American Planning Association (APA)

Organization Description

As a professional organization, the APA serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and resources by keeping track of various improvement efforts underway around the country, providing an employment resource, holding an annual conference, and publishing the Journal of the American Planning Association. The APA is subdivided into state chapters and 21 specialized divisions including City Planning and Management, County Planning, Economic Development, Environment, Natural Resources and Energy, Housing and Community Development, and Small Town and Rural Planning. Links to each of the divisions can be found here: http://www.planning.org/divisions/ In addition to connecting planning professionals and organizations, the APA champions a vision of planning for vital communities that are fully accessible to all people with:

• comprehensive plans implemented to create healthy, safe places to live and work;
• social, economic, and racial equity and integration;
• good public services are provided;
• decisions based on sustainability at all levels;
• good jobs available close to home;
• a quality education available to all students; • quality, affordable housing available to all people;
• choice in transportation modes;
• recreational and cultural opportunities;
• adequate protection from environmental hazards;
• natural resources protected or managed in a sustainable way;
• public officials and citizens who understand, support, and demand excellence in planning;
• citizens who actively participate in making the choices that determine their future.

The APA furthers these goals through public advocacy, technical support, legal briefs in selected court cases and public information and education programs. The APA also strives for educational standards by accrediting planning schools and certifying individuals through the AICP certification. The APA makes a number of resources available to both members and nonmembers (for selected material) via its website, including online trainings and self-guided study (http://www.planning.org/educationcenter/), publications and resources including the monthly Planning magazine (http://www.planning.org/resources/), and a weekly after-work free lecture broadcast on a variety of topics open to all (http://www.planning.org/tuesdaysatapa/index.htm).