Congress to wrap up work on the current fiscal year 2018 spending and begin initial discussions over the upcoming 2019 fiscal year. -
January 31, 2018
State of the Union's Infrastructure Aspirations Lofty but Details Scant
APA's Director of Policy Jason Jordan recaps President Trump's first State of the Union Address, the planning issues discussed, and policy issues Congress must address in the days ahead. -
January 25, 2018
Federal Government Reopens, Negotiations Continue
The short-lived government shutdown has come to an end, but the underlying policy issues that led to the shutdown still have not been resolved. -
January 23, 2018
Lay of the Land: 2018 State Legislative Sessions
By the end of January, almost 40 state legislatures across the nation will be in session. Get in the know about key issues and players likely to affect planning during the 2018 legislative season. -
January 11, 2018
HUD Extends Assessment of Fair Housing Deadline
In a controversial move, HUD issued a notice effectively suspending new fair housing planning rules until 2020. APA plans to submit comments on the action. -
December 18, 2017
Most Planning, Development Tools Survive in Tax Reform Compromise
House and Senate conferees have struck a compromise agreement on tax reform. While the bill preserves most planning and development tools, long-term effects of tax reform pose new uncertainties for local planning efforts and communities. -
December 5, 2017
Congressional Conference Committee Takes on Tax Reform
Congressional leaders are hoping to complete work on tax reform before the end of the year. The quickest way to accomplish that is reconciling the differences between the House and Senate bills through the conference committee process. -
December 4, 2017
Tax Reform Clears Senate; Key Planning Issues Still at Stake
With both House and Senate tax bills passed, it is now the job of conferees to reconcile the two for a final vote on tax reform before the holiday recess. Here's what APA likes and dislikes about each bill. -
November 21, 2017
Tax Reform Negotiations on the Horizon
Congress heads home for Thanksgiving having made significant progress on tax reform legislation. The House of Representatives passed its bill, and the Senate's legislation will head to the floor soon. -
November 10, 2017
Senate Tax Bill: Key Differences from the House Version
The Senate Finance Committee released a detailed summary of its own tax reform legislation just hours after the long-awaited tax bill hit the floor in the House. -
November 6, 2017
Analysis: Tax Reform Proposal Impacts Housing, Economic Development
The long-awaited tax reform legislation, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (HR 1), contains provisions that will have potentially significant impacts on housing and economic development activities. -
October 19, 2017
2020 Census Funding Increase Needed Urgently
The 2020 Census faces severe budgetary constraints for the irreplaceable decennial count. Similar problems could be in store for other Census Bureau activities, including the American Community Survey and the already delayed Economic Census. -
September 27, 2017
Planners Call on Congress: "Fund Community Programs"
At Planners' Day on Capitol Hill 2017, planning advocates urged their representatives to support programs that benefit communities. -
September 14, 2017
Touting TIGER's Benefits
In honor of the TIGER FY2017 Notice of Funding Opportunity, APA reached out to TIGER awardees who were recently granted funding and asked them to share the importance of TIGER to their communities. -
July 11, 2017
Congress Behind on FY 2018 Budget and Appropriations Work, Again
Congress moves on the Budget and Appropriations Process, but uncertainty still looms for Fiscal Year 2018.
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