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Yes, Transit Can Support Affordable Housing
Affordable housing is a challenge facing many cities across the country with solutions focusing on increasing supply. The Oregon Department of Transportation took a different approach and wanted to see how transit could increase overall affordability across the state.- Brian Waterman, AICP
- Sumi Malik
- Rebecca Dann Hewitt, AICP
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Engaging Faith-Based Organizations to Secure Affordable Housing
Georgia Tech's urban design studio partners with 2 Presbyterian churches, a Baptist Church, and a Synagogue to conduct deep-dive explorations into opportunities, challenges, and realities that communities of faith face when they get involved in the City’s affordable housing scene.- Kortney Cena
- Miriam Dominguez
- Colin Delargy
- Clifton McFarlane
- Jullanar Waheed
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Hybrid Engagement - New Normal
To avoid project shut-down, these planners learned to “surf” the waves of COVID-19 conditions, and pivot between in-person and online engagement. This case study highlights lessons learned and the “new normal” of crisis-ready outreach strategies.- Georgia Sheridan, AICP
- Isaiah Ford
- Michael Iswalt, AICP
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TOD: A Way to Transform Your Community
Transit-oriented development (TOD) capitalizes on public transit access by transforming underutilized spaces into walkable and sustainable communities, with a mix of land uses, a vibrant public realm, opportunities to address affordability and equity, and excellent connectivity to amenities and neighborhoods.- Pattie Guttenplan, AICP
- Marley Bice, AICP
- Charles Guttenplan, AICP
- Jennifer Dougherty, AICP
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Implementing Complete and Green Streets for All
This Case Study showcases how to transform local decision making by incorporating equity, health, and accountability into transportation policies. Illustrating how small-scope studies and demonstration projects can advance implementation of complete streets.- Leigh Ann Von Hagen, AICP
- Elise Bremer-Nei, AICP
- Peter Bilton, AICP
- Cassidy Boulan, AICP
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New Ordinance Aims to Boost Sacramento’s Housing Supply
by: Jon DePaolisWhen Nguyen Nguyen, an associate planner in Sacramento, California, began meeting with residents about housing concerns in 2021, he started hearing similar stories.
Eliminating Owner-Occupied Restrictions for Missing Middle Housing
by: Grant Holub-MoormanUncovering JAPA: Discover how allowing private developers to build middle housing is key to making single-family zoning reform effective and expanding affordable housing options.
Coliving: An Old Idea Is New Again
Zoning Practice — November 2022by: Kelly Cousino, AICPThis issue of Zoning Practice defines and describes coliving and its benefits, distinguishes coliving from other similar land uses, and identifies barriers to the production of purpose-built coliving communities. It then provides recommendations for changes to local zoning codes to accommodate and encourage coliving.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
7 Actions for Planners Facing Insecure Federal Funding
by: Jason Jordan, Brenna DoneganA 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.
Preparing for the Electric Vehicle Surge
Zoning Practice — October 2022by: Brian Ross, AICP, Jessica Hyink, Rebecca Heisel October 01, 2022Electric vehicles (EVs) are a rapidly growing sector of our nation’s (and the world’s) light-duty vehicle market. This issue of Zoning Practice identifies the land-use implications of the ongoing EV market transformation, particularly the considerations that communities need to address in regard to public EV charging infrastructure.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
The Use of Foresight and Scenario Planning in Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Planning
PAS Memo 113by: Petra Hurtado, PhD, Joseph DeAngelis, AICPThis PAS Memo offers guidance to planners on how to expand their use of foresight through exploratory scenario planning in both the hazard mitigation and climate adaptation fields.Nonmembers$0.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
When's the Right Time to Rezone Abandoned Strip Malls?
by: Grant Holub-MoormanUncovering JAPA: Learn more about how the rise of e-commerce and how remote work has led to an oversupply of retail space, revealing a zoning mismatch that urges planners to rethink and repurpose vacant retail areas for more sustainable uses.
Wait, Who Approves Large-Scale Solar Siting?
by: David Morley, AICPDetermining which agency ultimately has the authority to approve the siting of a new large-scale solar facility can be complicated. About half of all states have have established explicit limits on local siting authority, offer certain developers a way to bypass that authority, or maintain a parallel siting process.
AI in Planning: Opportunities and Challenges and How to Prepare
Conclusions and Recommendations from APA's "AI in Planning" Foresight Communityby: Clinton Andrews, AICP, Keith Cooke, Alexsandra Gomez, Petra Hurtado, PhD, Thomas Sanchez, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICP, Norman Wright, AICP September 09, 2022This white paper summarizes findings from APA's "AI in Planning" Foresight Community and suggests initial ideas on how planners can prepare for AI and its potential impacts, how planners can ensure AI-based planning tools are used in equitable and inclusive ways, and what the role of the planner should be in developing and using AI-based planning tools.
2023 Trend Report for Planners
by: Petra Hurtado, PhD, Sagar Shah, AICP;PhD, Joseph DeAngelis, AICP, Alexsandra Gomez January 24, 2023The 2023 Trend Report for Planners features more than 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends that APA identified as relevant to planning. The trends are structured within three timeframes (Act Now, Prepare, Learn and Watch), which indicate the urgency of planners’ action.
Ethics of AI-Enhanced Planning
by: Grant Holub-MoormanUncovering JAPA: Discover how AI-enhanced planning can drive urban development while requiring planners to tackle biases, ensure transparency, safeguard privacy, and engage communities to promote ethical and equitable outcomes.
A Community-Created Rubric for Heat Planning
by: Grant Holub-MoormanUncovering JAPA: Explore how the 'HeatReady Neighborhoods' rubric helps planners address extreme heat with an equity-focused framework, optimizing local assets and involving residents in climate adaptation strategies.
Planning for Infrastructure Resilience
PAS Report 596by: Joseph DeAngelis, AICP, Haley Briel, Michael Lauer, AICPInfrastructure systems and facilities across the country are increasingly threatened by the rising seas and storm events of climate change. This PAS Report helps planners ensure that the public investments of today yield infrastructure that can withstand the floods of the future.List price$0.00APA member & PAS subscriber$0.00
Activating Ground Floors in Mixed-Use Buildings After COVID
Zoning Practice — August 2022by: Thomas SmithThis issue of Zoning Practice looks at the actions of several communities trying to promote successful mixed-use development, including communities that have adopted stricter criteria for where ground-floor retail is appropriate and communities that have reduced the number of locations where ground-floor retail is mandated.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
How State Judiciaries Battled Exclusionary Zoning
These century-old arguments can support policy change and zoning reform today.by: Francine Romero July 25, 2022These century-old arguments can support policy change and zoning reform today.
The Connection Between Unpermitted ADUs in San José and the Need for Zoning Reform
by: Grant Holub-MoormanUncovering JAPA: Discover how policymakers are using computer vision to identify unpermitted ADUs in San José — shedding light on informal housing and the barriers to legal construction.
2025 Trend Report for Planners
by: Petra Hurtado, PhD, Ievgeniia Dulko, Joseph DeAngelis, AICP, Senna Catenacci, Sagar Shah, AICP;PhD January 29, 2025The 2025 Trend Report features a list of over 100 existing, emerging, and potential future trends that the APA Foresight team and our Trend Scouting Foresight Community identified as relevant to planning.
Digital Public Hearings in a Post-COVID World
Zoning Practice — July 2022by: Travis Parker, AICPThis issue of Zoning Practice examines problems associated with the traditional process of local government public hearings, introduces the relatively new idea of asynchronous public hearings, and explores the advantages and challenges of modernizing the public hearing process.ZP subscriber$0.00
Developers Help Foot Climate Resilience Bills in Boston
How the city uses land value capture to fund infrastructure projects that counter the impacts of climate change.by: Anthony FlintHow the city uses land value capture to fund infrastructure projects that counter the impacts of climate change.
Zoning for Data Centers and Cryptocurrency Mining
Zoning Practice — June 2022by: David Morley, AICPData centers are critical to internet, and there is an emerging segment of the data center market that consists of facilities dedicated to cryptocurrency mining. This issue of Zoning Practice explores why cities, towns, and counties may wish to define and regulate data centers and cryptocurrency mining as distinct uses in their zoning codes and provides a summary of contemporary approaches.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
The Baltimore Planning Academy: Community Empowerment Through Civic Education
PAS Memo 112by: Elina BravveThis PAS Memo explains the vision and goals of the Baltimore Planning Academy, its structure and design, and its impacts thus far, and offers guidance for planners seeking to create similar civic education and empowerment programs in their communities.Nonmembers$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
High Growth Utah Communities Push for Federal Housing Support
by: Brenna DoneganAPA Utah President Tippe Morlan, AICP, sits down to talk about how high growth communities in Utah are tackling the housing crisis through zoning reform.
Blockchain for Planners
PAS QuickNotes 99by: Justin Hollander, FAICPThis edition of PAS QuickNotes explains how blockchain, cryptocurrency, and NFTs could offer planners improved tools for data access and storage, community engagement, public decision-making, and transparency and accountability.Nonmember price$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
Beyond Use Zoning: The Role of Deregulation in Housing Equity
Zoning Practice — May 2022by: John Zeanah, AICP May 01, 2022This issue of Zoning Practice explores how accessory use standards, dimensional standards, and building codes affect opportunities to build missing middle housing. And it highlights how Memphis and other cities are looking beyond use zoning to advance goals of housing equity in reforming codes and policies.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
Low-Carbon Land-Use Laws
Zoning Practice — April 2022by: Meg Williams April 01, 2022This issue of Zoning Practice explores how cities, towns, and counties can use land-use regulations to respond to climate change by promoting energy-efficient and zero-emission buildings; development patterns that encourage walking, bicycling, and transit use in lieu of personal automobiles; and preservation and expansion of green infrastructure.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
Artificial Intelligence and Planning Practice
PAS Memo 111by: David Wasserman, AICP, Michael Flaxman April 01, 2022This PAS Memo equips planners with an understanding of AI concepts and their potential uses for planning practice, as well as important considerations in ensuring responsible and equitable use of these technologies.Nonmembers$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
Planning Ethics and Generative AI
Translating principles of the AICP Code of Ethics into practical guidance for use of generative AI in planningUnderstand the intersection of planning practice and the ethical use of artificial intelligence.
Three Ways a Lack of Workforce Housing Impacts Communities
by: Zoe KaplanThe consequences for insufficient workforce housing are severe. Learn how planning advocates are fighting to secure federal support to improve local economies.
Rogers, Arkansas, Planners Take On Regulatory Reform
by: Brenna DoneganAPA Public Affairs Program Manager Brenna Donegan spoke to planning advocate John McCurdy about how his city of Rogers, Arkansas is addressing housing challenges, and why other small to mid-size communities in Northwest Arkansas need federal investment and support to make smart zoning reforms happen.
A Planner’s Guide to Meeting Facilitation
PAS Report 595by: Milton Herd, FAICP June 01, 2019Leading a public meeting can be challenging, and this responsibility often falls to planners — but meeting facilitation skills are not usually taught in schools. This PAS Report offers step-by-step guidance in planning, preparing for, and leading a group meeting to a productive outcome.List price$25.00APA member & PAS subscriber$0.00
Planning and Zoning for Mobility Hubs
Zoning Practice — March 2022by: Andrew Crozier, AICP, Lisa NisensonThis issue of Zoning Practice introduces the idea of mobility hubs and presents information on how to integrate them into plans and codes. It reviews the history of the mobility hub concept, examines contemporary mobility hub practices, presents a typology to guide planning and zoning for future mobility hubs, and highlights noteworthy trends that may affect the future of mobility hubs.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
Extended Reality for Planning
PAS QuickNotes 98by: Jennifer MendezThis edition of PAS QuickNotes explores the ways in which planners can use extended reality (XR) for many different aspects of planning work, including visualizations with real-world context, community engagement with vulnerable populations, and planning scenario design.Nonmember price$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
Warren, Rhode Island, Planning Ahead For Rising Sea Levels
by: Jon DePaolisOne of the smallest towns in the smallest state is set to get smaller with climate change, and planners in Warren, Rhode Island, are working on a managed retreat to prepare for it.
Three Essential Questions for Better Planning
PAS Memo 110by: Kyle Ezell, FAICP CUD February 01, 2022This PAS Memo introduces three essential planning questions that help planners ensure their work benefits as many people as possible, negatively impacts as few people as possible, and includes as many people as possible.Nonmembers$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
Zoning for Office-to-Housing Conversions
Zoning Practice — February 2022by: Elizabeth Garvin, AICP, Mary Madden, AICP February 01, 2022This issue of Zoning Practice summarizes the benefits of adaptive reuse and widespread barriers to converting offices to residences. Then, it explores how different zoning standards and techniques affect opportunities to adaptively reuse office spaces for residences.List price$10.00ZP subscriber$0.00
Planning the Wildland-Urban Interface
PAS Report 594by: Molly Mowery, AICP, Anna Read, AICP, Kelly Johnston, Tareq Wafaie, AICPWildfires pose a growing threat to communities across the country as development in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) accelerates. This PAS Report offers a holistic planning framework helping planners guide land-use decisions to create communities that are safer and more resilient to wildfire.List price$0.00APA member & PAS subscriber$0.00
Civic Tech Could Be the Key to More Inclusive Budgeting
Denver-area planners are using innovative tech solutions to open civic engagment up to new voices and ideas.by: Jake Blumgart January 07, 2022Denver-area planners are using innovative tech solutions to open civic engagment up to new voices and ideas.
Ending Zoning’s Racist Legacy
Zoning Practice — January 2022by: Jennifer Raitt January 01, 2022This issue of Zoning Practice summarizes how exclusionary zoning practices reinforce patterns of segregation originally established by illegal racial zoning, racially restrictive covenants, and federal policies in the first half of the 20th century. And it highlights steps Boston and Louisville, Kentucky, have taken to begin to rectify these inequities through zoning reforms.List price$0.00ZP subscriber$0.00
Creative Placemaking for Community Health
Planning Approaches to Encourage Physical Activity in Small and Rural Communitiesby: Johamary Pena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of community events as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series.
Building on Community Assets to Encourage Physical Activity
Planning Approaches to Encourage Physical Activity in Small and Rural Communitiesby: Johamary Swena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of elevating community assets to increase physical activity in small and rural towns. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series.
Advancing Active Living Through Adaptive Reuse
Planning Approaches to Encourage Physical Activity in Small and Rural Communitiesby: Johamary Swena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of adaptive reuse as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural towns. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series.
Activating Communities Using Pop-Up Designs
Planning Approaches to Encourage Physical Activity in Small and Rural Communitiesby: Johamary Swena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of pop-up designs and activations as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series.
Coordinating Community Growth to Promote Physical Activity
Planning Approaches to Encourage Physical Activity in Small and Rural Communitiesby: Johamary Swena, AICP, Sagar Shah, PhD, AICPThis blog post provides an overview of growth area identification as a planning approach to increase physical activity in small and rural communities through everyday destinations. It is part of the Everyday Destinations series.
Asset-Based Community Development
PAS QuickNotes 97by: Alexsandra Gomez December 01, 2021This edition of PAS QuickNotes highlights how planners can use ABCD to inform solution-oriented and conscious practices in all aspects of the planning process and advance equitable and restorative planning.Nonmember price$10.00APA members & PAS subscribers$0.00
Zoning Minimalism
Zoning Practice — December 2021by: Norman Wright, AICP December 01, 2021This issue of Zoning Practice makes a case for why a minimalist approach to zoning may be necessary to achieve our core aims. It proposes five simple rules that could constitute the basis of an effective zoning code and demonstrates how these rules might work in practice.