Blog
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May 10, 2023
Should States Shrink Zoning?
Spotlight on Zoning Practice: Is state preemption of local zoning the answer to the housing crisis? -
April 21, 2023
It Takes a Planner: Communicating Your Value to Policymakers
APA is launching “It Takes a Planner”, an effort aimed at building the influence of planners among state and local elected and appointed officials. -
March 8, 2022
Understanding Redlining and Its Impacts
Documentary explores the long-lasting impacts of redlining on communities. -
April 13, 2021
Connecticut Planners Take Zoning Reform Fight to the State
Zoning reform efforts are underway in Connecticut, a state with a long history of exclusionary zoning. Several bills that aim to tackle zoning reform are in play at the legislature this session — and planners are weighing in. -
Administration’s Bold Infrastructure Plan Holds Promise For Planners, But Questions Remain
Planners and communities are eager to see transformational infrastructure policy move forward in Washington. While President Biden's infrastructure plan offers much promise, there are also important questions that remain unanswered about support for planning-led solutions in any infrastructure package. -
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. -
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 7, 2020
Will Congress Deliver the Relief Communities Need to Avoid Fiscal Calamity?
Communities are facing mounting fiscal pressures as expenditures skyrocket and revenues quickly dry up. APA has joined with leading national organizations to urge Congress to provide robust, flexible relief for municipalities and states now. -
April 28, 2020
How to Help Your Community Access CARES Act Aid
The CARES Act provides local governments with relief aid to address the immediate economic impact of COVID-19. Be in the know about how to help your community access CARES Act aid. -
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. -
Proposed NEPA Changes Costly, Threaten Community Safety
In response to the proposed overhaul of NEPA regulations, the American Planning Association (APA) and Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) urge the Trump administration to not abandon review of development and infrastructure projects. -
August 6, 2019
Address the Nation’s Housing Crisis: Action for the States
State legislation is a part of housing reform. Here are APA's actions for the states. -
Federal Surface Transportation Debate Shifts Into High Gear
The nation's current surface transportation law is set to expire on September 30, 2020. Learn where work on the bill stands now, the legislative process ahead, and how planners can influence the outcome. -
"If I'd Heard From Just One Constituent..."
The constituent voice is critical for elected officials as they make decisions. Take a peek at how planners elevated their voices at the state level as 2019 legislative sessions wrap up. -
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. -
October 26, 2018
Planners at the Polls: Housing, Infrastructure on 2018 Ballots
State and local ballot measures are driving voters to the polls this fall. We are watching some key planning-related measures that could have an impact on your community. -
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. -
July 31, 2018
What Does the Farm Bill Mean for Planning and Public Health?
Discussions about the next Farm Bill are under way, both in Congress and across the country. Learn more about this multi-year law that authorizes most federal policies governing food and agriculture. -
July 25, 2018
What to Know as Congress Gears Up for Farm Bill Conference
The current farm bill is set to expire. The House and Senate will meet to confer on bills that differ on policies for farming, land conservation, nutrition programs, planning, and rural development. -
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. -
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. -
Why We Need to Pass a Law That Funds Urban Green Spaces
Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán recently introduced the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program Act of 2017, a bill that would codify funding for the development of urban parks, green spaces, and recreational areas in communities across the country. -
October 12, 2016
Perspectives on Planning in London and the U.S. Suburban Midwest
U.S. planner Andy Cross, AICP, shares insights into the differences in English and American planning that he gleaned in London. -
Can You Sue the Government for Climate Change Impacts?
Well, a lot depends on circumstances, and environmental law is seldom a simple thing. But the answer, according to Jon Kusler, a veteran in this field, may increasingly be yes. -
March 20, 2016
Planning in the Grand Canyon State
Arizona has struggled politically, socially, and economically to become what it represents today.
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