By putting community needs first, we can ensure that federal funding is used to build and restore health equity as well as the nation’s infrastructure.
The Healthy Regions Planning Exchange brings together practitioners, advocates, and community-based representatives to address the structural issues that influence health and equity through regional planning in the United States. The Exchange consists of more than 30 organizations representing 11 regions of the country, and involves a number of events and discussions throughout the year focusing on the role of race and racism in transportation, housing, and the environment.
For two years the participants — from Portland, Oregon to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, New Orleans, Louisiana to Buffalo, New York — have explored how race and racism influences the built environment by way of urban planning. During the second phase of the Planning Exchange, announced in February 2021, the cohorts from each region are advancing strategies to change the built environments in their communities in ways that create better health and financial outcomes for residents.
- Bay Area, CA: SPUR, Urban Habitat
- Buffalo, NY: Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transport & Co., PUSH Buffalo
- Chicago, IL: Chicago Department of Public Health, Illinois Public Health Institute, Metropolitan Planning Council
- Los Angeles, CA: Alliance for Community Transit – LA, County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health, Colectivo Poder Comunitario/Community Power Collective
- New Orleans, LA: Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center, Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center (LaFHAC), Operation Restoration
- New York, NY: Make the Road New York, Regional Plan Association
- Pine Ridge Reservation, SD: Thunder Valley CDC
- Pittsburgh, PA: Hill District Consensus Group, Pittsburghers for Public Transit
- Portland, OR: Multnomah County Health Department
- Twin Cities, MN: Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, Frogtown Neighborhood Association, New American Development Center
Event Highlight
Health Equity in Action
In December, 2021, participants from the Planning Exchange candidly described their efforts to advance healthy equity during the program’s first-ever public convening.
Speakers
- Vanessa Barrios
- Manager, Advocacy Programs, Regional Plan Association
- Carmina Calderon
- Community Organizer, Colectivo Poder Comunitario
- Carol Hardeman
- Director, Hill District Consensus Group
- Chloe Gurin-Sands
- Manager of Health Equity and Planning, Metropolitan Planning Council
- Tatewin Means
- Executive Director Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation
- Dr. Herminia Palacio
- President & CEO, Guttmacher Institute
- Pamela Russo
- Senior Program Officer, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Kate Slevin
- Executive Vice President, Regional Plan Association
- Laura Tolkoff
- Transportation Policy Director, SPUR
