Podcast
Booked on Planning
Hosted by Booked on Planning · EN
Booked on Planning is a podcast that goes deep into the planning books that have helped shape the world of community and regional planning. We dive into the books and interview the authors to glean the most out of the literature important for preparing for AICP certification and just expanding your knowledge base. We are all busy with our day to day lives which is why we condense the most important material into short 30 minute episodes for your commute, workout, or while you are cleaning up around the house. Join us while we get Booked on Planning.
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Squirrel
6d ago00:32:37Tap to summarize"Squirrel: How a Backyard Forager Shapes Our World" highlights the fascinating history and ecological importance of squirrels, revealing how these ubiquitous creatures play a vital role in our environments, both urban and rural. As the conversation continued, Castaldo explored the complicated human-squirrel relationship. While many admire squirrels for their agility and intelligence, others find them frustrating garden and bird feeder raiders. Castaldo emphasizes that this tension stems from squirrels being one of the few wild animals regularly interacting with humans, leading to mixed emotions about these neighborhood residents. Recognizing planners' critical role in shaping wildlife-friendly cities, Castaldo advocates for creating green corridors and connected natural spaces. These efforts are essential not only for squirrels but for entire ecological communities, ensuring both urban and natural environments thrive together. Show Notes:Further Reading: Buildings that Breathe: Greening the World’s Cities by Nancy CastaldoInvisible Cities by Italo CalvinoGreen Obsession: Trees Towards Cities, Humans Towards Forests by Stefano BoeriUrban Ecology: Detroit and Beyond by Kyŏng PakCrossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet by Ben GoldfarbLearn more about the Central Park Squirrel Census at https://www.thesquirrelcensus.com/ To help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/ Marvin Planning ConsultantsServing the planning needs of communities and counties in Nebraska and throughout the Midwest.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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The Lost and The Found
4w ago00:43:59Tap to summarizeIn an era where stories of triumph and redemption often stem from unlikely beginnings, "The Lost and The Found: A True Story of Homelessness, Found Family, and Second Chances" presents a poignant narrative that resonates deeply with its audience. Authored by Kevin Fagan, the tale unfolds with an exploration of the human spirit's indomitable will to find belonging and transformation amidst life's adversities. Homelessness, a multifaceted crisis affecting millions worldwide, forms the foundational backdrop of this narrative. In this episode we dive into the intricacies of life without a permanent home, shedding light on the societal factors that contribute to this pervasive issue.Show Notes:Further Reading: Rough Sleepers: Dr. Jim O'Connell's urgent mission to bring healing to homeless people by Tracey KidderEvicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew DesmondThe Grapes of Wrath by John SteinbeckTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Homes for Living
Jun 900:50:45Tap to summarizeThis episode delves into the intricate world of limited equity cooperatives, social narratives, and the constantly evolving landscape of housing in America with Jonathan Tarleton, exploring his book "Homes for Living: The Fight for Social Housing and a New American Commons." Tarleton begins by describing the concept of limited equity co-ops, which function as a form of de-commodified housing insulated from current market pressures. This concept comes to life in his book and our conversation through the Mitchell-Lama program in New York City, designed to keep housing permanently affordable for middle-income individuals. The discussion takes an introspective turn as Tarleton addresses the pervasive American narrative that true ownership equates to property that can generate profit. He argues that societal shifts have turned homeownership into a safety net for all life's financial perils, leading to a narrow view that success is only tangible through profitable ownership.Show Notes:Author Recommended Reading: Carving out the Commons: Tenant Organizing and Housing Cooperatives in Washington, D.C. by Amanda HuronRace for Profit: How Banks and the Real Estate Industry Undermined Black Homeownership by Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor Boom Town by Sam AndersonHaving and Being Had by Eula BissWhat Can a Body Do?: How We Meet the Built World By Sara HendrenTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/JEO Consulting GroupJEO is a full-service firm offering engineering, architecture, surveying & planning in the Midwest. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Managing the Magic of Old Places
May 2600:45:11Tap to summarizeHistoric preservation is a field dedicated to safeguarding our cultural heritage, but the stability of jobs within this sector often hinges on government involvement. According to author Jeremy Wells, nearly three-quarters of all jobs in historic preservation are fundamentally designed to meet the needs of local, state, and federal government. This statistic underscores the dependence of the industry on government funding and initiatives and the need for preservation education to reflect this fact in the structure of their programs. "Managing the Magic of Old Places: Crafting Public Policies for People-Centered Historic Preservation," the subject of this episode, covers this topic and ways the preservation field can be more responsive to the communities they serve.Show Notes:Further Reading: “Reclaiming Time and Space”, a thesis by Kenyatta McCleanUses of Heritage by Laurajayne Smith Contemporary Theory of Conservation by Salvadore Munoz VinasPeople Centered Methodologies of Heritage Preservation: Exploring Emotional Attachments to Historic Urban Places by Rebecca MadginReimagining Heritage Interpretation: Enchanting the Past-Future by Russel StaifOur Unprotected Heritage: Whitewashing the Destruction of Our Cultural and Natural Environment by Thomas F. KingTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/Ray Planning SolutionsA seasoned planner with experience in land development, zoning admin and community revitalizationDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Preserving with Purpose
May 1200:42:08Tap to summarizeIn this episode architect and author Amy Hetletvedt discusses her thought-provoking book, "Preserving With Purpose: Re-Imagining Buildings for Community Benefit." This conversation delves into innovative approaches to historical preservation, particularly around the idea of reimagining how communities can benefit from existing structures. A number of the book’s case studies are discussed to illustrate her concepts that offer a new way to ensure building maintenance and reuse that diverges from the standard approach of letting buildings sit and deteriorate until millions of dollars are raised to complete a full scale renovation.Show Notes:Further Reading:Deventer by Matthew StadlerA Field Guide to Sprawl by Delores HaydenYou can download a free book guide that includes options to discuss the book in one to three meetings as a book club or lunch discussion at www.amyhetletvedt.com To help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/OlssonA nationally recognized, employee-owned engineering and design firm with a rich history of success.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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An Even Better Way to Zone
Apr 2800:46:03Tap to summarizeIn our latest episode we interview zoning attorney and author Donald Elliott about his book An Even Better Way to Zone: Achieving More Affordable, Equitable, and Sustainable Communities. Elliott’s work comes alongside other recent zoning books covered on the show, including M. Nolan Gray's Arbitrary Lines (arguing for getting rid of zoning) and Sarah Bronin’s Key to the City, his approach aligning with reforming zoning rather than eliminating it. Elliott explains that his earlier book, A Better Way to Zone (released nearly 20 years earlier), focused on broadly applicable zoning “basics” and common misunderstandings, while the new book reflects two additional decades of practice and is more targeted.Elliott says An Even Better Way to Zone concentrates on four substantive, current priorities that appear across many zoning projects: enabling more affordable housing, supporting more sustainable development, improving zoning outcomes for disadvantaged groups, and—most notably—zoning for continued reuse and redevelopment rather than focusing only on what communities want “today.” He frames zoning as a governance system, not a wish list, emphasizing that it defines legal rights to use property and therefore needs to anticipate ongoing change, especially in built-out places.Show Notes:Further Reading: Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane JacobsThe Image of the City by Kevin A. LynchThe Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Arbitrary Lines by M. Nolan GrayKey to the City by Sara BroninThe New Urban Crisis: How Our Cities Are Increasing Inequality, Deepening Segregation, and Failing the Middle Class and What We Can Do About It by Richard FloridaCast: The Origins of our Discontents by Isabel WilkersonTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/lists/land-use-and-zoning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/RDG Planning & DesignArchitects, landscape architects, engineers, artists & planners with a drive to make a difference. Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Folk Engineering
Apr 1400:36:32Tap to summarizeThere’s regionalism as we all learned in planning school led by Louis Mumford at the Regional Planning Association of America (RPAA) and then there’s southern regionalism that Howard W. Odum and his Institute for Research in Social Science (IRSS) led from the University of North Carolina. The history of the southern regionalists was largely overlooked until Stephen Ramos published “Folk Engineering: Planning Southern Regionalism.” Sadly, Stephen passed away shortly after publishing this book, leaving behind an accomplished career and scholarship that elevated the urban planning program in the College of Environmental Design at the University of Georgia. This episode honors his last major publication contributing to the field.Show Notes:Further Reading: Electric Life: Utility Regulation and the Fight for Energy Democracy by Nikki Lucke (open access PDF)Seeing Like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed by James C. ScottNew State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood by Neil BrennerWhite Flight: Atlanta and the Making of Modern Conservatism by Kevin M. KruseTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!Marvin Planning ConsultantsServing the planning needs of communities and counties in Nebraska and throughout the Midwest.Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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2026 Trend Report
Mar 2400:31:58Tap to summarizePlanning for the future can feel overwhelming, yet essential. The American Planning Association’s (APA) 2026 Trend Report offers planners foresight into upcoming trends that could shape our world. In our latest episode, we talked with Petra Hurtado, APA’s Chief Foresight and Knowledge Officer, to delve into these trends. Now in it’s fifth year (coincidentally…or not….this was our 100th episode in the fifth year of our show), we have covered every trend report from the first so you can really start to see the evolution of the document and it’s contents.This time around, we definitely talk about artificial intelligence (AI) and it’s impacts and how to prepare for it. As trends like AI, transportation, and housing continue to evolve, Hurtado emphasizes the need for planners to address these changes head-on--”looking away won’t make it go away” was the theme of the conversation. The episode highlights recurring themes like climate change, demographic shifts, and policy changes. Show Notes:Check out the full report on APA’s website at https://planning.org/publications/document/9323378/ Trend Universe: https://planning.org/foresight/trends/ New Home for Data Source’s Article: https://www.planning.org/planning/2025/sep/5-tech-tools-for-building-relevant-and-reliable-urban-data-infrastructure/ Upskilling: https://www.planning.org/upskilling/ Further Reading: The Ministry of Time by Kiliane BradleyGod is Red: A Native View of Religion by Vine Deloria Jr.Work Without Jobs: How to Reboot Your Organization’s Work Operating System by Ravin Jesuthansan and John W. BoudreauTo view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/ Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Bittersweet Lane
Mar 1000:38:36Tap to summarizeIn the latest episode of the Booked On Planning podcast, hosts Stephanie Rouse and Jennifer Hiatt sat down with author and developer Jamie Madden to discuss his new book, Bittersweet Lane: Creating Home(s) in the American Affordable Housing Crisis. Part memoir and part educational guide, the book offers a rare look at the housing crisis from someone who grew up in affordable housing and now spends his career building it.Madden’s unique background allows him to bridge the gap between resident needs and developer realities. He emphasizes that successful housing requires understanding the “chain of consequences” behind every decision—from laundry room placement to the complex certification processes residents must navigate. A central theme of the interview is the ideological struggle over the purpose of affordable housing. Madden points out that while the goal should be simple—"everyone should have a place to live"—U.S. policy has historically wavered between viewing housing as a reward (like parks) or a punitive measure (like prisons). Show Notes:Further Reading: Gaffs: Why No One Can Get a House, and What We Can Do About It by Rory HearnePoor: Grit, courage, and the life-changing value of self-belief by Katriona O’SullivanTopographia Hibernica: Acclaimed stories from the bestselling Irish author, podcaster, satirist and musician by Blindboy BoatclubA past episode referenced by Jamie is Homeless is a Housing Issue, a book he references in Bittersweet Lane.Check out the APA National Planning Conference page and register to attend today at https://planning.org/conference/?utm_campaign=NPC26&utm_source=external&utm_medium=podcast&utm_content=bookedonplanning To help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/ Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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Why Nothing Works
Feb 2400:44:59Tap to summarizeProgressivism struggles with a never ending pendulum swing between Jeffersonian and Hamiltonian impulses, bringing us to our current problem of inaction. Author Mark Dunkelman in his book, "Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress—and How to Bring It Back", explains the origins of American progressivism as a response to the upheaval created by railroads and national-scale economic power, outlining these two competing impulses within the movement: the Jeffersonian push to break up big institutions and return power to smaller, local actors, and a Hamiltonian push to build strong public institutions capable of regulating large private entities. The discussion traces how the U.S. shifted toward large-scale governance in the New Deal and mid-20th century, then swung back in the 1960s–1970s as public trust eroded due to environmental damage, highways cutting through communities, urban renewal, Vietnam, and Watergate, leading to layered legal and procedural checks that can fragment decision-making and make it difficult for governments to act quickly. Dunkelman describes how the judiciary’s role changed over time and argues that today’s system resembles a “tragedy of the commons in reverse,” where widespread veto points prevent collective action. Show Notes:Further Reading: Making a New Deal: Industrial Workers in Chicago, 1919-1939 by Lizabeth CohenSaving America's Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America by Lizabeth CohenCadillac Desert: The American West and Its Disappearing Water by Marc ReisnerFind each on our Policy book list at https://bookshop.org/lists/theory-policy-historyTo help support the show, pick up a copy of the book through our Bookshop page at https://bookshop.org/shop/bookedonplanning or get a copy through your local bookstore!To view the show transcripts, click on the episode at https://bookedonplanning.buzzsprout.com/ Follow us on social media for more content related to each episode:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/booked-on-planning/Twitter: https://twitter.com/BookedPlanningFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/bookedonplanningInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bookedonplanning/
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