Students Anita Borlak and Ciara Nelson- Forcade interviewing Dave Amos in the School of Journalism podcast studio

In the second episode of the Hyde Lecture podcast series, we interview Dr. Carissa Slotterback, the Dean and a professor in the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Slotterback is a planner and published researcher with interests in environmental and land use planning, transportation, and public engagement. Students Alex Napolitano and Ben Jones asked Carissa many questions about her approach to community engagement and her ideas surrounding environmental planning practices. They also discussed her approach to GIS models as tools for stakeholder engagement. We can gain important knowledge from Carissa’s collaborative efforts surrounding comprehensive, yet intuitive GIS maps. Her research in public participation informs our study in the realm of environmental and land use planning, through the lens of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Students Alex Napolitano and Ben Jones with Dr. Carissa Slotterback

Make sure to check out the episodes now, hosted on the Booked on Planning YouTube page. Stay tuned for future episodes coming later this semester.

The Community and Regional Planning program at the University of Nebraska Lincoln has been intentional about strengthening connections between our students and the wider planning community throughout its existence since the 1970’s.  Although the program has faced challenges before, this is a critical time for planning in Nebraska and beyond. 

One of the most meaningful ways that we have increasingly focused on strengthening these connections is through our mentorship program and support for placing students at internships and planning jobs.  This has continued to grow thanks to the time and generosity of practitioners across Nebraska and beyond.

Our undergraduate and graduate students are preparing for careers in planning with interests that span housing, transportation, environmental planning, and community engagement. Alongside their coursework, many students are seeking opportunities to learn directly from people doing the work. Mentorship provides that bridge by offering perspective, professional context, and space for honest conversation about planning careers and practice.

This past year, mentors connected with students through various events, and now that we have overcome the urgent financial challenges at UNL, we are encouraged to move forward with our efforts to better prime our students for the workforce.

As we move into this semester, we are hoping to expand participation in our mentorship program. We are especially interested in connecting students with planners working in public agencies, consulting firms, nonprofit organizations, and related fields. Mentorship does not require a large time commitment.  In fact, we do everything possible to keep time and other commitments to this program at a minimum.  For many, this program has meant a few conversations over the course of the semester and a willingness to share experience and advice.

We see mentorship as part of a broader effort to strengthen ties between the planning program and the communities it serves. The support of practitioners, alumni, and partners has been especially meaningful over the past semester and continues to shape and inspire the direction of the program.

If you are a planning professional interested in mentoring a student, we would be glad to hear from you. Mentorship is one of the most direct ways to support future planners, and we welcome conversations with anyone interested in being part of that effort.

The Second Regular Session of 109th Nebraska Legislature convened on January 7, 2026. Because this is the second regular session, it is a short session (60 legislative days). This means that any bills passed last session are still live and potentially in play. Bill introduction for the second session concluded on January 21, 2026.The Legislature will adjourn sine die (adjourned with no planned date for resumption) by April 17, 2026. Any bill or resolution not passed at the end of this session expires.

The APA Nebraska Legislative Committee tracks introduced bills meeting the chapter priorities and impactful to the work of planners. Visit APA Nebraska’s 2026 Legislative Session webpage for the most up to date information on bills we are tracking. 

Here’s a brief refresher on how ideas transform into state law. Because Nebraska is the only state in the nation with a Unicameral (one-house) legislature, our process is designed with unique checks and balances that invite public participation at every turn.

1. The Introduction

Every bill begins as an idea from a senator, a citizen, or an organization. During the first 10 days of the session, senators formally introduce these bills. Unlike many other states, Nebraska law requires that each bill focuses on only one subject.

2. The Public Hearing (The "People's House")

Nebraska is unique in its commitment to transparency: every bill introduced is guaranteed a public hearing. This is your opportunity to voice your support or opposition directly to the legislative committee overseeing the bill.

3. The Three Stages of Debate

To ensure careful deliberation without a second chamber (like a House or Senate), a bill must pass three distinct rounds of voting by the full body of 49 senators:

• General File: The first and most critical stage where the most debate and compromise occur.

• Select File: A second chance for senators to refine the bill and add amendments.

• Final Reading: The last vote. By law, the bill must be read aloud in its entirety before a final vote is taken (unless a supermajority votes to waive the reading).

4. Technical Review (E&R)

Between each stage of debate, bills undergo "Enrollment and Review." This is a technical "check-up" to ensure the grammar is correct and the legal language is precise before moving forward.

5. The Governor’s Desk

Once a bill passes its Final Reading, it is sent to the Governor. The Governor has five days to sign it into law, let it become law without a signature, or veto it. If a veto occurs, the Legislature can override it with 30 votes.

When does it take effect?

Most laws go into effect three calendar months after the Legislature adjourns for the year. However, if a bill is passed with an "Emergency Clause," it becomes law the very next day.

Stay engaged!

You can follow the progress of any bill, view hearing schedules, or watch live floor debates by visiting the official Nebraska Legislature website at www.nebraskalegislature.gov. When a bill has an upcoming hearing, you have an opportunity to make your voice heard. Comments can be submitted up until 8 am the day of the hearing online or you can attend the hearing to testify in person. To submit a written comment, search the bill number here, then follow the link that says “submit comments online for LBxxx.”

Tips on Testifying: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/about/testifying.php

This year’s Nebraska Planning Conference keynotes will challenge attendees to rethink how communities grow, engage, and compete in a rapidly changing world. From examining what it truly means to be a “business-friendly” community to exploring how generational values shape placemaking and engagement, these dynamic sessions will offer practical insights, fresh perspectives, and plenty of conversation starters. Join us in Kearney for two engaging keynotes designed to spark dialogue, encourage reflection, and equip planners with tools to better serve their communities.

Lunch Keynote: Big Beautifully Bearded Planners: The Art of Making It All Work

Planning is equal parts logistics, leadership, and controlled chaos. In this engaging keynote, the Big Beautifully Bearded Planners reveal the behind the scenes art planners use to bring structure to uncertainty and movement to stalled initiatives. From balancing public expectations with technical realities to coordinating multiple disciplines, planners excel at aligning teams, reframing challenges, and guiding communities toward workable solutions. Through stories from real projects, interactive polls, and the trademark B3P humor, Josh and TJ unpack the mindset and tools that help planners and their partners make progress when conditions are anything but straightforward. Participants gain insights that apply across specialties, including comprehensive plans, brownfields, zoning reform, and development review, and leave with new ideas for collaborating more effectively and keeping projects moving.

 Lunch Keynote: Clint Runge; Navigating a New Generation Through Placemaking

Generations change. Tastes change. Trying to stay on top of it all can be overwhelming unless we understand the ‘why’s behind the hearts and minds of new generations. When it comes to the reaching young adults, there are incredible forces to consider that are influencing how they see themselves, the brands they buy and the spaces they are drawn to stay. By knowing a generation’s unique operating system, placemakers can be better prepared to take on the nuances of creating attract spaces whether that’s out in the public, at work or online. Trust. Innovation. Influence. Loyalty. Topics that every major organization in the world wrestles to evolve. Packaged into a dynamic talk with lots of conversation starters, Clint breaks down the driving forces that attendees can rely on to build better communities, opportunities and effective marketing.

 We hope you’ll join us in Kearney, March 4–6, for the Nebraska Planning Conference. This year’s conference promises to offer valuable takeaways for planners at every stage of their career. We look forward to the conversations, insights, and connections that will shape the future of planning in Nebraska.

Register today at: NPZA.org/Conference

Spiritual wellness sits in a blind spot in city-making. We measure traffic counts and hospital beds, yet struggle to name why a stroll under trees soothes us or how a plaza can lift a crowd into awe. Architect and planner Phillip Tabb draws a clear line: wellness is preventative, place-based, and social, while much of today’s investment flows to curative health systems. That gap shapes cities. He distinguishes spirituality from religion not to water it down, but to point toward universal experiences—purpose, meaning, serenity—that people of any faith or none can feel. When we design only for throughput and not for presence, we trade human flourishing for speed. 

Tabb’s path winds through Boulder’s Buddhist milieu, sacred geometry workshops, and decades of biophilic design. Those influences surface in a practical lens on the wellness pillars—physical, mental, emotional, social, environmental, spiritual, and financial. Early wellness models leaned on the individual; newer research highlights the social pillar as a longevity engine. That shift matters for planning: streets that slow cars invite conversation; front porches six to ten feet from sidewalks sustain contact even in a pandemic. Environmental wellness arrives not by sprinkling parks like garnish, but by threading living systems through the urban fabric so rivers, shade, and soil are part of daily routes, not destinations behind guardrails. 

Color offers a vivid case. Though omitted in some biophilic lists, color is integral to nature and mood. Blues and greens can calm; reds and ambers can energize. The same recovery ward may need serenity for rest or stimulation for movement; design should anticipate both. Beyond interiors, public space can toggle awe and tranquility without moving an inch. Siena’s Campo hosts quiet lunches and thunderous horse races, proving a single form can hold multiple emotional states. That duality is a design brief: balance prospects and refuges, vastness and intimacy, light and shadow, so places can meet shifting human needs. 

Transportation looms as a spiritual issue. Car-first patterns isolate us from each other and from nature, turning rivers into obstacles and sidewalks into afterthoughts. Tabb argues for accessibility as the baseline of dignity: if daily needs are a mile-wide walk instead of a six-mile drive, wellness becomes possible. The transect model offers a humane gradient—small nucleated villages at the rural edge, scaling to mixed-use neighborhoods and a connected core—with transit as the connective tissue. Where that fabric exists, safety and comfort form the base of a Maslow-like ladder that supports higher-order experiences of meaning and belonging. 

Housing confronts wellness with hard economics and habits. Bigger isn’t better if it erodes connection, affordability, or nature. Compact homes, shared amenities, and mixed uses can lift financial and social pillars together. Tabb’s work at Serenbe shows that small lots, front porches, no front lawns, forested backs, and even limited garages can still draw people at every price point. The lesson isn’t to copy a template, but to assemble common components—access, nature, center, edges, walkability, and reduced harm—into a place scaled to climate, culture, and land. Measure success by lived life: do people linger, wave, chat, and feel safe? If design is preventative care, then a spiritually healthy city is one where the proof is in the daily pudding—quiet joy, frequent contact, and paths that honor both awe and rest.

Reprint from the Booked on Planning blog. Listen to the podcast here: https://www.bookedonplanning.com/podcast/episode/7ebd0ad3/spiritual-wellness-and-the-built-environment  

From 1883 to 1929, a total of 2,509 libraries were built with Carnegie’s funding. Of these, 1,689 were built in the United States, 660 in the United Kingdom and Ireland, 125 in Canada, and 25 others in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Serbia, Belgium, France, the Caribbean, Mauritius, Malaysia, and Fiji. 

Carnegie’s grants were quite significant for the era in which they were handed out. Small towns would receive $10,000 to construct a library that would typically become the community’s most significant amenity. Almost $56.2 million was provided toward the construction of the 2,509 libraries that received funding. 

Who was Andrew Carnegie? 

Born in Scotland, Andrew Carnegie was quickly drawn to books. This interest would continue after his family immigrated to the United States. He would spend his teen years in Allegheny and Pittsburgh, where he listened to readings and discussions of books from the Trademan’s Subscription Library. A library that his father helped create. This love for books would continue during his early working years, and he would have access to the personal library of Colonel James Anderson. 

Colonel Anderson would be instrumental in the foundation of many of Carnegie’s beliefs. Anderson provided books to “working boys” to allow them to acquire knowledge to improve themselves. This is despite the disdain from others who didn’t believe that those less fortunate should have access to such readings. Carnegie became a strong believer in a society based on merit, where anyone could become successful with hard work and determination. 

In 1889, Carnegie penned an essay entitled The Gospel of Wealth. Within the essay, he proclaimed that the wealthy had a moral obligation to the new upper class to be philanthropic for the betterment of society. He envisioned that libraries were an ideal way to provide resources to others to improve their lives. 

The First Libraries 

Colonel Anderson’s philanthropic ways stuck with Carnegie, even after Andrew became wealthy himself. In 1883, the first Carnegie-funded library would open. The first of what would become thousands of libraries for the public to enjoy. But this library wouldn’t be in the United States; the structure was constructed in Dunfermline, Scotland, where he was born. 

The first library he funded in the United States was in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, where he was raised after crossing the pond from Scotland. This building would become even more noteworthy as it would also house the first Carnegie Music Hall. Although the first library he funded in the United States was in Allegheny, the first one to open was in Braddock, Pennsylvania, just a short distance from Pittsburgh. Just a few years later, the library was expanded to include the third Carnegie Music Hall in the U.S. 

How Fairfield, Iowa, Changed America 

Until 1892, Andrew Carnegie’s focus was entirely on areas where he had personal ties. Scotland and Southwestern Pennsylvania benefited from his philanthropic efforts. However, United States Senator James Wilson, of Fairfield, Iowa, was the impetus that changed Carnegie’s view. Although there was a temporary library established in Fairfield, Senator Wilson saw the need to find a permanent home. Wilson lured the interest of his friend Andrew Carnegie to subsidize the construction of a permanent library. Commissioned in 1892, the Fairfield Library would become the first library that Carnegie would fund for a community to which he had no personal ties. 

As fate would have it, the Fairfield project would be the spark for a new funding model to be used by Carnegie for 2,800 additional libraries. From that point forward, libraries wouldn’t just be built in Pennsylvania or Iowa, but throughout the United States and various countries in the world. 

To this day, the Carnegie Library building in Fairfield still stands and is now on the National Register of Historic Places. However, the library itself moved to a new facility in 1996. The original structure is now home to the Carnegie Historical Museum, which occupies the first and third floors of the building. The second floor houses the Jefferson Center for the Indian Hills Community College. Although the library has moved out of the building, it still provides an educational impact on all three floors. 

Fairfield’s Carnegie Museum, Fairfield, Iowa, by oscophotos; Wikimedia CC-BY-SA-4.0

The Carnegie Formula 

In 1897, Carnegie hired James Bertram as his personal assistant. His right-hand man, Bertram essentially managed the grant program for Carnegie. He reviewed the grant requests and worked with the local governments to ensure they met the requirements to receive funding. 

Most of Carnegie’s libraries were approved for funding under a set of requirements known as the “Carnegie Formula”. The Formula required financial commitments for the operation and maintenance of the libraries to ensure they were supported by the local government into the future. As part of the “Carnegie Formula,” he required the local governments to: 

• Demonstrate the public need for the library 

• Provide the land for the construction of the library 

• Budget at least 10% of the library construction costs within the municipal budget for operation of the library, including: 

  • Funding to maintain the library throughout its lifespan 

  • Funding to pay for library staff 

• Provide free services to all 

A Couple of Remaining Examples 

Over the years, a number of these libraries have been demolished or sold to private owners as age and other factors have limited their viability. Many communities have simply outgrown these facilities. However, approximately 800 of Carnegie’s libraries are still in use as libraries. 

Red Oak, Iowa 

Of course, if I’m going to bring up Carnegie Libraries, I have to mention the one in my hometown. Prior to Carnegie’s assistance, the Red Oak Library was housed in the basement of Houghton State Bank. Looking for a permanent home, the residents of Red Oak looked to Andrew Carnegie. Built in 1909, the library has been a local hub of learning for over 100 years. Like many of these libraries, the Red Oak facility is also on the National Register of Historic Places. This library was highly influential to this blogger’s intellectual development. I can’t count the number of times I have visited this grand structure. 

Red Oak Public Library, by Jim Roberts; Wikimedia CC-BY-SA-4.0

Estherville, Iowa 

Another good example is the one in Estherville, Iowa. Like many other communities, the library in Estherville had a bit of a gypsy history, temporarily setting up shop at a variety of locations. However, city officials worked to obtain a grant from Carnegie. With the grant’s assistance, the ribbon was cut on the new building in 1903.

The community has held tight to the structure. Needing to expand to meet the needs of the community, Estherville added on to the library rather than moving on from it. Other communities like Madison, Minnesota, and Manitou Springs, Colorado, have decided to do the same. 

Estherville Public Library, Estherville, Iowa, by RuralResurrection; Wikimedia

Adaptive Reuse 

Many communities have outgrown their Carnegie Library over the many decades since these libraries were built. Other communities have moved to new facilities due to the maintenance costs tied to these aging structures. But these beautiful structures are often quickly snatched up by someone in the private sector. Many have since become ideal examples of adaptive reuse, as purchasers often have an eager eye towards renovating these storied buildings. 

Charles City, Iowa 

Charles City’s library opened on the corner of Jackson and Kelly Streets in 1904 and was funded through the help of a $12,500 grant from Andrew Carnegie. As the community outgrew the original building, they constructed a new facility that opened in 1979. Since then, the original library has been converted to the Charles City Art Center. Funded by memberships, grants, private donations, and our small endowment fund, the Art Center is free to the public. 

Charles City Art Center

Other Examples 

Numerous other Carnegie Libraries have been transformed from their existing roots into housing a new use. In Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the former library is hosting art as well, but as a wing to a larger art museum. The Carnegie library in North Platte, Nebraska now serves as a children’s museum. In Aledo, Illinois, the building has been transformed into a co-working facility for technology education, recruiting and employment. Xenia, Ohio, had a master plan developed that presented three potential options for redevelopers. The library in Olympia, Washington, has even been converted into a “Whiskey Library”. 

A Lasting Legacy 

Though the original Carnegie library program ended in 1929, the impact of the program continues to this day. Regardless of whether these buildings are still being utilized as libraries in Carnegie’s original intent or repurposed through adaptive reuse, most are still having an impact on their communities. 

Carnegie libraries were revolutionary in that they made knowledge freely accessible to all, regardless of class, race, or education. Many of these libraries have been openly celebrated over the years as community hubs and sources for information. They were built with sound construction standards, many of them beautifully adorned with brickwork. 

These historic structures have stood the test of time and serve as iconic, historical monuments closely linked to the sense of community in many towns across the United States. The communities that were fortunate enough to receive funding through Andrew Carnegie’s philanthropic efforts should celebrate what they have. 

Reprinted article from: https://ruralresurrection.com/carnegie-libraries/. Thumbnail photo is of the Albert Lea Carnegie Library, by McGhiever; Wikimedia CC-BY-SA-4.0.

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About Chris Solberg 

Though Christopher Solberg (AICP) works in a suburb of a metropolitan area, his roots are in Red Oak, Iowa, a community of 5,500 persons southeast of Omaha. He has spent a significant amount of his career helping small towns. Through his time working for a regional planning association and for a private consultant Chris has helped numerous small towns throughout Iowa and Nebraska. Chris was the President of the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association (NPZA) for eight years and a member of both the NPZA and NE APA Nebraska boards. 

Eleven students from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Community and Regional Planning program spent the fall semester transforming classroom concepts into real-world impact by creating an economic development plan for the people of Elmwood. The collaborative initiative aims to chart a community-driven roadmap for economic growth while preserving Elmwood’s unique character.

Under the guidance of Zhenghong Tang, professor of community and regional planning within the College of Architecture, students worked closely with residents to ensure the plan reflected local priorities.

“Our Community and Regional Planning students in the planning studio class contributed to every part of the planning process for Elmwood’s development plan,” Tang said.

The process began in September with a walking tour and listening session, where students learned about Elmwood’s strengths, challenges and aspirations. To deepen community input, the students designed a 12-question survey that garnered responses from more than half of Elmwood’s residents — a level of engagement that became the foundation for the plan.

Community members shared with students they believed their biggest asset for economic development was the small-town character and public facilities such as parks, the community center and the school. They also shared concerns such as declining downtown activity and limited job opportunities.

“We’re very thankful for the strong support from the village board, local residents, community members and Cass County Nebraska Economic Development Council,” Tang said. “This project gave our students real hands-on experience and shows how the university and local communities can team up to strengthen Nebraska’s small towns.”

In mid-November, students presented a draft of their plan during an interactive open house at the Elmwood Learning Center. About 35 community members explored poster stations highlighting different sections of the plan, asked questions and shared feedback. Poster stations on downtown infrastructure and downtown boundary map updates captured the most attention.

Residents also explored creating matching façades for buildings along Highway 1, gave input on preferred signage for the community and explored zoning updates to enhance the parks and trails system within the village.

Over the course of the evening, students gained valuable experience for their future careers as they fielded questions and shared their perspectives on opportunities for growth.

“I’m excited to see people collaborating,” said BJ Burrows, a local business owner. “I’m especially looking forward to seeing improvements and renewed efforts to re-establish our business district.”

Feedback from the open house was collected through conversations, comment cards and stickers on poster boards. Comments will guide the final version of the plan. Proposed ideas — such as creating more downtown apartments above Highway 1 businesses and developing a coffee house cooperative — sparked positive responses, while others will be re-evaluated based on community input.

The final report will provide actionable strategies and resources to help Elmwood pursue grants and implement projects that align with its vision for growth.

To learn more about the project or to explore how to partner with the Community and Regional Planning Program for a community project, contact Yunwoo Nam, the program's director, at ynam2@unl.edu.

In the wake of disastrous floods that have inundated other parts of the country, University of Nebraska–Lincoln researchers say Nebraska could experience similar devastation, with the consequences falling disproportionately on the state’s most vulnerable residents.

A new study, prompted by Nebraska’s catastrophic 2019 floods, concludes that thousands of people living in mobile home parks across Dodge, Douglas and Sarpy counties reside in federally designated flood hazard areas.

The research team, led by Zhenghong Tang, professor of community and regional planning, published its findings in the journal Natural Hazards. By analyzing data from individual buildings across 23 mobile home parks, the study found that about one in five mobile homes in Douglas County — and half of those in Dodge County — are located within high-risk flood zones. With an average household size of 2.5 people, the team estimates that about 1,230 residents — most living in Fremont and northeast Omaha — are exposed to significant flood danger.

Researchers noted that many mobile home parks face heightened flood risks not just because of their location, but due to a lack of basic protective infrastructure. Dodge County, for example, has no levees shielding its mobile home parks, while Douglas County’s levee system along the Missouri River has held back floodwaters in recent years. These vulnerabilities are compounded by limited access to reliable communication, as spotty cellular coverage and limited broadband in some areas can hamper emergency warnings.

Internal park layouts add another layer of risk. Some parks have just one road in and out or a network of dead-end streets — conditions that can trap residents during a flash flood. The study found that mobile home parks with the lowest road connectivity were also the most likely to be in a flood plain.

“This is a perfect storm of vulnerability,” Tang said. “You have aging, low-cost homes located in risky areas, served by weak infrastructure and occupied by residents with fewer resources and fewer options.”

The issue isn’t hypothetical. The 2019 "bomb cyclone," and flooding that spanned from March to July of that year, caused significant damage across Nebraska. Damage estimates range from $1.3 billion to #3 billion. Fremont was completely cut off by floodwater and transportation was disrupted across the state for an extended period, leaving many Nebraskans unable to reach their homes or places of work. The Nebraska Department of Economic Development acknowledged the devastating effects the 2019 disaster had on affordable housing; particularly in Sarpy, Dodge and Douglas counties, where there is a high density of mobile homes. Nearly a third of those who applied for federal housing assistance following the disaster were renters. Several mobile home parks in Sarpy County were inundated, and one park permanently closed after a levee failure.

“Response and recovery are exceedingly costly," said Jenny B. Mason, director of community development and disaster recovery at the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, which awarded federal disaster funding to UNL to develop a strategy to identify and reduce flood vulnerabilities. "An investment in risk awareness and resilience can help mitigate and reduce those costs. To reduce future devastation of floods, it is necessary to better understand our risk."

Despite the damage sustained in 2019, the development of mobile home parks in high-risk areas has continued. From 2018 to 2024, the number of mobile homes grew by 17.6% in Dodge County, 7.6% in Douglas County and 6% in Sarpy County. This growth stems from a complex set of factors: a chronic shortage of affordable housing pushes low-income families into flood-prone parks, while local governments have allowed new parks to be built — and existing ones to remain — in known flood zones.

“While Nebraska legally requires flood risk disclosures to buyers in real estate transactions, the flood risk of the property is not necessarily communicated to renters,” said Jamie Reinke, division manager of floodplain management at the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy and Environment.

Reinke adds that even property owners may not fully understand their flood risk, which can change over time. Local strategies and outreach efforts — supported by DWEE — aim to help communities make risk-informed decisions and access resources like the National Flood Insurance Program. Floodplain information is available through local floodplain administrators or the department’s website or interactive maps.

To better prepare for flooding, the study encourages both immediate actions and longer-term planning.

In the short term, researchers suggest that local governments explore options such as adding at least two exits to every mobile home park and linking annual license renewals to the completion of basic safety improvements. They also encourage the creation of evacuation plans tailored to each park, as well as improvements to communication systems so that residents can receive timely and clear warnings during emergencies.

For the long term, the team recommends looking at ways to increase the availability of affordable housing in areas with lower flood risk. They also suggest considering investments in levees and drainage systems, as well as offering voluntary buyouts or relocation assistance for residents living in the most flood-prone parks. In addition, the study proposes the idea of updating state laws to give counties more flexibility in deciding where mobile home parks can be built.

Jesse Andrews, the study’s lead author and a postdoctoral researcher, said the data provides a clearer understanding of local flood risks.

“Our analysis shows that roughly 1,200 mobile-home park residents in the three counties live within high-risk flood zones,” he said. “These numbers highlight how many people are exposed to flooding and can help guide future conversations about zoning, infrastructure and housing.”

“These numbers represent real people and actual potential outcomes” Tang added. “Our goal is to inform the public so they can make decisions and policies to protect these communities.”

Nebraska communities often face similar questions when focusing attention on a specific area, such as a downtown, a key corridor, or a strategic site.  

Community leaders want to know how to get the ball rolling in the right direction to produce a successful outcome. Planners need to ask what type of strategy will deliver the best value to the community while positioning the plan for implementation.   

When faced with these critical questions, never forget that using the right tool for the job applies to more than carpentry and auto repair. 

This article outlines three common approaches to subarea planning, their strengths, and their trade-offs. It also offers concrete steps to help think through and select the right tools for your community. 

Subarea Focus Embedded in a Comprehensive Plan

Subareas incorporated into Bellevue’s Comprehensive + Transportation Plan.

This approach develops a focused chapter or section within an updated citywide comprehensive plan that highlights one or more priority areas (e.g., downtown, riverfront, innovation district). It’s important to emphasize consistent policy and coordination with the broad vision of the comprehensive plan rather than focus on exhaustive subarea detail.

Consider this approach when the community is in the process of updating its comprehensive plan and wants to elevate key areas without commissioning standalone small-area plans. It’s also an option when budgets or schedules preclude deep, area-specific work.

Typical deliverables:

• an area vision statement

• high-level framework maps

• policy and zoning direction

• limited graphics and visualizations

• Near-term priorities for studies and capital programming

Strengths:

• efficient and cost-effective

• integrates subarea priorities with citywide goals, capital planning, and development review

• useful for setting direction and sequencing follow-up studies

Trade-offs:

• limited depth of information within the subarea

• public engagement is typically broader and packaged within the comprehensive plan

• general engagement may yield fewer sitespecific insights such as transportation assessments, utility impacts, and a sense of community support

• too many focal areas can overshadow other elements of the plan or stretch the comprehensive planning effort thin, limiting fidelity of the recommendations/directions for incorporating a subarea

• combined area-specific community engagement and city-wide engagement can confuse messaging and intent

Small-Area Plan

Distinct areas are delineated in this rendering from the Old Town Revitalization Plan in Pearland, Texas.

This approach develops a city‑led plan focused on a specific district, neighborhood, downtown, or corridor. This effort creates a shared vision, land use/urban design, transportation, and infrastructure direction for the area’s evolution. The plan should identify catalyst projects, near‑term implementation actions (both regulatory and capital), and funding/partnership strategies. 

Consider this approach when the area’s role in the city is evolving (e.g., reinvestment, infill, corridor retrofits, or disinvestment is occurring). Or when the area is otherwise losing the ability to draw residents, businesses, and investment. Subarea plans are typically needed when the area requires a deeper level of engagement, analysis, or regulatory and infrastructure changes than a citywide plan can provide. 

Note that small-area plans are often driven, funded, and led by entities other than the city. These entities may include a downtown association, homeowners’ association, or community coalition. The outside entity can spur action but may also create misalignment with citywide initiatives if the plan is executed poorly. 

Typical deliverables: 

• market snapshot, land use, and zoning recommendations 

• concept framework and street/streetscape typologies 

• site and catalyst concepts 

• transportation and infrastructure analysis and programming 

• a roadmap to implementation 

Strengths: 

• a clear vision for the area 

• deep community input 

• Involvement of specific community groups 

• tailored solutions 

• clear capital and policy roadmap 

• strong alignment with city goals if scoped and executed well 

Trade-offs: 

• requires dedicated funding and/or staff time 

• will not address citywide issues beyond the study area 

• may misalign with citywide planning 

• risks potential engagement burnout if multiple plans occur within a short period 

Master-Planned Site

A master-planned site drawing from a plan for the Mid-America Rail Campus in Falls City

This approach involves a site‑specific plan – often initiated by a developer or owner – for a defined tract such as an industrial park, greenfield subdivision, or planned unit development (PUD).  

This approach should advance development of the site to a level that supports entitlements and investment, including subdivision, zoning, land use designation and its fit (yard and bulk standards); detailed engineering feasibility; access and circulation; and utilities, phasing, and parcel programming. 

Consider this approach when there is a motivated sponsor, and/or a need for actionable, site‑level detail to secure development approvals and financing. Additionally, the opportunity should have a clear alignment with an adopted comprehensive plan, small-area plan, or existing zoning.  

Typical deliverables: 

• development program (land use mix and density) 

• architectural (mass, scale, and form) 

• site layout and engineering concepts 

• street and block plan 

• lotting, utility, and drainage strategy 

• transportation impact and access assessment, cost and phasing plan 

• entitlement path 

• area marketing material 

Strengths: 

• very detailed and implementation‑ready 

• clear path through entitlements 

• quick movement when market conditions align 

Trade-offs:

• may underrepresent broader community goals without city guidance or strong alignment with the comprehensive plan 

• engagement often limited 

• risks misalignment with comprehensive plan or corridor vision if pursued in isolation 

Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)

1. Stretching the comprehensive plan too far. Limit the number of focus areas and be transparent about the level of detail. 

2. Skipping engagement in site plans. Even if led by a sponsor, make sure to include outreach touchpoints to reduce entitlement risk and future friction. 

3. Creating a vision without implementation. Pair recommendations with funding, phasing, and lead responsibility. Schedule action check-ins at six months, one year, and two years.  

4. Misaligning with policy. Confirm consistency and alignment with the comprehensive plan and zoning. It this isn’t possible, consider parallel policy updates. 

5. Under‑scoping infrastructure. Coordinate early with utilities and stormwater authorities to avoid late‑stage redesigns and cost escalations. 

The Right Plan For the Right Time

Don’t lock into the idea that everything needs to be done at once. When in doubt, stage the work. Set the direction (but not the details) in a comprehensive plan, then dive deeper with a standalone small-area plan or a site‑specific plan as the opportunity emerges. 

That way, when opportunity surfaces, you’ll be ready to match the right planning approach to the right need in your community. 

Choosing the Right Sub-area Planning Approach

Kyle McLaughlin is a senior planner at Olsson. If you’d like to learn more, reach Kyle at kmclaughlin@olsson.com  

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The American Planning Association completed its 2025 election cycle, along with its chapters, divisions, and the Student Representative Council. Congratulations to all who were nominated on both the national and component levels. For a full list of elected candidates for national positions, head to the APA website https://www.planning.org/elections/.

For the Nebraska Chapter, our new executive board members will begin their roles at the start of 2026. A handful of our board members will continue serving our chapter. Below is the list of the board members and what position they will hold:

• President: Bruce Fountain, AICP

• Vice President: Kyle McLaughlin, AICP

• Secretary: Ruva Tsoka, AICP Candidate

• Treasurer: Jesse Poore, AICP

Stephanie Rouse, AICP, our current Chapter President, will continue being on the executive committee as Immediate Past President. We would like to recognize the board members who will be stepping down from their positions: Cale Brodersen, AICP (Vice President), and Jeff Ray, AICP (Immediate Past President).

Our executive committee is also comprised of Anita Borlak (Student Representative), Dr. Yunwoo Nam (UNL’s Community and Regional Planning Representative), and Chris Solberg (Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association Liaison).

Finally, thank you to all who voted in this election cycle. The next time Nebraska Chapter board positions will be up for election begins in 2027. If interested in engaging with the chapter, stay on the lookout for opportunities to join the chapter committees in the near future!

What Really Drives Community Change?

As planners, we’re always looking for ways to make our communities stronger—better streets, safer intersections, more vibrant public spaces. But Seth Kaplan’s Fragile Neighborhoods reminds us of something easy to overlook: it’s not just the plans or the projects that change communities—it’s the people and organizations on the ground.

Kaplan argues that many of the challenges we see—crime, isolation, economic decline—are symptoms of something deeper: neighborhoods losing their social fabric. His solution? Strengthen the local networks that hold communities together. This book dives into the creative and varying ways that people are doing this. The book highlights inspiring examples that range from a team in Detroit that turned an abandoned school into a community hub offering job training and youth programs to rural leaders in Appalachia blending education and social support to break cycles of poverty. 

For planners, at least for this planner personally, the takeaway is clear: our designs and policies matter, but they work best when they support the people and organizations already driving change. That might mean partnering with local organizations or nonprofits to run with something, or simply making sure our projects create opportunities for neighbors to connect.

Kaplan’s message is in line with the ABCD (Asset Based Community Development) and is a powerful message: even in struggling neighborhoods (maybe even especially in those places), there are assets—leaders, institutions, and networks—that can spark renewal. Our role is to help those sparks catch fire. As planners, we have a unique platform to amplify the work of those already strengthening neighborhoods. Don’t just plan for communities—plan with them. Reach out to local nonprofits, faith groups, and grassroots leaders. Invite them into the process early, and in meaningful ways. The partnerships you build today can turn good projects into transformative ones.

Bottom line: If you want fresh ideas on how planning can go beyond infrastructure, how we can activate and support the things that truly strengthen communities, Fragile Neighborhoods is worth a read.

Copilot Keys - How Planners Can Help

1. Start with People, Not Just Places
   Before drawing up plans, identify local leaders and organizations already making a difference. Build your projects and process around their strengths.

2. Turn Vacant into Vibrant
   Look for underused schools, churches, or commercial spaces that can become community hubs - they were probably the center of activity in the past and could be again.

3. Design for Connection
   Go beyond sidewalks and parks—think about how your projects create opportunities for neighbors to meet, collaborate, and build trust.

Parking sounds mundane until you realize it acts like an operating system for the modern city. On our live episode recorded at the APA Nebraska Fall Workshop with journalist and author Henry Grabar, we trace how a space designed for storing cars came to shape housing, transit, budgets, safety, climate resilience, and even what kinds of buildings are legal to construct. In addition to Henry, city staff presented on Project O Street and the evolution of parking and redeveloped parking lots in downtown Lincoln. Attendees also were guided on a downtown parking walking tour, ending at lunch in the new food truck zone, a space doubling as a parking lot when not in use.

During the workshop, it was made clear that parking policy filters into everything residents notice—congestion, taxes, where businesses thrive, and whether a neighborhood feels walkable. Henry’s central point is disarming in its simplicity: build more parking, and you incentivize more driving. That feedback loop erodes density, pushes destinations farther apart, and makes non‑car travel less viable, cementing a pattern where every new trip demands a new space to store a vehicle. We explore how research confirms this causation and how cities that added supply decades ago now see the downstream mode shift toward driving as the dominant outcome.

Author Henry Graber Presenting at the APA Nebraska Fall Workshop

History provides texture—and warnings. Before cars, “parking” involved live animals and a different set of rules and nuisances. The lineage still lingers in words like “pound,” once for stray cattle and today for towed vehicles. Once the automobile arrived, the cultural pivot was stark: what had been seen as a nuisance became a mandated amenity, baked into zoning as parking minimums that silently dictate site plans and demolition decisions. Henry’s “forbidden city” framing hits hard: many beloved pre‑war main streets, mixed‑use blocks, and quirky apartment buildings would be illegal to build today because parking requirements swallow neighboring parcels and budgets. The loss isn’t just aesthetic; it’s economic and social. Every mandated stall crowds out housing units, storefronts, trees, and taxable floor area, while adding project cost that flows into rents and prices.

The money trail reveals why “free parking” is an illusion. For decades, parking operations were the largest cash business in the country, creating perverse incentives, leakage, and, at times, outright theft. We discuss the shift to card systems, with cities discovering that revenue rose even as traffic fell—a sign that technology and accountability matter. But the more sobering case study is Chicago’s meter lease: a rushed privatization that traded short‑term cash for long‑term control. Rates now better reflect demand, yet the value no longer funds public goods. Every bike lane, bus lane, or street closure triggers payments to investors. The lesson isn’t that public‑private partnerships cannot work; it’s that contracts must preserve civic flexibility and align incentives with the city’s long‑term mobility and land‑use goals.

COVID-19 turned the curb into a canvas. Overnight, parking lanes became dining rooms, pickup zones, parklets, and safer sidewalks. That experiment showed residents the curb is prime public real estate, not a default car shelf. Still, the pandemic battered transit ridership and budgets, exposing how fragile a nine‑to‑five commuter model can be. If cities want the density and foot traffic that power small businesses and culture, they need frequent, reliable service for the trips many riders actually make: night shifts, weekend jobs, childcare, and medical visits. Henry argues that real mode shift tends to appear where driving is less convenient and alternatives are viable—a delicate sequence many regions must choreograph. Charge rational prices at the curb, fill underused garages with all‑day parkers, and reinvest proceeds into safer walking, biking, and better buses. The result is not an overnight revolution, but a steady expansion of choices that lowers household car dependence.

Equity is the hinge. Owning a car can be a lifeline; requiring one is a tax that many households cannot bear. When parking policy compels every building to store cars, we embed those costs into everything from rent to groceries. A fairer system recognizes trade‑offs plainly: if all parking is free, there will be shortages; if shortages persist, projects swell around lots, thinning the urban fabric and tax base. Performance pricing improves turnover in busy blocks while keeping lower‑cost options a short walk away. Residential permits can prevent spillover but should be calibrated to actual occupancy, not perceived fullness at 50 percent. As minimums fall in more cities—Buffalo, Hartford, San Francisco, Minneapolis—lenders are slowly adapting, using comps from successful projects that rented units without bundled stalls. University towns offer another proof point: when curb management is smart and transit is dependable, fewer residents bring cars, and new housing can fit on tighter sites without sacrificing affordability.

Interested to learn more? Listen to the full live Paved Paradise episode at https://www.bookedonplanning.com/podcast/episode/7eb8f6f1/paved-paradise

Starting in July 2019 the American Planning Association Nebraska Chapter began publishing a quarterly newsletter, however this quickly became a combined effort with the Nebraska Planning & Zoning Association (NPZA) with the first joint issue released in October of that year. This PDF publication was released via email over the next four years, but in March 2025 the Nebraska Planner went digital! This allows for easier searching by article subject, sharing individual articles via social media, and recognition by authors. All past issues however can still be accessed at the links below.

• January 2025

• October 2024

• July 2024

• April 2024

• January 2024

• October 2023

• July 2023

• April 2023

• January 2023

• October 2022

• July 2022

• April 2022

• January 2022

• October 2021

• July 2021

• April 2021

• January 2021

• October 2020

• July 2020

• April 2020

• January 2020

• October 2019

• July 2019

Today, we are excited to announce two faculty leaders beginning new roles!  Zhenghong Tang has served as program director for the Community and Regional Planning (CRP) Program for the past five years and has accepted the position of associate dean for research and innovation. Yunwoo Nam will assume the role of program director for the Community and Regional Planning Program. Both transitions begin now, as we launch spring semester. It will be an exciting beginning to 2025! We thank Professor Emeritus Rumiko Handa for her years of service as associate dean of research and professor Tang for his years of service as program director.

Zhenghong Tang assumes new role as Associate Dean for Research and Innovation

Zhenghong Tang

In his new role, Tang will promote a culture of innovation and collaboration within the college, celebrating diverse perspectives and emphasizing interdisciplinary design and planning research and creative initiatives. He will mentor faculty in research and creative methodologies, advance the college’s research and creative activities and develop strategic initiatives that align with the college’s vision for excellence.

Tang will work closely with faculty members and partners to foster collaboration and engagement. He aims to leverage the College of Architecture’s unique capacities to help the university accelerate impact in the key Association of American Universities (AAU) membership criteria: competitively funded federal research expenditures, recognition of faculty through national and international awards/fellowships/memberships and impactful citations and book publications.

In addition to his new administrative responsibilities, Tang will continue to advance his research agenda and teach courses in the Community and Regional Planning Program. Tang is currently leading and participating in over 15 externally funded research projects supported by agencies such as the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Tang plans to continue to teach a range of topics including planning studio, capstone studio and environmental impact assessment. 

Reflecting on his appointment, Tang said, “It is a huge honor to serve the College of Architecture in advancing its research and innovation profile. Our faculty team has achieved significant and impactful design, planning research and creative activities. I look forward to listening, learning, supporting and serving everyone to foster more efficient, influential and innovative work to serve the critical needs of the State of Nebraska, the nation and beyond.”

“For the past four and half years, Tang has tirelessly served as the CRP Program director, demonstrating exemplary leadership in student recruitment, research development and community engagement,” said Dean Kevin Van Den Wymelenberg.  “In fact, in 2024 alone, Tang brought in approximately $3 million in external grants and funded two new post-doctoral research associates and one research assistant professor. I am excited for Dr. Tang to support our whole faculty through his expertise and experience.”

Yunwoo Nam is poised to lead the Community and Regional Planning Program.

Yunwoo Nam

Professor Yunwoo Nam has been with the Community and Regional Planning Program since 2005. 

 “Professor Nam has been an outstanding instructor and advisor for the program for nearly 20 years, building a robust network with alumni, partners and stakeholders,” Tang remarked. “We look forward to Nam’s leadership as he takes the program to new heights.”

“I’m excited about this opportunity because it allows me to contribute to the growth and evolution of a program that equips students to address pressing societal challenges,” said Nam. “As the new director, I am eager to collaborate with a talented team to cultivate a dynamic, inclusive and supportive environment where both students and faculty can excel and make meaningful contributions to the field.”

As director, Nam’s goals for the CRP Program include elevating the visibility of the program locally and nationally while fostering strong connections among students, faculty, alumni and community partners through collaborative research and service-learning. Additionally, Nam aims to expand interdisciplinary opportunities and update the curriculum to reflect emerging trends, promoting academic excellence and career development. 

Nam's proven leadership skills make him an ideal choice for the director position. “Nam has advanced our GIS education within the college, building an interdisciplinary research agenda that has secured funds for various innovative projects contributing to the advancements of urban planning education,” Tang said. “His commitment to student success, mentorship and program growth have enhanced our program's visibility and reputation at both local and national levels. I can’t wait to see what the future holds with Nam and the helm.”

In addition to his new administrative duties, Nam will continue to teach and lead his research program. Nam plans to teach various GIS and planning courses including topics focused on advanced spatial analysis, active and healthy communities, spatial structure of cities and regions and environmental design. His ongoing research work explores the dynamic interactions between humans and the urban environment.

REPRINTED FROM RURAL RESURRECTION, DECEMBER 24, 2024

One subject that has been brought up to me from time to time by readers is the subject of design guidelines. Also referred to as architectural guidelines or design standards, design guidelines can have a notable impact on your community if implemented consistently.

What Are They?

Design guidelines are a set of rules and recommendations that are enacted to ensure the overall quality, functionality, and aesthetics of a development. Design review processes typically review building form, material durability and aesthetics, colors, site layout, landscaping, and sustainability.

The concept of design guidelines rose in popularity during the 1970sand 1980s as communities started desiring greater control over the look and feel of new developments. The effective use of guidelines is one way of achieving this goal and the number of communities that use design guidelines grows each year.

Why Have Them?

1. Protect Property Values

Much of what zoning is designed for is to protect nearby property owners from the actions and land uses of those adjoining or nearby. Many times this includes NIMBYs claiming about the impact of land use on their property values. Often these claims are overblown and without viable evidence. However, the overall condition of a neighborhood does play into property values and design guidelines help to maintain the condition of the neighborhood. The elevated design of a building and the surrounding site has the potential to increase the value of the property.

2. Durability of Materials and therefore Taxes

Also, the durability of materials used helps to slow the deterioration of the property, retaining property value longer as well. Sometimes just the prohibition of certain materials, like corrugated steel roofing, is enough to make a difference. Even something as simple as requiring a TENEMIC paint, or an allowed equivalent, on all exterior painted surfaces can have a long-term positive impact. An entire subdivision with design guidelines is more likely to retain its value longer than one that doesn’t. The longer that the structures retain their value, the more stable your tax base is.

3. Longer Viability

Requiring higher durability of materials also helps to increase the likelihood of longer economic viability of the structure. Durable materials slow deterioration and delay the need for reinvestment on the exterior aspects of the structure, allowing for more financial concentration on the maintenance of the rest of the building over the years. This lengthens the overall economic viability of the structure.

4. Match a Theme for the Community

Some communities that like to market their cultural heritage utilize design guidelines in commercial areas to further that push. Architectural aspects unique to a specific culture can be integrated to build upon a theme for the community. This is sometimes the case in nature-related communities as well. Whether it is a Gateway Community on the edge of a national park or a seaside town that is rich in boating history, towns are creating guidelines that further the look and feel they are trying to convey.

Should Your Community Have Design Guidelines?

Design guidelines may sound good, but are they right for your community? Poorly drafted and implemented guidelines have little effect, making the effort a waste of time. Be prepared to commit fully to implementing the guidelines in order to have the desired impact on your community.

Want to learn about creating and implementing design guidelines, and see some examples? Visit the Rural Ressurection website for more resources!

REPRINTED FROM NEBRASKA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, JANUARY 8, 2025

Community creates an “environment of growth ”to earn recertification in Nebraska’s Leadership Certified Community Program

The Department of Economic Development (DED) has recognized officials in the City of Milford (pop. 2,211) for their ongoing success in Nebraska’s Leadership Certified Community (LCC) program. The city earned program recertification for strategic planning efforts to increase opportunities in childcare, education, housing, and recreation. DED’s Southeast Nebraska Business Consultant Dave Honz presented the award to Milford city leaders on Tuesday, January 7th.

Milford is one of 31 LCC communities in Nebraska. DED established the program in 2011 to help qualified communities adapt to ongoing changes and opportunities in economic development. Leadership Certified Communities earn program designation for five years by demonstrating preparedness in strategic planning and technological development, investing in new and existing businesses, and creating a robust online marketing plan. Milford received its first LCC designation in 2019.

“Thanks to our various partners for collaborating with us through out the Leadership Certified Community recertification process, including DED, the Nebraska Public Power District, council members and staff, and the Seward County Chamber & Development Partnership (SCCDP),”said City of Milford Mayor Patrick Kelley. “We are honored to achieve this important recertification and look forward to the continued success stories of improving our community with tools like this to aid us along the way.”

Over the past five years, Milford leaders have worked extensively to create local housing opportunities. Residents celebrated the start of the community’s three-phase, 54-lot Timber Creek subdivision in 2020. Phases two and three opened in2024. In 2023, developers converted Milford’s former Crestview Care Center nursing home into a 21-unit apartment building, First Street Flats, which is now fully occupied. Additionally, Southeast Community College(SCC) has added two 150-bed dormitories. The first, Prairie Hall, was completed in 2019. The second, Meadow Hall, was finished in 2021.

Ongoing development taking place at SCC’s entrepreneurship center, which includes incubator rental “focus suites” and business coaching opportunities, aligns with additional local efforts to foster a welcoming space for new and existing businesses. Private donations to Milford Public Schools recently contributed to the purchase of new screen printing, engraving, 3D printing, and plasma cutter equipment. With this equipment, students now have opportunities to create and sell products and services throughout the community.

“Contributions that encourage entrepreneurship and creativity in our schools are showing students firsthand that leaders in Milford want to invest in their futures,” said LCC Director Kelly Gewecke. “As workforce recruitment efforts grow, DED commends communities that consistently look for ways to keep our talented young people in Nebraska.”

The community of Milford has successfully utilized state programs to support development. The city received a $50,000 planning grant from DED through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)program for Downtown Revitalization (DTR) in 2020. The City of Milford matched $12,500 for a project total of $62,500. In 2018, Milford’s Local Option Municipal Economic Development Act (LB840) passed, which allows voters to utilize local tax dollars for economic development purposes.

In addition, Milford’s LB840 program contributed $85,000 to secure assistance from DED’s Rural Workforce Housing Fund (RWHF) in 2020and 2022.

The city and Seward County Chamber & Development Partnership are prioritizing ongoing projects to enhance Milford’s quality of life. Seward County’s Broadband Task Force and the Nebraska Broadband Office engaged residents in efforts to increase broadband capabilities duringa town hall session earlier this year. The community now offers four fiber-to-the-home Internet Service Providers (ISP’s).

The city is also investing in its youngest residents. The Milford Childhood Learning Center (MCLC) received a $70,000 grant to support a childcare center in 2023. The $1.2 million facility opened in the summer of 2024 and offers services for up to 50 children. Throughout 2024, the center utilized Nebraska Child Care Tax Credits and raised thousands of dollars in donations to become a debt-free facility.

“Over the past five plus years, Milford’s successes have been in various community and economic development areas,” said SCCDP President &CEO Jonathan Jank.

“Local public and private sector leaders have created innovative solutions to solve community challenges, which have developed an environment of growth now and for the future.

”For information about the Leadership Certified Community Program, contact Kelly Gewecke at kelly.gewecke@nebraska.gov or 308-627-3151. More details about the LCC program are available by visitinghttps://opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/community/lcc/.

A persistent challenge during flood recovery and prevention has been the lack of accurate and timely disaster information, especially for vulnerable populations. Non-English speakers and individuals with limited digital access often face significant barriers to obtaining critical, life-saving information. These challenges are further exacerbated by inefficient spatial data systems, undermining community resilience. To address these issues, the research team from the Community and Regional Planning program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln(UNL) has developed the “Nebraska Flood Resilience” through ArcGIS Story Map Collection, a multilingual and user-friendly platform designed to improve flood information accessibility. The ArcGIS StoryMap Collection is a visual and interactive tool available in English and Spanish. It focuses on improving information delivery for multicultural audiences, particularly Spanish-speaking users, enabling them to better understand and act on disaster-related data. It aims to enhance public awareness and build capacity in communities severely affected by the2019 floods, preparing them for future flood events. In addition to its multilingual capabilities, ArcGIS StoryMap empowers communities with an intuitive interface to explore flood risk data, visualize past flood events, and identify high-risk areas. By integrating maps, images, and narratives, it bridges the gap between complex geospatial information and actionable insights for local decision-makers and residents. The platform also supports collaborative planning by allowing stakeholders to share information, build scenarios, and engage in informed discussions about flood mitigation strategies. The StoryMap Collection also supports the creation of a digital twin of Nebraska, an advanced technology that integrates geospatial data to produce a virtual replica of the real world. This innovation is vital for disaster prediction, infrastructure design, and urban planning. By leveraging ArcGIS StoryMap’s powerful visual storytelling and data visualization features, communities can better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to flooding events, ultimately strengthening resilience and saving lives.“This innovative tool will serve as an essential information platform to serve economic development and climate resilience as a demonstration model for planners and policy makers at the local, state and national levels” said Dean of College of Architecture, Kevin VanDen Wymelenberg.“The StoryMap Collection provides developers, urban planners and researchers with critical data for informed decision-making, laying the groundwork for Nebraska’s future disaster management and sustainable urban development,” said Community and Regional Planning Program Director and Professor Zhenghong Tang.

“Multilingual support is a key element in reducing the information gap and helping vulnerable populations more easily access their flood risk, ”said Yunwoo Nam. CRP Postdoctoral Researcher and Lecturer Jiyoung Lee said, “the StoryMap Collection is transforming communication between communities and experts by organizing spatial data into an accessible and engaging format. The platform includes interactive features such as a map swiper, zoom functionality, interactive scale bars, layer selection tools and legends. These tools allow users to explore critical datasets, such as the Natural Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), land values impacted by the 2019 floods and demographic profiles of affected areas, providing actionable insights rather than simply presenting raw data. ”The project is already making a significant impact. “The StoryMap Collection has not only improved disaster information accessibility for vulnerable populations but also helped communities establish more efficient and precise disaster response systems,” said CRP student Jahangeer Jahangeer. “Additionally, the digital twin technology plays a pivotal role in strengthening Nebraska’s sustainable development and long-term disaster resilience strategies. “This project is a prime example of how technology can address social challenges,” noted Post Doctoral Research Associate Jesse Andrews. With ongoing contributions from the UNL GeoAI team, the ArcGIS StoryMap Collection continues to evolve, incorporating more data and features that enhance Nebraska’s safety and resilience. Beyond being a disaster information tool, the platform fosters inclusive and sustainable communities, supports recovery efforts and sets new benchmarks for urban and disaster management strategies. Risha Singh, a master student in the Community and Regional Planning Program, is developing community-based flood risk maps to inform landowners, developers and policymakers about flood risks. These working products are shared with stakeholders to enhance community resilience planning, contributing to the project’s goal of creating a safer and more informed Nebraska.

Growing up in the oldest part of Kansas City, I saw how the lack of community engagement and poor planning can divide a city and breakup tightly knit neighborhoods. A perfect example is Strawberry Hill. In1957, one-third of this historic neighborhood was bulldozed and the streetcar rails that transported people from Kansas City, Kansas, and Missouri on what was once called the Intercity Viaduct were ripped up after President Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act into law and Interstate 70 was built. The deterioration of this tightly woven community, where my great-grandparents rooted themselves after immigrating from Croatia, was a rude awakening to the American Dream that they and many others worked hard to envision and build. Over time, other socio-economic factors contributed to the relocation of wealth to the sprawling suburbs. Planning projects often have dramatic impacts in the present and vast implications for the future, so it is essential to unearth as many considerations as possible early in the process to produce the most favorable outcomes. To develop a thoughtful approach to planning and community engagement, one must turn to the experts and connect to the breadth of knowledge available through similar boots on the ground. In a former role with my local city government, I learned about the premier professional organization – the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2), which guides practitioners in engaging public input to solve problems and make decisions effectively. This organization is recognized worldwide and active in Australia, Canada, Indonesia, Latin America, South Africa, and the USA.IAP2 USA leads, advances, and advocates for best practices in public participation. As members, we have access to resources through webinars, conferences, training, research, and mentorship with a community of more than 2,500 members across 48 states. The organization’s three pillars—its Core Values, Code of Ethics, and Spectrum of Public Participation—drive its mission and vision, which is “a country where public participation is deeply embedded and widely applied, and where equitable, efficient, and informed decision-making processes improve the quality of our democracy.” IAP2 principles are based on the belief that those affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.

Painting by Marijana Grisnik. 1983. Strawberry Hill before I-70 was built

Good public participation should:

• Include the promise that the public’s contribution will influence the decision.

• Promote sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision-makers.

• Seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.

• Seek input from participants in designing how they participate.• Provide participants with the information they need to participate meaningfully.

• Communicate to participants how their input affected the decision. [1]

Spectrum of Public Participation is widely utilized to determine levels of engagement for the public and all stakeholder groups, establishing expectations and limitations, transparency, and accountability. Recently, IAP2gathered feedback from practitioners around the globe who use this tool in hopes of improving it iteratively. I am excited to see the evolution of this tool and thrilled to be part of a network with high aims for societies worldwide, working together toward the greater good. Within the US, approximately fifteen established and emerging chapters, including the Midwest Chapter, provide more localized support for practitioners in that part of the country. I am honored to have been recently elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Midwest Chapter. This position will springboard my efforts to establish an even more localized network of practitioners in Kansas and our metropolitan areas, using the connections I made last year at the IAP2 Midwest Conference. People-Centered Planning: Elevating Voices, Shaping Places - Continued. This spring, the Midwest Chapter will host its annual conference in Omaha, Nebraska, from April 23 – 25, with the theme “Weaving vibrant networks that energize engagement.” Learn more and register soon at the conference website: https://iap2usa.org/Midwest-Conference.Planners could benefit by attending this conference to learn about other regional projects where practitioners utilize tools and techniques from IAP2 to deliver successful outcomes. Engaging the public, even at the inform level, to help understand a problem, alternatives, opportunities, and solutions – necessitates the promise of keeping those who are impacted abreast of the project and implications as it unfolds. Challenges that make outreach to affected parties no small feat range from the determined scope of community engagement (time, money, authority) to the variety of communication platforms (websites, social media, television, email, post, texting, phone calls) that must be used to access diverse populations, all with barriers of identity.

Furthermore, there are non-negotiables, with the governing body as the ultimate decision-maker. Tensions between a less informed realm of public opinion and experts in public and private sectors must be managed, and the IAP2 community and wealth of knowledge are invaluable for practitioners tasked with bridging the gap. As a Community Engagement Specialist with JEO Consulting Group, I am committed to this work because we are all inherently connected and often face increasingly complex problems that transcend boundaries. To some degree, we all feel the effects of climate change, rely on energy and goods in a global economy, and are affected by decisions made in the public realm. I am energized that the Strawberry Hill community where I grew up is making a comeback, along with the more recent revitalizations that have taken place in downtown Kansas City, MO. Recognizing the industrious force of immigrants working toward their own experience of the American Dream is a history that continues to enrich this place. There is even a KC Streetcar expansion project underway! Ultimately, better processes can potentially rebuild the public’s trust in government and urban planning where it has been broken. I am grateful for IAP2 as a source of inspiration and professionalism. As we look to the future, remember that the best decisions are made when the voices of those impacted most are included.

From affordability to housing variety, public input offers critical insights into how people see and feel housing challenges in their communities.

Urban planners like data. We use it every day to help make good decisions. Looking at numbers and percentages over time is important to see how a community is becoming affected by any given topic. The quantitative part of data analysis, however, rarely tells the whole story. Thus, planners take great stock in hearing from people.

Listening is core to the ethics of the American Planning Association, the professional organization to which RDG’s planners belong. We give equal weight to conversations, incorporating them into a holistic understanding of people’s everyday experiences, as compared to data from sources like the United States Census Bureau. Listening to people is a significant driver for solutions, and community participation and feedback are vital to creating visible changes that improve quality of life. Throughout planning processes such as housing market studies, we stress the importance of both quantitative and qualitative analysis in our projects. RDG planners have spoken face-to-face with tens of thousands of people over the years about their housing needs, and we supplement these conversations with many other tools, including one such important one: surveys.

Surveys allow planners to collect direct input from residents, providing insights into preferences, challenges and priorities related to housing affordability, availability and accessibility. By reaching a broad cross-section of the population, surveys can capture diverse perspectives, including those of underrepresented groups, ensuring that planning decisions reflect the unique needs of all stakeholders. This data-driven approach helps planners identify gaps in housing options, forecast future demand and develop strategies that align with a community's values and long-term goals. Ultimately, surveys can allow planners to make informed, equitable decisions that enhance the quality of life for residents.

How Evolving Survey Data Shape Our Understanding of Housing

Housing is a complex intersection of data, perceptions and lived experiences. While quantitative data sheds light on trends like underproduction and affordability, understanding public perceptions about housing helps planners see how these challenges are felt on the ground. By analyzing nearly two decades of RDG housing survey data, we can better understand how perceptions of housing availability, affordability and variety align with reality, how they’ve shifted over time and how they differ across communities.

The evolution of survey-taking has transformed significantly over the years, shifting from paper-based questionnaires to digital and online platforms. Traditionally, paper surveys were distributed at community meetings, mailed to residents or handed out door-to-door, a process that was time-intensive and limited in reach. The advent of digital technology has revolutionized this practice, enabling surveys to be conducted online with greater efficiency, accessibility and scalability. Online platforms allow planners to reach broader audiences, including those who may not attend in-person events, while also offering multilingual options, accessibility features and mobile compatibility to engage diverse populations.

This evolution makes the survey process more inclusive and cost-effective; it also poses some interesting questions:

• Is there a way to consolidate survey data from our years of housing studies across the Midwest? If so, what does this tell us, and is it useful?

• Will this aggregate data show whether public perceptions of housing issues changed over time?

• Furthermore, how do public perceptions of housing differ from reality?

The answer to the first question is a resounding, “yes.” With some digging, we’ve been able to consolidate a database of online housing survey responses from thousands of people, captured since 2006. In answering the first question, we uncover a few caveats we need to consider to understand whether the data is useful. These considerations include:

• Paper responses and accessibility: While most of our housing surveys include paper options for individuals without internet or computer access, not all surveys guarantee this option for every respondent. Paper responses are manually entered into the online system, introducing the potential for variability in data entry.

• Statistical validity: The survey data are not statistically valid, as online surveys are not random samples. Instead, these surveys are designed to capture as many responses as possible to provide a broad understanding of community perceptions.

• Question formats and potential biases: Many survey questions were accompanied by brief descriptions or visual aids to help respondents understand terms and objectives. This can result in differences in question formats and introduce potential biases across surveys.

• Community-specific vs. broad trends: The analysis does not infer sentiments in every individual community. Rather, it offers a cumulative view of qualitative data, providing insight into how perceptions of housing have evolved over time on a broader scale.

Key Insights from Our Data

After analyzing the database and considering its limitations, we’ve concluded that this data is indeed valuable in understanding how public perceptions about housing align or don’t align, with objective realities. For example, while many respondents view housing issues more negatively today than in the past – a perception supported by quantitative data – others hold different views. These differing beliefs may be shaped by national narratives or local experiences, but the data helps highlight where public perception intersects with reality and where it diverges. Several key insights emerged from this analysis, offering a deeper understanding of how people perceive housing challenges.

Key Insight #1: Housing is consistently viewed as least available for lower-income populations.

From 2005 to 2023, more than 17,000 respondents identified seasonal workers and hourly wage earners as the groups most affected by housing shortages. This finding is particularly interesting given that our survey participants often skew toward higher-income individuals and homeowners – groups less likely to include hourly and seasonal workers. Notably, this perception hasn’t wavered over time and has even grown stronger since the pandemic, as rising costs have placed greater pressure on renters and homeowners alike. Additionally, respondents have increasingly emphasized housing constraints for families with children and multi-generational households, especially after this became a survey answer choice in 2016.

Across nearly two decades of RDG housing survey data, respondents consistently identified seasonal workers and hourly wage earners as the groups most affected by housing shortages. Notably, perceptions of housing scarcity for these groups have only intensified since the pandemic.

Digging deeper into the responses, we found no significant differences between cities with populations under 25,000 and those over 25,000. Interestingly, respondents in smaller cities perceived housing for hourly wage and seasonal workers to be even more limited than in larger cities. And the story is the same when filtering for only responses since the pandemic.

The Bigger Picture: Concerns about housing supply challenges aren’t new – they’ve been on people’s minds long before they became a weekly headline. The 2008 Great Recession first brought these issues to the forefront, and the COVID-19 pandemic reignited them. In recent years, rising awareness and research on housing underproduction have brought the issue into sharper focus, with some studies estimating that the U.S. needs an additional 3.85 million housing units to meet demand. For planners, city officials, builders, developers and other partners, this highlights the urgency of taking bold, collaborative action to shift public perceptions (and realities) toward a resounding "yes" response when it comes to questions about adequate housing availability.

Key Insight #2: The “American Dream” is evolving, and people want more housing variety.

The concept of the “American Dream” is changing, with growing recognition that housing variety is essential to meet diverse needs. Public awareness of “missing middle” housing is increasing, and survey responses consistently show favorable attitudes toward a range of housing types. Interestingly, while many still view homeownership as the most desirable option, rental options such as apartments are also seen as viable and important. In fact, respondents suggest that the traditional idea of a large house with a yard may not be the best fit for their communities compared to other housing options.

These preferences have remained steady over time, even as new choices like accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and row housing were introduced in surveys starting in 2020. One exception is a post-pandemic uptick in interest in larger homes and residential lots, which aligns with trends driven by remote work and the desire for more space, including home offices. Initially, the pandemic fueled a move away from dense housing environments for public health reasons, but now this shift seems more tied to lifestyle changes and work flexibility.

The American Dream is evolving, and so are housing preferences. Survey respondents increasingly support a variety of housing types, from small 2-3 bedroom homes to townhomes and independent senior living. This shift reflects a growing awareness of the need for diverse housing options in communities of all sizes.

Interestingly, respondents in cities with populations under 25,000 are less favorable toward large homes and residential lots, a perspective that challenges density arguments often raised in smaller communities. These respondents, however, are also less favorable toward most other housing types, presenting a nuanced perspective that warrants further exploration.

The Bigger Picture: Housing variety is as important to respondents as the overall housing supply. Offering a broader range of smaller housing types can create more affordable options for lower-wage workers and families facing the added costs of raising children. Respondents also see housing variety as a critical solution for older adults, whether through assisted living models, accessory dwelling units or shared housing arrangements.

However, building housing variety is no simple task. Zoning codes, construction costs and financing challenges are significant barriers that slow progress. To meet the demand for diverse housing options, planners, city leaders, architects and builders must collaborate to find innovative ways to design, fund and integrate these housing types into communities, reflecting what residents want and need.

Key Insight #3: Most people support intervention in the housing market but with caveats.

Survey respondents overwhelmingly support actions to improve property conditions, such as enforcing property maintenance codes, demolishing blighted properties and providing rehabilitation assistance. This support has remained consistent over time, even as housing challenges have evolved. For many city leaders, though, this level of public approval might seem surprising, as these kinds of initiatives often encounter pushback when it’s time for formal approvals or implementation. Respondents themselves seem conflicted as well. The data shows survey responses where respondents rank high-density housing low, but duplex/townhome construction and affordable housing high. Below is a more detailed look at sentiments towards certain interventions.

Lowest-ranked interventions:

• Section 8 subsidies

• Free or reduced-cost infill lots

• High-density or cluster housing

Highest-ranked interventions:

• Down payment assistance

• Housing rehabilitation loans

• A tie: Duplex/townhome construction, large housing developments with low- and middle-income units and affordable housing funds

Respondents overwhelmingly support public investment in housing, with strong approval for removing dilapidated buildings (74%), funding housing rehabilitation (69%) and enforcing property maintenance codes (65%). Despite this support, translating these preferences into actionable policies often requires sustained community engagement and education.

The Bigger Picture: These findings highlight that people care deeply about the quality and vitality of their neighborhoods. Respondents clearly want to enhance their communities and are open to funding programs that achieve this goal. Despite the strong support shown in surveys, such programs often require educational campaigns to succeed in practice, especially when they rely on local funds and taxpayer resources. While respondents may favor property maintenance codes in principle, it can become contentious when individuals face enforcement actions, such as violation letters or fines. For city leaders, this underscores the need to pair these initiatives with outreach and transparent communication to address concerns and build long-term support.

What Comes Next for Housing Conversations?

This analysis offers communities a valuable lens through which to consider housing needs and address opposition rooted in misinformation or misunderstanding. Individual perspectives on housing priorities vary widely, and it’s not uncommon for the loudest voices in planning processes to represent a vocal minority rather than the broader population. This underscores the critical importance of engaging with diverse viewpoints and using accurate, data-informed insights to guide decision-making.

But the work doesn’t stop here. There is still much to uncover in this data, such as how responses differ by demographic groups or how perceptions evolve in specific community contexts. These nuances could provide an even deeper understanding of the relationship between public sentiment and actual housing needs.

As planners, decision-makers and community leaders grapple with today's complex housing challenges, this raises one more important question: How can we ensure our policies and plans not only reflect the voices of the broader public but also address the realities of underproduction, affordability and housing variety? The answers may lie in continuing to collect and analyze this type of input, which can help us challenge assumptions and build solutions that respond to both the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of housing demand.