Blog
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October 10, 2025
Homelessness Executive Order Prompts Sweeping Changes
Trump’s recent Executive Order on homelessness and public safety, Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets, is prompting regulatory changes from the Departments of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Health and Human Services (HHS), and Justice (DOJ) related to existing programs and funding related to homelessness. Learn how this is impacting planning practices. -
September 11, 2025
Executive Order to Overhaul Federal Homelessness Policy
A new Trump administration Executive Order (EO), "Ending Crime and Disorder on America’s Streets," may prompt significant shifts in federal policy on tackling homelessness. Learn how this impacts planning practices. -
August 18, 2025
Budget Battle: Senate, House, and the Trump Administration
As planners continue to advocate for fiscal and policy changes that would secure federal level support for local planning-led reform, the differences in each of the Trump, House, and Senate proposals would have a significant impact on the planning work that is able to move forward in our communities. -
August 13, 2025
State EV Funding Restored with New Guidance in Response to Court Order
The Trump administration has released new guidance for an electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure program established as part of the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Find out how this impacts transportation and planning practices. -
August 1, 2025
'ROAD to Housing' is Paved by Planning
The ROAD to Housing Act is the biggest housing package in a generation, made possible through bipartisan compromise and support for local reforms. It marks an important victory in bipartisan federal action on housing. -
August 1, 2025
Senate THUD Spending Bill Ignores Trump Budget, Funds Key Housing Programs
The new Senate THUD bill provides more funding than the House Committee's version. -
July 18, 2025
One Big Beautiful Bill's Impact on Planning
On July 4, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR 1). Learn more about the important changes impacting the planning profession. -
July 18, 2025
House Bill Maintains CDBG, Slashes Funding for Zoning Reform
The U.S. House of Representatives took the first step toward approving a spending bill covering funding for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD). Find out how this impacts planning. -
June 25, 2025
High Court Limits NEPA, Adds Momentum to Reform Efforts
A unanimous U.S. Supreme Court decision in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County, Colorado, limited the scope of reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and strongly encouraged greater judicial deference to agency reviews and decisions. -
June 23, 2025
Stormy Forecast For FEMA and the Future of Mitigation Policy
The Trump administration aims to announce a plan to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in late 2025. -
June 17, 2025
Trump Administration Gives Green Light to Autonomous Vehicles
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a new process for approving waivers to vehicle design standards. The move has significant implications for autonomous vehicles (AVs) which require waivers for omitting required safety elements. -
May 22, 2025
House Moves Major Tax Bill Forward
The U.S. House of Representatives passed its 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' in a narrow, late-night vote. For planners, the bill's housing, infrastructure finance, clean energy, and economic development elements are especially critical. Learn about the mixed bag of policies included in the bill. -
May 12, 2025
Tackling Uncertainty: Congressionally Directed Spending Requests
With the new unpredictability of some federal grants, many communities are looking for other ways to drive federal investment into local planning and projects. An alternative, or perhaps a supplement, to either discretionary grants or formula-based funding may be congressionally directed spending, known as “earmarks.” -
May 7, 2025
Trump Budget Proposes Cuts to Key Housing, Community Development Programs
On May 2, the Trump administration released their Fiscal Year 2026 "skinny" budget proposal outlining funding recommendations for federal programs. Learn more on what planners should expect and APA's response. -
April 28, 2025
What’s Next for Transportation Policy?
The 2024 election results mark unified Republican control of the White House and Congress. Here are some ways planners can expect the administration to chart a different regulatory course for transportation programs and policy. -
April 17, 2025
New Standards Issued for Regional Economic Development Plans
The U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) has issued new guidance for required Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy plans (CEDS). Learn how these new standards will affect planners. -
April 17, 2025
FEMA Waives Equity, Climate Requirements for Local Mitigation Plans
FEMA has issued new guidance related to requirements for incorporating underserved communities, socially vulnerable populations, and climate change into local hazard mitigation plans. Those sections are now removed from the guide outlining plan requirements. Read more on how this is affecting planning practices. -
April 7, 2025
FEMA Suspends Key Pre-Disaster Mitigation Funding
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton issued a memorandum suspending funding for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. The action stops $750 million in planned grants for FY25. Learn how this will impact planners. -
April 2, 2025
USDOT Announces Updated Safe Streets for All Grant Notice
The Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) discretionary program is now accepting applications. -
March 27, 2025
7 Actions for Planners Facing Insecure Federal Funding
A variety of federal grant programs are at risk of losing funding due to recent actions by the Trump Administration, including discretionary programs such as Safe Streets for All, RAISE/BUILD grants, and Reconnecting Communities. Here are 7 actions for planners to take when federal grant funds in their communities are in jeopardy. -
March 27, 2025
4 Ways to Use State Funding for Local Housing Supply
As federal funding programs are changed, reduced, or curtailed, localities are increasingly looking to states to supplement finance efforts to produce, preserve, and improve housing supply. Here are four ways to use state funding for local housing action, plus a look at two states that are creating even more opportunities for financing -
March 27, 2025
Finance Tools for Housing Abundance
Despite a shifting political environment, planners can still support their communities in securing funding for local reforms that increase housing abundance. Here are four tips to explore the wide variety of financial tools available, and a look at how some communities are already using these tips to their advantage. -
March 27, 2025
DOT Rescinds Guidance to States – Here’s What It Means for Planners
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has begun to undo a variety of directives from the Biden administration that guided state and federal infrastructure investments. There are potentially troubling signs that progress through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law in areas like biking, pedestrian safety, and environmental impacts may be jeopardized. -
March 25, 2025
New Executive Order Targets Community Development Financial Institutions
President Trump signed an Executive Order targeting the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund for elimination. -
March 24, 2025
Continuing Resolution Averts Shutdown
In mid-March, Congress passed H.R. 1968, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Extension Act, which President Trump signed into law, stopping a potential government shutdown. -
March 24, 2025
U.S. EPA Announces Sweeping Deregulatory Agenda
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced an agenda to formally reconsider more than 30 existing rules and regulations. Administrator Zeldin called the effort “the biggest deregulatory action in American history.” -
March 24, 2025
How Can YOU Help Protect Federal Grants?
Grant programs from all agencies, including those coming out of the U.S. Department of Transportation grants (USDOT), may be frozen or even taken back due to perceived inconsistency with new guidance from the Trump administration. The new guidance will also change the eligibilities and criteria for future rounds of grants. Here’s what you can do. -
March 24, 2025
New Federal Direction to Communities on HUD Disaster Recovery Funds
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has released an updated notice on how communities can plan and use funds for disaster recovery under the CDBG-DR program.
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