Former APA President and NYC Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver reflects on a career spent planning for people.
Mitchell Silver is one of the most acclaimed urban planners of our time. We kick off Season 3 of the Planning Commission Podcast with him to talk about his planning life, his stint running the New York City Parks Department, and his current efforts in the consluting word. Few planners share Mitchell’s devotion to their craft like him and we had a wonderful time discussing the attributes that make a good planner, what the next generation can teach and learn, and how our nation’s park and green spaces should be planned to maximize their value and optimize our health.
FULL STORY: Season 3, Episode 1 of the Planning Commission Podcast - Mitchell Silver, FAICP
Planning for the Snow and an Open Right of Way
The Planning Commission Podcast presents their Chrismas episode.
A Planning Commission Podcast Journey: The 1,000 Joys of Planning
The Commissioners explore the facets of the planning profession that fill their cups with joy.
Planning Trends for 2025: Creative Housing Solutions, Ongoing Transit Woes, and the Ever-Creeping Tentacles of AI
Urban planners have no shortage of urgent issues to delve into, from a deepening housing crisis to an increasingly unpredictable climate to a new federal administration bent on slashing key funding for everything from electric cars to housing assistance.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research