The Northern News, January-March 2026 edition, is a publication of the American Planning Association, California Chapter, Northern.

APA California — Northern invites mid-career planners to help shape a new, relevant program. Share your thoughts through a brief survey to guide this initiative’s direction, ensuring it supports your professional growth and leadership goals. Your input will ensure the program meets the real needs of planners in Northern California.

Congratulations to our newest board members and associates! Diana Benitez, Treasurer she/her Diana Benitez is a Richmond resident and the senior planner at Canal Alliance, a nonprofit working to break the generational cycle of poverty for Latino immigrants and their families in Marin County. She leads Nuestro Canal, Nuestro Futuro (NCNF), a resident-driven neighborhood vision […]

Join thousands of planning professionals at the 2026 National Planning Conference (NPC26), hosted by the American Planning Association, taking place April 25–28, 2026, in Detroit at the Huntington Place Convention Center. Can’t make it in person? Participate in the online conference May 27–29, 2026. NPC26 offers both in-person and virtual experiences to fit your schedule and needs.

A story of bikes, belonging, and better cities By Tom Holub, founder of Totally Doable Consulting, February 23, 2026 I have lived car-free since 1990, when circumstances—a car breakdown with no money for repairs—led to me realizing that my life is better when I’m not driving. Since then, I have navigated the Bay Area using […]