Blogs

A sign posted on the lawn of a vacant site with details about the applicant, proposed change, meeting date, and contact information.

May 13, 2024

Take Notice of Zoning Notifications

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Are your zoning notification practices reaching anyone other than the "usual suspects"?

May 10, 2024

Empowering the Next Generation of Planners

Equity In Practice: In Boston, a collaborative effort is empowering diverse youth to pursue careers in urban planning and create positive community impact.

April 11, 2024

Why Minnesota Needs to Protect the 2040 Plan

Minnesota needs to protect the 2040 Plan to maintain its position as a national leader in housing supply and zoning reform, which is crucial for addressing the housing attainability crisis and ensuring housing equity and affordability across the state.

March 21, 2024

Housing Assistance and Mental Health: Testing the Direct Association

Uncovering JAPA: HUD two housing program: vouchers for private landlords and public housing.

March 11, 2024

Women Advocates for Quality Housing

Two women were early trailblazers in ensuring the availability of safe, quality and affordable housing.

January 19, 2024

60 Years of Racial Equity in Urban Planning

Uncovering JAPA: Insightful analysis about racial equity planning to inform planning practitioners' efforts to advance racial and social justice.

January 17, 2024

Reconnecting a City to its Cherokee Culture Through Planning

How an architecture firm connected with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to craft a downtown master plan in Cherokee, North Carolina.

January 8, 2024

The AARP Livability Index Platform: A Planning Resource for Livable Communities

Sponsored content from AARP. Through the AARP Livability IndexTM platform and other livable community resources, AARP seeks to support efforts by planners and APA to help inform policy, increase community awareness and participation, and improve the quality of life for people of all ages.

December 21, 2023

Prioritizing Environmental Justice in Comprehensive Planning

Uncovering JAPA: California plans are analyzed for environmental justice (EJ) incorporation, revealing advancements in BIPOC communities while underscoring the absence of an explicit racial focus.

December 20, 2023

Placemaking by Shredding

Florida intergovernmental agency's Skateable Art Park transforms unused space into skaters’ dream.

December 20, 2023

The Impact of Infrastructure and Workforce Challenges on Local Housing Supply

The Housing Supply Accelerator recently concluded its series of convenings in Atlanta, focused on the need to align infrastructure investments with housing development and address the shortage of construction workers through strategic initiatives.

December 14, 2023

Restorative Pathways: Navigating Healing and Justice in Communities Affected by Spatial Trauma

Uncovering JAPA: Addressing spatial trauma in Black and brown communities, urging today's planners to embrace equitable spatial development through healing approaches.

December 11, 2023

Can Zoning Save Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: What role can zoning play in shielding naturally occurring affordable housing from redevelopment?

November 17, 2023

Improving Inclusivity of Urban Governance

Uncovering JAPA: Nurturing the culture of a governing body can make it more inclusive for everyone.

November 9, 2023

The Impact of Prejudice Data on Advancing Equitable Planning Practices

Uncovering JAPA: Understanding the impact of the Mapping Prejudice project on advancing more equitable planning policies and practices.

November 2, 2023

Impact of Low-Cost Housing Interventions

Uncovering JAPA: The positive impact of low-cost housing remediations led to reduced blight and crime in Philadelphia.

October 27, 2023

Examining the Role of Land Use and Regulations in Housing Development

A recap of the third convening for the Housing Supply Accelerator focusing on examining the role of regulatory processes in facilitating housing production to address shortages.

October 27, 2023

Strategies for Creating More Just and Equitable Societies

Uncovering JAPA: This viewpoint explores three aforementioned strategies that can be used to start dismantling the existing system in favor of a more just system that that works for everyone.

October 23, 2023

Investing and Rejuvenating Historic All-Black Towns

Equity in Practice: Weekend festival focuses on helping historical all-Black towns survive and thrive.

October 20, 2023

Dissecting 30 Years of Black Urbanist Thought in Urban Planning

Uncovering JAPA: Analysis confirms planning journals and practitioners have not focused on Black voices and Black urbanism for nearly three decades.

October 18, 2023

Three Governors Issue Executive Orders on Housing to Increase Supply

Governors of Colorado, New York, and Hawaii have exercised their executive powers to implement various levels of zoning reform within their states.

October 13, 2023

No State Immune to Housing Supply Shortage

A new report, sponsored by APA, finds that the nation's housing supply shortage is getting worse, faster — especially for small towns and suburban communities that face high housing demand in the aftermath of the pandemic.

October 12, 2023

A New Tool for Assessing Equity in Health Impact Assessments

Uncovering JAPA: A new approach to ensuring racial and ethnic equity are advanced in health impact assessments (HIAs).

September 12, 2023

Housing Finance Takes Focus at Most Recent Housing Supply Accelerator Convening

The second Housing Supply Accelerator convening held in Tacoma, Washington, focused on housing finance, including filling the information gap, public-private partnerships, and utilizing federal funding and programs.

August 31, 2023

Addressing Racial Harms Through Reparative Planning

Uncovering JAPA: A framework that provides theory and practice for planners working toward urban justice.

August 14, 2023

Whose Status Quo Should Zoning Protect?

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: How can zoning protect historically disadvantaged and vulnerable neighborhoods and business districts?

August 10, 2023

Using Reparative Planning to Address Infrastructural Systems

Uncovering JAPA: ACT-LA aims to apply a divest-invest approach to stopping systems and practices that have caused harm.

August 3, 2023

Black Counternarratives in Planning History

Uncovering JAPA: Understanding planning history from the perspective of those oppressed by traditional planning ensures the oppressed are no longer dismissed as passive victims but active players in their lives and communities.

July 13, 2023

SHELTER: A Redistributive Affordable Housing Policy

Uncovering JAPA: Plan to reuse existing revenues to fund innovative housing policy reforms.

July 10, 2023

Small Churches Equal Big Opportunity

Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Does your zoning allow new housing on faith-based land?

June 21, 2023

Three Chicago Housing Developments Meeting Community Needs

Members of the Housing Supply Accelerator Steering Committee tour three housing developments on Chicago's south and west sides to see innovation at work.

June 21, 2023

Construction and Development Issues Take Focus at Latest Housing Supply Accelerator Convening

Recent Housing Supply Accelerator convening explored the various issues and opportunities related to construction and development of the nation's housing.

June 13, 2023

Six LGBTQ+ Walking Tours

This June, learn about LGBTQ history while on your feet at one of these six historical walking tours.

June 7, 2023

The Importance of Intergenerational Communities

Multigenerational and age-friendly communities create a vehicle to bring generations together; reduce age segregation and ageism; decrease social isolation, depression, and loneliness; and improve community infrastructure and facilities.

June 6, 2023

New Habitat Restoration Tool Helps to Prioritize Equity

Equity in Practice: Fort Collins created a habitat equity tool that focuses not just on nature but people.

June 1, 2023

Designing Age-Friendly Connectivity in Melbourne, Australia

Uncovering JAPA: Study finds it necessary for planners to take action to ensure the built environment becomes more age-friendly.

May 31, 2023

An Activist Walking Guide to Philadelphia's Chinatown

A walking tour during NPC23 illustrates the opportunities and challenges facing Philadelphia's Chinatown.

May 23, 2023

Immigrant and Refugee Empowerment is Social Justice

A walking tour during NPC23 highlighted the impact of local community groups as they advocate for API residents.

May 5, 2023

Take 5: Celebrating Five Locations Honoring AAPI Heritage

Take 5: Travel the U.S. and learn about five places of significance that honor the heritage of Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

April 27, 2023

Centering Equity in Planning and Public Health Collaborations

Uncovering JAPA: Without an equity focus, planning and public health collaborations can harm vulnerable communities or lead to ineffective policies.

April 14, 2023

Planning for Neurodiversity: NPC23 Planners' Day of Service

Planners' Day of Service at NPC23 explored neurodiversity within the built environment and assembled Calm Kits for a local Philadelphia organization.

March 30, 2023

Enforcing Asian Exclusion Through Design and Planning Regulations

Uncovering JAPA: Three cities in Los Angeles County developed stringent development controls to encourage Anglo or Spanish heritage in response to Asian newcomers.