The Federal Reserve Board’s Community Advisory Council serves in an advisory role on matters affecting communities and consumers.

The Federal Reserve Board announced Marc Norman, associate professor of practice in urban and regional planning at the University of Michigan's Taubman College, as one of six new members of the Federal Reserve Board’s Community Advisory Council (CAC). The members will serve three-year terms beginning in 2019.
The CAC is made up of individuals from a variety of fields related to community, economic development, and housing. Norman, who specializes in affordable housing and community development policy, will join experts from organizations including the AFL-CIO and Project Vida. The CAC will provide information and policy recommendations to the Federal Reserve Board on issues related to housing access, employment, and economic development, among other topics.
“I am honored to serve on the Federal Reserve’s Community Advisory Council, along with other field experts, to provide collaborative recommendations that will shape the U.S. financial decisions and markets in pursuit of a fair and strong economy,” said Norman. “Understanding the needs, changes, and impacts of housing affordability and rising income inequality are core components to economic planning and a strong financial system.”
Norman is an internationally recognized expert on policy and finance for affordable housing and community development. Trained as an urban planner, he has worked in the field of community development and finance for more than 20 years. He began his professional career working with the Planning Department of Los Angeles County and nonprofits providing affordable housing in Los Angeles and New York. He then moved into leadership positions with several financial institutions, including Lehman Brothers, Duvernay + Brooks, and Deutsche Bank, specializing in complex financing for affordable housing and economic development projects.Through those endeavors he conducted and participated in a wide array of projects related to strategic planning, affordable housing development, lending, and investment. He has notable experience in the use of tax credits for affordable housing development. Norman is the president of his own consulting firm, Ideas and Action, working internationally on projects promoting affordable housing and community development.
The two meetings of the CAC are planned for May 24 and November 1, 2019. For more information about the six new members of the CAC, see the press release from the Federal Reserve.
FULL STORY: Norman Named to Federal Reserve Board Community Advisory Council

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie