Advocacy

Nighttime view of Cincinnati, Ohio skyline

Strength in Diversity: Crafting an Affordable Housing Coalition in Cincinnati

The city’s longtime champions of housing for low-income residents joined forces with an array of allies to establish a sustainable source of funding for affordable housing.

July 12, 2024 - Shelterforce Magazine

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Is It Possible to Love Public Transit in Los Angeles?

The answer is "Yes!" for Kenny Uong who is passionate about L.A.'s buses and trains, knows how to get around without a car, and hopes to inspire others to do the same.

June 14, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

George Floyd Protests

Planners Call for Deep Police Reforms

A letter signed by over 600 planners calls on the American Planning Association to advocate for fundamental police reforms, in other words, to defund the police.

August 9, 2020 - Bloomberg CityLab

Frances Goldin—Revolutionary, Organizer, Visionary—Joins the Ancestors at Age 95

Frances Goldin influenced a generation of housing organizers. Her vision was of a multiracial, multiethnic community based on the principles of justice. Her instruction to us was to fight for it.

July 10, 2020 - Shelterforce Magazine

Traffic Safety Advocates

Strategic Action for Affordable Housing: How Advocacy Organizations Accomplish Policy Change

Anaid Yerena of the University of Washington, Tacoma writes about a recent article she authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.

January 10, 2020 - JPER

Immigration Arrest

Public Transit Advocacy in an Age of Immigration Crackdowns

Lynda Lopez argues that transit advocates should be immigrant allies during crackdowns.

August 2, 2019 - Streetsblog Chicago

U.S. Capital

Year in Review: The APA's Advocacy Work in Washington, D.C.

The APA noted that the 115th Congress was "marked by divisive rhetoric, partisan stalemates, and threats to programs on which local communities rely." At the end of the year, however, it could still celebrate substantial victories.

December 26, 2018 - American Planning Association

MBTA Green Line

The Millennials Who Came to Save Public Transit in Boston

Politico makes the team at TransitMatters in Boston nationally famous.

October 29, 2018 - Politico Magazine

Climate Change Protest

Tips for Talking About Climate Change

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is the leading expert in how to have difficult conversations about climate change—like the kind when facts aren't enough.

July 10, 2018 - Sightline Institute

Houston, Construction

Houston Requires Community Benefits for Development Subsidies

Houston joins cities like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Minneapolis in demanding a greater return on public dollars.

June 8, 2018 - Next City

Gentrification Protest

Why Housing Messaging Backfires

Despite decades of our raising the issue of displacement in the face of rising rents, many Americans still do not see this as a call-to-action or a failure of public policy. Here is why our housing messaging may be backfiring.

February 5, 2018 - Shelterforce/Rooflines

President Donald Trump

APA Opposes Trump's Proposed Federal Budget

The American Planning Association has been outspoken in its opposition to the cuts proposed by the, still speculative, budget proposed by the Trump Administration.

March 23, 2017 - American Planning Association

Tenants' Rights

How to Empower Renters

Renters who care about neighborhood issues have avenues for creating change, but they need to be savy about getting their message across.

January 31, 2017 - Strong Towns

Jane Jacobs

Jane Jacobs's Legacy: 2016 Edition

New York magazine offers a long reflection on the shifting lessons offered by Jane Jacobs after a year of new books and a re-emergence into the public eye.

November 4, 2016 - New York

Coal Potest

Does Urban Planning Require Passion?

Making better places is a core value for many planners, but don’t let a lack of passion stand between you and a strong career in planning.

August 29, 2016 - Pete Sullivan

Bike and Ped Safety Signs

Safe Streets for Whom?

An equity strategist offers advice on creating safe streets programs that address systemic racism.

July 29, 2016 - Streetsblog

Broken Bus

Recommendations for Reforming the American Public Transportation Association

In light of the resignation of APTA's president following the withdrawal of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Transit Center offers its recommendations for reforming the national transit advocacy organization.

May 25, 2016 - Transit Center

A Call for a New Design Advocacy Platform

Looking for a greater awareness of social responsibility, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Architect's Newspaper calls for a new organization tasked with advocacy in New York City.

February 21, 2016 - The Architect's Newspaper

Advocating for Planning When Presidential Campaigns Come to Town

All eyes are on Iowa's caucuses today, but presidential campaigns will be touring communities all over the country for months. The APA wants planners to be ready to explain the importance of planning when such rare opportunities arise.

February 1, 2016 - APA Policy News

Queens Boulevard an Award Winner—No Longer the 'Boulevard of Death'

Streetsblog presents a look back, with some snark involved, at the year that was in transportartion.

January 6, 2016 - Streetsblog USA

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.