Recap: Lincoln Institute at the American Planning Association’s 2026 National Planning Conference

In April, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy participated in the American Planning Association’s annual National Planning Conference, engaging in discussions about climate change, housing, and economic development. The conference was split into an in-person component, held from April 25 to April 28 in Detroit, Michigan, and an online portion, held from May 27 to May 29. 

The conference, which attracts practicing planners, academics, researchers, policymakers, and other participants from across the US and Canada, kicked off on April 25 with a session on the “2026 Trend Report: Emerging Trends and Signals.” Copublished  by the Lincoln Institute and the American Planning Association (APA), the report was presented by APA staff members Ievgeniia Dulko, Petra Hurtado, Senna Catenacci, and Joseph DeAngelis. While most conventional planning practices lean on past data and current assumptions, the annual trend report emphasizes the importance of accounting for potential futures. During the session, the speakers outlined emerging trends planners should consider, including the role of artificial intelligence in governments.  

The next day, the Lincoln Institute’s Alykhan Mohamed joined Dulko, Hurtado, and Catenacci for “Planning with Foresight,” a session on the growing importance of futures literacy for planners. Formatted as a learning lab, the session allowed planners to learn how to better shape present-day decisions by imagining multiple plausible futures and incorporating future scenarios into their work. 

Anthony Flint, Lincoln Institute senior fellow and author of Mayor’s Desk: 20 Conversations with Local Leaders Solving Global Problems, moderated “Leading Cities Through Change—Mayors Panel.” The panel comprised three Michigan mayors: Sheldon Neeley of Flint, Christopher Taylor of Ann Arbor, and David LaGrand of Grand Rapids. The mayors addressed an array of topics, from the water crisis in Flint and affordable housing issues to the statewide property tax revolt.  

The Lincoln Institute’s Mary Ann Dickinson moderated “When the Cloud Drops—Planning for Data Centers” alongside speakers Brett Gracely, planning practice leader at Plummer; Kyle Mucha, principal planner with McKenna; and Manny Patole of New York University. The group discussed an upcoming Lincoln Institute report on how communities can navigate planning discussions about data center siting. They emphasized the importance of assessing data center proposals based on resource management, equity, and governance, keeping in mind the needs and wants of investors and those affected by data centers. Over 400 people attended the session, with conversations continuing in the hallways afterward. 

Lincoln Institute Director of Urban Sustainability Amy Cotter moderated “Equitable Urban Planning for a Changing Climate” alongside speakers Eleanor Sharpe, former planning director of the City of Philadelphia; Emilia Oscilowicz, coauthor of the Lincoln Institute Policy Focus Report Planning in a Polycrisis; and Adam Lyons of Enterprise Community Partners. The session explored how planners can advance equitable policies that reduce climate risks and enhance ecological public health. One particularly well-received point: “Housing policy is climate policy.” 

“While there is this impression that climate activists are at odds because of competition for limited resources and the idea that environmental regulations slow down building affordable housing, it seemed like people agreed that good housing policy cannot exist without good climate policy, and vice versa,” said Layla Sastry, Lincoln Institute program coordinator and session attendee. 

A meeting of the APA Water and Planning Network, which connects land use planners and water resource and utility planners, was held later that afternoon. Dickinson, the cochair of this network, moderated the meeting, which drew 30 people, some of whom attended after hearing about it in the data center session. 

During the Detroit component of the conference, the Lincoln Institute also hosted an exhibition hall booth, where members of its Publications, Communications, Learning Design, and User Experience team (PCLDUX) distributed thousands of copies of the Lincoln Institute’s publications to eager attendees. 

On the first day of the conference’s virtual component, in May, Lincoln Institute Director of Planning Practice and Scenario Planning Heather Sauceda Hannon moderated “Navigating Uncertainty—Using Strategic Foresight” with speakers Elizabeth Ginsberg and Austen Edwards of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP). The panelists explained how they applied Exploratory Scenario Planning (XSP) to the Century Plan, a project in northeastern Illinois that aims to build a stronger future for the region, focusing on transportation, climate, and the economy. Ginsberg and Edwards shared how XSP helped them narrow their focus to regional action, engage with elected leaders and other planners, and use resources from state and regional agencies to encourage local officials to shift to a horizon-based mindset.   

Hannon and Consortium for Scenario Planning Analyst Daniela Faria presented “Exploratory Scenario Planning for Brazil’s Public Lands,” diving into the Lincoln Institute’s work with Brazil’s Secretariat for Federal Assets (SPU) on Imóvel da Gente, or “Property of the People,” which aims to make federal public property useable and useful for Brazilian citizens.  

Faria outlined the XSP process at the start of the session, which emphasized how collaborative methods and efforts strengthen institutional capacity, broaden participation, and ensure that land use policies serve diverse community needs. 

Rounding out the first day of the virtual conference, Hannon moderated “State Preemption for Housing—Benefit or Bane?” with speakers Andreea D. Udrea, deputy director of zoning in the Dallas Planning and Development Department; Lucy Kempf, director of the Metropolitan Nashville–Davidson County Planning Department; and Meagan McMahan, director of planning for the City of Minneapolis. The panelists discussed how states are taking legislative action to preempt planning and zoning by local governments, and the various ways this preemption affects local planning. 

The next day, Dickinson served as a panelist for “Integrated Resource Planning—Where Land Meets Water.” Moderated by Steve Epting of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the panel also included Rachael Belisle-Toler, water resources manager for the Town of Ipswich, MA, and Adam Schempp of the Environmental Law Institute. Their presentations outlined the Integrated Resource Planning project’s methodology, observations, and findings. Key findings included the fact that most states expect local land use plans to identify areas for conservation, water supply, and drainage, and that eight states require water utilities to directly coordinate with land use planners in their communities. 

Mary Ann Dickinson, possibly the Lincoln Institute’s most well-rounded 2026 APA Conference attendee—thanks to her work moderating sessions, serving as a panelist on others, and helping out at the exhibition hall booth—described her experience as “intensive, fun, and rewarding,” noting that she especially enjoyed working the booth as it allowed her to talk to many planners. 

The Lincoln Institute is excited to attend APA’s 2027 National Planning Conference, which will be held May 15 to 18 in Houston. Stay tuned for more information on our participation! 

Eric Xie was a communications intern at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

Lead image: Director of Urban Sustainability Amy Cotter (far right) smiles with Adam Lyons, Eleanor Sharpe, and Emilia Oscilowicz after their panel “Equitable Urban Planning for a Changing Climate” at the 2026 National Planning Conference. Credit: Catherine Benedict, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.