The Promise and Potential of Community Planning Academies

Community Planning Academies (CPA) have been educating local residents for years on land-use fundamentals and how they can navigate the complexities of local planning and development processes. Successful models in Philadelphia and Baltimore help connect civic leaders, community organizations, and advocates with tools and information about common practices such as comprehensive planning, zoning, and development decision making. As communities plan for climate change and concurrently confront the racial legacy of land-use plans and codes, CPAs can provide ideal platforms for facilitating difficult policy and community conversations about affordable housing, equity, climate, and the future of single-family zoning.

This presentation gives planners strategies and tools for expanding or launching CPAs as inclusive forums for community dialogues and empowering resident leaders to help revamp local land-use and urban planning systems so they are more just, equitable, and inclusive. Building on a recent PAS Memo and upcoming PAS report, representatives from Philadelphia’s Citizens Planning Institute and Baltimore’s Planning Academy share insights on recruitment, curriculum, format, and the power of alumni. The Urban Institute’s presenter highlights its national scan of CPA and its work in launching the Fresno Community Land Use Academy.

NPC Peer Reviewers assigned this presentation a learning level of Intermediate. For more on learning-level descriptions, visit our General Information Page.