Land Lines

Decoding Corruption in Urban Economic Development

By Jon Gorey, February 5, 2026

When an FBI sting in Tallahassee revealed corruption among local economic development officials, Kerry Fang saw a research opportunity. Fang, an associate professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a former Lincoln Institute fellow, discusses insights from her research and why planners need to learn to navigate local politics.

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A(lready) D(esigned for) U

Preapproved design plans for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, can help accelerate new housing in established neighborhoods.

By Jon Gorey, February 3, 2026

Cities across North America are providing residents with pre-approved building plans for accessory dwelling units, or ADUs, to help homeowners add housing to established neighborhoods. This StoryMap is a collection of pre-approved ADU designs and floor plans from Seattle to Roanoke, Va.

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Seven Need-to-Know Trends for Planners in 2026

By APA Foresight team, December 23, 2025

In January, the American Planning Association (APA) will publish the 2026 Trend Report for Planners in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.

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Planning for a Just Transition in the California Delta

By Jon Gorey, December 15, 2025

Some 50 miles inland from the iconic San Francisco Bay, subsidence and saltwater intrusion are complicating life in the California Delta. A series of participatory scenario planning workshops focused on salinity management is helping community members discuss and better understand the available solutions.

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A moody twilight shot of the Connecticut River. On the left is a bridge with orange lights, oriented vertically. The river stretches to the right, surrounded by fields, curving toward the horizon and a cloudy sky.

Farms, Forests, and Funding: Innovations in Conservation Finance

By Jon Gorey, December 1, 2025

The stakes are high, and so are the costs. Conservationists around the world are using innovative approaches to fund the protection of threatened species and places.

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Inviting Investors to Put Their Money Where Their Mission Is

By Jon Gorey, October 31, 2025

An event that felt like an altruistic episode of Shark Tank played out in Boston at the Accelerating Community Investment initiative’s latest investor challenge. ACI now includes more than 100 member organizations in 18 states, as well as a network of more than 50 investors.

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