APA Podcast
Affordable housing. Urban design. Disaster recovery. Economic development. Autonomous vehicles. These are just some of the topics APA's podcast delves into with deep curiosity, expert analysis, and affecting, true-life stories. Throughout every episode of the podcast, listeners of all backgrounds — from those ensconced in the daily challenges and rewards of planning to those coming to the field with fresh eyes — get a firsthand look at what it means to be a planner in a world that needs them now more than ever.
Multiple Ways to Listen
Find us on Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, and SoundCloud — or wherever you get your podcasts.
Recent Episodes
Planners Are Helping Small Businesses Become Resilient Amidst the Pandemic
APA public affairs manager Emily Pasi talks with two Massachusetts planners: Angela Cleveland, AICP, of the City of Amesbury, and Matthew Coogan, AICP, of the City of Newburyport. Listeners find out how planners in these communities are helping local small businesses navigate the pandemic by innovating and planning for a more resilient future.
A Medical Anthropologist Says Planners Are Vital to COVID-19 Recovery
Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana joins host Jim Schwab, FAICP, on this episode of the Resilience Roundtable podcast series to talk about the critical skills planners bring to the table with regard to COVID-19 recovery efforts, how the pandemic disproportionately affects communities of color, and more.
Harnessing Data and Knowledge of New York City Facilities to Respond to COVID-19
New York City's response to COVID-19 required unprecedented creativity and collaboration among its city agencies. Bob Tuttle, director of the New York City Department of City Planning’s Capital Planning Division, comes on the podcast to describe to Ann Dillemuth, AICP, how, in the early days of the response, the division was asked to use its robust datasets and knowledge of city facilities to identify possible locations for surge hospitals.
How COVID-19 Has Underscored the Digital Divide
Sagar Shah talks with Anna Read, an officer for the broadband research initiative at The Pew Charitable Trusts, about the basics of the digital divide issue. She dispels some common misconceptions surrounding the concept and outlines programs in states across the country that are working to close the broadband access gap.
Centering Equity and Climate Action in COVID-19 Recovery
Jo Peña sits down with Andrea Durbin, the director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability in Portland, Oregon, and Dr. Markisha Smith, director of Portland’s Office of Equity and Human Rights, to discuss the city's recently adopted resolution that highlights the connections between equity, climate, and COVID-19 recovery.
Immigrant Experiences, Economic Development, and "Third Places" in the U.S. — and Australia
Melbourne-based planner Sam Choudhury joins People Behind the Plans host Courtney Kashima, AICP, to discuss how her parents' immigration to Australia from Bangladesh shaped how she plans for communities. They also muse on how planning differs in the U.S. and Australia and how business-improvement districts need focused management to succeed — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
APA Podcast Series
People Behind the Plans
Planners of every discipline share the impactful work they do. Led by host Courtney Kashima, AICP, these conversations illuminate the essential hows and whys of planning.
Planning the Autonomous Future
Listen to experts discuss how autonomous vehicles could (and should) fit into the public right-of-way.
Resilience Roundtable
Planners and allied professionals who make resilience their mission, even in the face of devastating natural hazards, share their stories and best practices.
Have an Idea for a Podcast Episode or Series?
Is there a planning topic we haven't covered that you can't stop thinking about? Have you become aware of a planner doing exciting work in the field who deserves to be featured? Or do you just want to send us a note on how we're doing? Send your ideas, comments, and feedback to podcast@planning.org, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.