Detroit is Showcased to Nearly 4,000 Urban Planners

American Planning Association's National Planning Conference (NPC26), April 25 – 28, 2026.  

CHICAGO, April 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Planning Association (APA) to host the National Planning Conference (NPC26) in Detroit, April 25 – 28, 2026. At a time when communities around the country are grappling with housing supply shortages, aging infrastructure, and climate resilience, Detroit will host the nation's largest gathering of urban planners to explore what is working and what comes next.

"This is Detroit's time to spotlight its continued momentum," said APA President Sue Schwartz, FAICP. "The city is a powerful backdrop for sharing how to evolve with innovation, drive meaningful change in communities, and lessons learned from its remarkable revitalization."

The four-day conference will feature sessions that provide insights and innovative solutions for some of the most relevant planning topics today, including:

• What to do when data centers come to town
• Preserving mom and pop shops
• Diagnosing and correcting dysfunction in local housing markets
• Creating economic development opportunities by leveraging public-private partnerships

Attendees will also experience Detroit's planning leadership and success first-hand through nearly 50 mobile workshops, visiting neighborhoods like the East Side, Eastern Market, and the Joe Louis Greenway. This "living laboratory" enables planners from across the country and around the globe to experience Detroit and to take lessons and inspiration back to their own communities.

APA will host an exclusive screening of Resurgo by Detroit resident Stephen McGee, a documentary 20 years in the making that follows the city's challenges and reinvention. Enjoy a planning-centric conversation with the filmmaker after the screening.

This premier event brings together thousands of community planners, urban designers, transportation experts, historic preservationists, and planning commissioners for an impactful and collaborative experience. Registration is available throughout the conference.

• WHO: Nearly 4,000 community, regional, urban, and rural planners from across the U.S. and worldwide.
• WHERE: Huntington Place Convention Center (Hall A), 1 Washington Blvd., Detroit, Mich.
• WHEN: April 25-28, 2026

Keynote speakers will also help inspire and encourage attendees. Jaz Ampaw-Farr from the U.K. will discuss being 10 percent braver every day. John Register, a Paralympic silver medalist and Army veteran, will share how to overcome unexpected life-altering challenges and embrace a "new normal mindset."

NPC26 would not be possible without the support of our sponsors:

(Platinum) Esri; Tyler Technologies;

(Gold) Accela; Houseal Lavigne Associates; Michigan Economic Development Corporation;

(Silver) Avolve Software; Clariti|CivCheck; HNTB Corporation; Inspire Placemaking Collective; Kim Lundgren Associates; Toyota Mobility Foundation; ViewPro;

(Bronze) AECOM; Archistar; Baker Tilly; BCT Design Group; Blitz AI; Carto; ChargedUp!; EcoInteractive; Granicus; GovWell; ImpactPlan; McKenna; Metro Forecasting Models; MKSK; Oracle; PermitSight; Spicer Group, Inc.; Spin; WSP; and ZoneCo, LLC.

To register or learn more about the program, visit: www.planning.org/npc.

Follow the conversation online with #NPC26.

The American Planning Association is an independent, not-for-profit educational organization that provides vital leadership in creating great communities for all. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, are dedicated to advancing the profession of planning, offering better choices for where and how people work and live. The nearly 40,000 APA members work in concert with community residents, civic leaders and business interests to create communities that enrich people's lives. Through its philanthropic work, APA's Foundation helps to reduce economic and social barriers to good planning. APA is based in Chicago. Learn more at www.planning.org.

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SOURCE American Planning Association