APA Divisions

APA divisions are a reflection of you.

Are you looking for a community of professionals who share your interests and understand your concerns? Are you looking for opportunities to lead, affect policy, develop professionally, and stay up-to-date?

APA divisions produce newsletters and special publications, develop conference sessions, collaborate with related organizations, and contribute to policy work. But they do more than that: They connect you with other planning professionals who share your passions, your challenges, and your experiences. They provide opportunities to strengthen your career and advance your vision for the profession.

Anyone may join any number of APA's divisions. APA members enjoy reduced division dues. Use the APA membership application to join any of APA's divisions at the same time you join APA. If you're already an APA member, or if you are interested only in joining a division, use the division-only application.

APA members: Join a division today — even if your next invoice is a few months away. You'll pay the full dues now, and any overpayment will appear as a credit on your next invoice.

For more information about division activities click on the division's name or contact Divisions@planning.org.

Which APA divisions do you see yourself in?

City Planning and Management Division

  • I grapple with the challenges of agency management every day.
  • I'm committed to improving the quality of life and planning in big cities.
  • I need practical solutions that have worked elsewhere, not just theories.
  • I want state and national governments to respond to the special needs of cities.

County Planning Division

  • I am interested issues facing county, borough, or parish planners.
  • I need resources to contend with the sheer size of my county and its diversity of development philosophies.
  • I will benefit from forums and methods of communication through which planners may exchange ideas and experiences related to county planning.
  • I believe it's essential that county elected officials have the tools and information to make good planning decisions.

Economic Development Division

  • I believe economic development is a critical element of planning.
  • I'd appreciate resources that would keep me up-to-date on the state of the art in economic development.
  • I understand that planning for economic development is the key to building a sustainable community.
  • I want policymakers to have a better understanding of economic development.

Environment, Natural Resources and Energy Division

  • I'm interested in the land use implications of environmental, natural, and energy resources management and conservation.
  • I need to keep up with the latest environmental issues, technologies, and legislation.
  • I want to help policymakers and the public understand environmental and energy issues.
  • I'd like to exchange solutions with planners who share my interest in sustainability.

Federal Planning Division

  • I'm involved in planning for the future of federal properties located in the United States and abroad.
  • I want to learn about innovative techniques and strategies for improving the quality of life for those who live or work on or use federal property.
  • I believe it's important to foster positive social, economic, and environmental relationships between federal lands and adjacent communities.
  • I'd like to share ideas with other federal planners dealing with the same challenges I am.

Gays and Lesbians in Planning Division

  • I'd like professional support that includes resources for gay and lesbian planners who may or may not be "out" in the workplace.
  • I'm interested in a forum for planning issues that relate to workplace fairness for the gay and lesbian community.
  • I need to keep up with the planning news and trends that affect the gay and lesbian community.
  • I'm interested in how the gay and lesbian community has or may affect planning principles and practices.

Housing and Community Development Division

  • I believe the need for more accessible and equitable communities is great.
  • I want to build awareness of housing and community development issues, including affordable housing, among the public, other planners, and policymakers.
  • I'm concerned about the housing needs of the homeless and persons with disabilities.
  • I want to share resources and news with other housing and community-development advocates.

Indigenous Planning Division

  • I believe in the value of land-tenure principles and want to affirm traditional indigenous approaches to planning.
  • I'm committed to understanding the unique social, economic, and political changes that affect indigenous communities.
  • I am interested in exchanging ideas with others whose work is informed by the distinctive worldviews of indigenous people.
  • I could use a resource manual, a certification program, or an internship network for indigenous planning.

International Division

  • I am living and working outside the United States, or I'd like to.
  • I work in the United States but am concerned with urban development worldwide.
  • I want to keep up with the policies and programs of the United Nations, World Bank, and USAID.
  • I'm interested in foreign planning literature, international planning news, development assistance programs, and research.

Latinos and Planning

  • I'm interested in sharing resources and ideas for the planning issues affecting Latino communities.
  • I recognize the need for more Latinos to enter and advance in the planning profession.
  • I'm looking for ways to engage Latino residents and organizations in my community in planning efforts.
  • I want to build the planning capacity of organizations within Latino communities.

New Urbanism Division

  • I'm interested in development patterns that are effective alternatives to sprawl.
  • I believe that developers should be allowed to build compact, mixed-use neighborhoods in my community.
  • I would like to be able to revise zoning regulations to create more beautiful, valuable, and permanent developments.
  • I want more influence in persuading public officials to support new urbanist projects.

Planning and the Black Community Division

  • I want to help my community collaborate and share resources with political, economic, and educational organizations.
  • I believe we need to work together, through inclusive grassroots and national efforts, to ensure resources are distributed equitably among communities.
  • I want to exchange ideas of significance to the black community with planners, administrators, public officials, and students.
  • I'm willing to provide leadership on economic development, physical regeneration, inner-city development, and public policy affecting the black community.

Planning and Law Division

  • I need to understand the diverse and constantly changing legal issues that affect the planning profession.
  • I want to contribute to policy discussions and programs.
  • I'd like a convenient way to keep up with recent land-use cases.
  • I'm always looking for innovative legal techniques I can apply to my work.

Planning and Women Division

  • I'm interested in how women can affect the planning profession and promote professional growth.
  • I want to develop planning policies that reflect the changing roles of women and men.
  • I'd like to meet other women planners and students and learn how we can develop satisfying careers, become leaders within the profession, and honor our successes.
  • I want to create a national network of planners, decision makers, and others concerned about similar issues.

Private Practice Division

  • I need information on preparing proposals, selecting consultants, writing contracts, and marketing my services.
  • I would like to network with others facing the challenges of the private practitioner.
  • I would like to learn more about how to successfully run a planning consulting business.
  • I'm interested in starting my own consulting firm and want to learn more about the possible rewards and challenges.

Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division

  • I support policies that help local, regional, state, and national governments work together on development.
  • I understand the interdependent nature of planning among various levels of government.
  • I use regional community alliances and collaboration to address urban and regional planning issues.
  • I engage in multi-jurisdictional planning for issues such as environmental systems, infrastructure, housing, and economic development.

Resort and Tourism Division

  • I work in a community people often visit for entertainment, natural beauty, and relaxation.
  • I recognize the importance of balancing the needs of residents and tourists.
  • I want to share solutions with colleagues who work to maintain community values while making the most of tourism's economic benefits.
  • I'd find sample ordinances, regulations, and plans from other tourism communities helpful.

Small Town and Rural Planning Division

  • I am the planning department.
  • I work to protect agricultural land, preserve natural resources, maintain community character, and revitalize downtowns.
  • I'd benefit from a network of small-town and rural planners dealing with the same issues I am.
  • I'd like to learn how to use consultants effectively and efficiently.

Technology Division

  • I believe the planning community needs a voice to advocate for best practices in technology.
  • I am interested in learning more about visualization, impact analysis, mapping, and modeling tools.
  • I am interested in decision support technologies that integrate planning and urban design, transportation, land use, infrastructure, fiscal analysis, or earth sciences.
  • I'm looking for communication and participation technologies that will make the planning process more efficient, cost effective, and accessible.

Transportation Planning Division

  • I'm interested in revitalizing suburban commercial corridors to improve accessibility and mobility.
  • I'd like to share technical information and best practices with others who deal with transportation.
  • I need to keep up with new research and legislation pertaining to transportation.
  • I want to learn more about how airports and communities can achieve win-win solutions.

Urban Design and Preservation Division

  • I believe good urban design is essential to maintaining community character, a sense of place, quality of life, and economic vitality.
  • I believe historic preservation is vital to protecting our cultural heritage.
  • I'm interested in new techniques and best practices for design and preservation.
  • I want to make sure design and preservation are part of planning policy and education.

Division Publications

Every division publishes a newsletter.

A sampling from some newsletters that appear online:

Economic Development Division: A full newsletter from Winter 2003

New Urbanism Division: A full newsletter from Spring 2003

Division Scholarships

Click here for information on student scholarships offered by APA divisions.

Conference Division Meetings

APA Divisions will hold a variety of business meetings and social events at the American Planning Association's National Planning Conference.

Divisions Conference Manual
This online manual provides you with complete information, instructions, and forms for conducting your division's work for the National Planning Conference. It is important that you read through the entire manual to gain a complete picture of the role of the divisions within the conference. This manual also serves as a reference for locating forms and instructions, and advice on how your division can maximize its participation in the conference.

Division Initiatives

APA's Divisions Council has spearheaded two initiatives on topics of interest to planners and the public: Food System Planning and Airports in the Region.

Click here for initiatives details.

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