Planning Academic Appointed to Federal Reserve Board Community Advisory Council

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

2 minute read

November 28, 2018, 2:00 PM PST

By mfranc


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.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in University of Michigan Taubman College

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

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

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Aerial view of downtown San Antonio, Texas at night with rotating Tower of the Americas in foreground.

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.

July 3, 2025 - Governing

White park shuttles with large Zion logo on side and red rock cliffs in background in Zion National Park.

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.

6 hours ago - Reasons to Be Cheerful

Chart of federal transportation funding comparing Biden and Trump administration spending.

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.

7 hours ago - Transportation for America

Close-up on yellow and black TAXI sign on top of beige car in central Munich, Germany.

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.

July 15 - Bloomberg