Former L.A. City Councilmember and retiring Cal Poly College of Environmental Design Dean Michael Woo reminds readers of the visionary responsibilities of elected officials to ensure the plans of today indeed consider the needs of tomorrow.
The Planning Report sat down with Michael Woo, retiring dean of the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design (ENV) and a former Los Angeles City Councilmember and city planning commissioner, to discuss the skills valued in city planning departments today and to revisit the perennial question of whom planners should be planning for.
Demonstrating the practical value of pursuing the profession, ENV recently released a report, "Design for the Future: ENV Jobs in a Transforming Jobs Market" that projects new design-related job opportunities coming on line in Southern California over the next five years. To the former point, Woo reminds readers of the visionary responsibilities of elected officials to ensure the plans of today indeed consider the needs of tomorrow, commenting:
"Professional planners frequently feel constrained about becoming advocates for policy change, especially if they are planners working in the local discretionary approval process. If a planner is a public employee involved in what the lawyers call a 'quasi-judicial' process, then he or she is expected to be an impartial interpreter of zoning ordinances or plans. Unless the local elected officials in a jurisdiction are unabashed advocates for changes in housing policy, it could be dangerous for a planner to get into the habit of sticking his or her neck out.
On the other hand, planners may have useful knowledge or experience relevant to our current housing problems. Therefore, if professional planners want to be relevant to the housing debate, they may have to get out of the conventional roles in a planning agency and bring their expertise to a different role or setting in which they can use their knowledge to fight for housing. At the municipal level, this could mean going to work for a mayor or a councilmember who cares about housing issues and is willing to take some risks. It could mean going into the nonprofit affordable housing sector or finding a spot in the for-profit world in which profit and an affordable housing product are compatible. Or you can go into the media or academia (like me) and try to influence the opinions of others"
Read the full interview on The Planning Report.
FULL STORY: Michael Woo—CalPoly's Planning School Dean—on Why's and Wherefore's of City Planning
Keeping Bees Away from Honey? Corruption Cases Expose Flaws in L.A. City’s Land Entitlement Process
Three former Los Angeles public officials share their collective perspective on how best to reform the city of Los Angeles' corrupted land use approval process.
Transfer of Air Rights Sought to Finance Public Housing Improvements in Brooklyn
The rezoning of the neighborhood of Gowanus in Brooklyn is providing opportunities for local politicians to address local needs.
Are Urban Planning Jobs Safe From Automation?
A dive into the concepts and methodologies producing current academic research into the effect of automation of jobs in the urban planning field.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?
Researchers Use AI to Get Clearer Picture of US Housing
Analysts are using artificial intelligence to supercharge their research by allowing them to comb through data faster. Though these AI tools can be error prone, they save time and housing researchers are optimistic about the future.
Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.
Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie