Eric Jaffe reports on a simulation method used by the Regional Plan Association to bridge gaps in community engagement while developing the Fourth Regional Plan.
"RPA has created 10 profiles meant to represent — in a statistically true sense — the people who live in the region. The personas will serve as a sort of fictional oversight panel tasked with holding the [Regional Plan Association's Fourth Regional Plan] accountable to its true mission," reports Eric Jaffe.
Jaffe explains just how the RPA generated the "avatars": "RPA derived the profiles (or avatars, as they're called in-house) from the latest Census data. Geography was the overarching metric, followed by 13 separate statistics chosen to align the profiles with actual metro area demographics as closely as possible. Since only 8 percent of the region lives in Manhattan, for instance, only one avatar calls it home; and since Manhattan also has one of the area's largest white populations, that avatar also is white. And on down the list."
"Once the plan is more fleshed out, the avatars could function as a kind of jury to evaluate the strength of a particular plan element."
FULL STORY: Meet the 10 People Who Will Plan New York's Future
The Fourth Regional Plan Plots a Course for the New York Region
The Regional Plan Association released its eagerly anticipated Fourth Regional Plan on Thursday.
Study: New York Suburbs Need to Zone for Higher Density Transit Oriented Development
The Regional Plan Association released a new study that recommends steps toward higher density transit oriented development in transit adjacent communities around the New York region. The study also teases a big release coming later this month.
Design Competition Yields a New Look for the Proposed Triboro Transit Line
The design proposal for the Triboro Corridor is speculative, but meant to inspire the conversation on one of the "4c" ideas at the heart of the Regional Plan Association's Fourth Regional Plan.
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.
Downtown Los Angeles on the Rise: A Promising 2025
Fueled by new developments, cultural investments, and a growing dining scene, downtown Los Angeles is poised for significant growth in 2025, despite challenges from recent wildfires and economic uncertainties.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating
A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
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.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
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