Blog
-
January 26, 2026
Planning Creates Housing for the 21st Century
While the political winds are clearly at the back of housing legislation in 2026, there are key challenges ahead. First, while ROAD and Housing 21 are very similar, they are not identical companion bills. So, a compromise will have to be reached by congressional leaders on which provisions to include in a final package. -
January 26, 2026
Building Endurance in an Era of Constant Change
A reflective practice can help you make sense of your work in a more constructive way, reducing the strain that often leads to burnout. -
January 16, 2026
2025: The Year Housing Took Center Stage in Congress
Throughout 2025, the American Planning Association has fought hard for pro-planning positions in a challenging environment, pushing against the trajectory and polarization that has taken hold of Washington. In a Congress so divided, APA and partner organizations looked for pockets of common ground to push a housing agenda forward at the federal, state, and local levels. -
January 16, 2026
How Houston is Restoring Streets — and Trust — in Freedmen’s Town
Two historic streets in Houston's oldest Black neighborhood needed repairs. But first, city officials had to mend relationships with residents. -
January 15, 2026
Rethinking How We Teach Zoning in Planning School
Uncovering JAPA: Discover why zoning remains a central planning tool and how teaching it with an equity-focused perspective, connected to broader planning strategies and local contexts, can better prepare future planners for practice. -
January 13, 2026
Leverage Zoning to Fight Against Criminalizing Homelessness
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can planners use zoning to resist the rising tide of homelessness criminalization? -
January 12, 2026
Creating Stronger Connections in a Disconnected World
In an era of feeling disconnected from coworkers, a free guide provides actionable ways to connect with your peers to help combat loneliness and improve individual wellbeing. -
January 12, 2026
Better Metrics for Communicating Planning Agency Value
Process-oriented metrics often fail to communicate the value of planning work to decision-makers and the public. Results-oriented metrics are more compelling but harder to connect to planning agency activities. Planning agencies can elevate the value of their work by developing performance metrics that bridge process and results, aligning daily activities with broader community goals. -
January 9, 2026
What We’ve Seen on the Housing Front 2025: State Policy Highlights and Trends
Across the country, housing rose to the top of legislative agendas with legislators introducing 412 housing reform bills and enacting 124 pro‑housing laws. Take a deeper look into the reforms enacted in 2025 and look ahead to the housing action to come in 2026. -
January 5, 2026
Using GIS to Shape Growing Communities
Sponsored content from University of Cincinnati. -
December 23, 2025
Planning Through the Black Mirror
The APA Technology Division creates a card game to help planners with scenario planning. -
December 22, 2025
Three Ways AI Can Be a Planner's Friend
Discover how AI can help planners streamline routine tasks freeing time for much more important human work endeavors. -
December 22, 2025
Planning a Better Mindset: Rethinking How We Think
Adopting a gratitude practice, which only takes two to three minutes a day, can be an effective way of regulating stress and restoring perspective under sustained pressure. -
December 19, 2025
In Memoriam: Hunter Morrison
In Memoriam: Hunter Morrison is remembered for a decades-long career shaping Cleveland and Northeast Ohio with innovative approaches to right-sizing and regional planning. -
December 19, 2025
U.S. DOT Opens Applications for BUILD Grants
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has opened a new round of funding applications for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. Learn how planners can utilize this federal funding. -
December 17, 2025
What APA Members Zoned In On for 2025
Reflect back on what planners read, watched, and listened to in 2025 from the American Planning Association. -
December 16, 2025
Could Accessory Commercial Units (ACUs) Help Fill the Missing Commercial Middle?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Many early-stage entrepreneurs have space needs that fall somewhere between a home occupation and "main street" commercial. Could accessory commercial units be the answer? -
December 11, 2025
Using Public Testimony to Guide Restorative Land Policies
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how planners can use insights from California’s reparations processes to advance land-based justice, equity, and community restoration through reparative planning practices. -
December 8, 2025
Trump Administration Updates WOTUS After Court Ruling
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is wading back into a regulatory dispute that has created uncertainty for decades: the extent of federal jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act over smaller wetlands and unconnected waterways. Learn how this is impacting planning. -
December 8, 2025
A Tool to Support Community Resilience: The AARP Livability Index™ Platform
Sponsored content from AARP -
December 8, 2025
The Future of State Disaster Funding: Three Things to Know
The role of state governments in mitigating and responding to natural hazards is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. As climate change continues to drive increasingly frequent and severe storm events across the country, continued federal funding for mitigation and post-disaster recovery is uncertain at best. -
December 8, 2025
Building the Skills to Manage Life’s Ups and Downs
Get four tips on how to consistently build your personal resilience so you are better able to manage the ups and downs of life. -
December 6, 2025
Communities Need Planners Now More Than Ever
APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP, was invited to share her thoughts about planners being the pillars of democracy. -
December 5, 2025
Which Planning Skills Do Employers Want?
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how employers value planners who combine broad knowledge of land use and related fields with strong managerial, analytical, communication and engagement skills across specializations. -
December 3, 2025
University of Cincinnati Launching Online Master of City Planning Program
Sponsored content from University of Cincinnati -
November 14, 2025
Four JAPA Award Winners Honored in Minneapolis
At the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning’s annual conference in Minneapolis in October, the American Planning Association (APA) recognized two scholars and two papers that appeared in the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA). -
November 12, 2025
Quinault Indian Nation Engages in Multi-Year Effort to Move Village to Reduce Flood Risk
Equity in Practice: The Quinault Indian Nation is in the process of relocating the village of Taholah in Washington's Olympic Peninsula to higher ground due to flood and tsunami hazards. The multi-year process is dependent on funding availability. -
November 11, 2025
Advancing Equitable Planning Practices
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how a 2024 survey finds planners value equity but face funding, knowledge, and support gaps that hinder implementation. -
November 10, 2025
Beyond the Platform: How Planners Can Get Digital Engagement Right
As more of daily life is shifted to an online arena, it is increasingly important to understand when — and how — to best leverage digital tools and platforms to improve public participation in planning processes. -
November 7, 2025
With Planning We Can!
A joint statement from the Global Planners Network member organizations about the 76th anniversary of World Town Planning Day. -
October 28, 2025
Idaho Population Boom Spurs Demand for Housing Action
APA’s Brenna Donegan interviewed Idaho Falls’ Catherine McClure on housing challenges, population growth, NIMBY attitudes, and Congress supporting local housing reforms. -
October 27, 2025
Beyond Consensus: Redefining Successful Public Meetings
It's time to stop chasing the impossible dream of achieving perfect consensus in community engagement. Public meetings will always be messy. But when participants can walk out of a public meeting feeling satisfied with the process, that's a win that planners can aim for — and achieve. -
October 27, 2025
Five Things You Need to Know to Advance Your Career in Challenging Times
Discover how APA’s Career Consultations empower planners to invest in themselves, build community, and find purpose in today's changing professional landscape. -
October 24, 2025
FCC Updates Regulations on Wireless Telecommunication Infrastructure
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has agreed to launch a new rulemaking on wireless telecommunication infrastructure and cell towers. Find out how this impacts planning. -
October 23, 2025
How COVID-19 Redefined Urban Public Space
Uncovering JAPA: Recently adopted street policies helped shape emergency responses as cities transformed streets into cafés and social spaces during COVID-19. Explore if these programs represented an adaptation of existing policies or a dramatic change, and needed actions for maintaining viable street cafe programs. -
October 22, 2025
Gwinnett County 2045 Unified Plan
2025 Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan: Gwinnett County 2045 Unified Plan guides suburban growth while improving access to housing, transportation, and community spaces amid rapid growth and demographic change. -
October 22, 2025
The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study
The 2025 Advancing Diversity and Social Change Award in Honor of Paul Davidoff: The Clarkston Greenway Feasibility Study centers community voices and uses multilingual engagement efforts to expand equitable access to nature, transit, and essential services. -
October 22, 2025
Heavyweight Impact: The Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Planning Study for Inclusive Neighborhood Growth
The 2025 National Planning Excellence Award: The Heavyweight Impact: The Joe Louis Greenway Neighborhood Planning Study for Inclusive Neighborhood Growth, uses the 30-mile greenway as a catalyst for equitable growth, neighborhood redevelopment, and stronger community connections. -
October 22, 2025
Land Use Planning for Wildfires in California Training Program
2025 Sustainability & Resilience Award: Land Use Planning for Wildfires in California Training Program brings planners and fire officials together to collaborate, apply science-based strategies, and reduce wildfire risk while building stronger, more resilient communities. -
October 13, 2025
Recognizing and Combating Burnout
Learn to recognize early signs of burnout and how to overcome the effects. -
October 13, 2025
Managing AI Build-Out in a Winner-Take-Most World
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: AI may seem like something that happens on a screen, but it’s "deeply physical" with clear stakes for local communities. The data centers that help train and serve AI models and the energy generation, storage, and transmission facilities necessary to power these data centers present a very tangible set of tradeoffs to host communities. -
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. -
October 10, 2025
Pueblo of Laguna Bike and Pedestrian Plan Connects Six Villages
The Pueblo of Laguna used a community-driven bicycle and pedestrian route plan to create safer, connected walking and biking routes across its six villages, improving public safety and promoting healthier lifestyles. -
October 9, 2025
Rethinking Transportation for Aging Communities
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how older adults without cars face mobility challenges, and why flexible, affordable transportation options and walkable communities are essential to keeping them connected. -
October 9, 2025
APA's Office Moves to Chicago Icon AON Center
To better serve APA members and adapt to changing post-pandemic trends, APA's flagship office recently moved to an iconic Chicago building. -
October 2, 2025
How Cities Can Plan For Persistent Remote Work
Uncovering JAPA: Discover how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to home-based activities, cutting out-of-home travel and office use while boosting remote work and housing demand. -
October 1, 2025
Planning Smart Cities with Enterprise Software
Sponsored content from Tyler Technologies. Choosing the right enterprise community development software is essential when it comes to planning a smart city -
September 30, 2025
APA President Sue Schwartz Elected as Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration
APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP, is elected to the National Academy of Public Administration 2025 Class of Fellows. The Academy provides thought leadership that advances the field of public administration. -
September 26, 2025
Advocating for Housing Action on the Hill
As Congress debates federal action on housing, advocates headed to Capitol Hill to ensure planners' voices are part of the conversation. Armed with their community stories, on-the-ground insights, and professional expertise, planners let their representatives know in no uncertain terms: federal investment in planning and zoning reform is the path to solving the housing crisis. -
September 26, 2025
Reclaiming a Forgotten Waterway to Elevate Culture, Safety, and Ecology
Equity in Practice: The San Pedro Creek Culture Park transformed a neglected, flood-prone drainage ditch in downtown San Antonio into a 2.2-mile linear park that combines flood control, ecology, art, and cultural heritage while generating significant community and economic benefits.
Showing 1 - 50
of 921
Next >