Urban Planning is Not Boring

By Samantha Ellman and Natalie Ikhrata

Government & Organizations Regional Local

What's Urban Planning is Not Boring about?

Passionate about climate change mitigation, finding equitable solutions to the housing crisis, and more, Sam Ellman and Natalie Ikhrata dive into various topics related to the field of urban planning that are anything but boring!

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Urban Planning is Not Boring episodes:

03.05.2024
Reimagining Downtowns in a Post-Pandemic World
Welcome back to "Urban Planning is Not Boring"! We'll examine the historical context of downtown "ghost towns" and how this phenomenon is not entirely new but rather a cyclical pattern in urban development. From white flight to suburban sprawl, we'll trace...
02.12.2024
VMT 101: Understanding the Basics of Vehicle Miles Traveled
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, we dive into an acronym many of you are likely familiar with, VMT. We start by breaking down the concept of VMT - vehicle miles traveled - which essentially...
01.31.2024
Beyond Home and Work: Exploring the Importance of Third Places
Welcome back to Urban Planning Is Not Boring! In today's episode, we delve into the concept of third places – those vital social hubs that bridge the gap between our homes (first places) and workplaces (second places). Join us as...
01.16.2024
Spotlight on APA Inland Empire
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, Nat and Sam sit down with representatives from the American Planning Association (APA) Inland Empire Section to dive into the excitement surrounding the upcoming APA California Conference in Riverside...
01.02.2024
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) East to West with Four Degrees to the Streets
Happy New Year! Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! We are back from our break with a very exciting episode! In this joint episode, the Four Degrees to the Streets and Urban Planning is Not Boring podcasts come...
11.01.2023
Data-Driven Urban Planning: A Conversation with Federico Fernandez
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, Sam and Nat sit down with Federico Fernandez, a prominent figure in urban planning, cofounder of UrbanSim and Urbanly. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of urban...
10.23.2023
Challenges and Controversies: The Homelessness Crisis and Supreme Court Appeal
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, we delve into the bipartisan alliance formed to address a growing crisis: homelessness. Inspired by a recent New York Times article titled "In Rare Alliance, Democrats and Republicans Seek...
10.10.2023
A Brief Introduction to Affordable Housing
Welcome back to "Urban Planning is Not Boring." In this special episode, we're revisiting an essential topic that we recently covered in our class for Abundant Housing LA: "Introduction to Affordable Housing." Affordable housing is a pressing issue in cities...
09.19.2023
Small Steps, Big Impact: Incremental Development
Cities across the United States have opted to implement policy for community development gradually, rather than undergoing expedited construction and housing reform. Brooklyn Heights, Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, and Austin are just a few names you might recognize of cities...
09.12.2023
Discover civicX with co:census
Welcome to another episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring. Today, we have the privilege of exploring the world of community engagement, design, and planning with some remarkable guests from co:census. They're here to discuss an exciting new product, civicX,...
09.04.2023
Exploring Equitable Zoning Reform with Urban Land Institute
Welcome to another episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring. Today, we're diving deep into zoning reform and its implications for our cities. We're thrilled to have special guests from the Urban Land Institute (ULI) with us to discuss their...
08.21.2023
Bridging Architecture and Planning with Shiva Ghomi
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that delves into the dynamic interplay between architecture and planning. In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Shiva Ghomi, Director of Planning and Community Development at Aufgang,...
08.07.2023
Unpacking MOVE Culver City's Controversy
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that delves into the exciting world of urban planning. In this episode, we take a close look at MOVE Culver City, a city-led initiative that envisions reimagining streets as public...
07.17.2023
Catching up with Sam and Nat
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! After our mini 'summer break', we're excited to bring you a special episode titled "Catching up with Nat and Sam." In this episode, your hosts Natalie and Sam reconnect and share their...
06.19.2023
Intersections of Design and Planning with Shruti Shankar
Welcome to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban design and planning. In this episode, we are thrilled to have Shruti Shankar, the urban design director at Studio One Eleven, a renowned interdisciplinary...
06.06.2023
Do We Need to Develop More Market Rate Housing? Exploring the Concept of Filtering
Welcome to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, join your hosts Sam and Nat as they dive into a crucial concept in housing production: filtering. They explore why...
05.29.2023
Sitting down with Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we are joined by Maria Patiño Gutierrez, Director of Policy and Research at Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE),...
05.15.2023
Let’s Learn About Grief Urbanism with Ryy Dickerson
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we sit down with Ryy Dickerson, an urban planner from Providence, Rhode Island who recently wrote his thesis entitled...
05.08.2023
Our Streets Action Committee: Advocating for Safe and Accessible Streets in Los Angeles
Happy National Bike Month and welcome back to "Urban Planning is Not Boring," the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. In this episode, we are joined by representatives from three non-profit organizations based in Los Angeles, California:...
05.01.2023
APA National President Angela Brooks Sits Down with UPINB
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring!! In this episode, we are joined by Angela Brooks, the new national president of the American Planning Association National organization. We are SO excited to have her on the show (we were...
04.17.2023
The Intersection of Content Creation and Urban Planning
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring, the podcast that explores the fascinating world of urban planning. This episode, Sam and Nat sit down with Brittany Simmons, an urban planner and creative based in New York City, to discuss...
04.03.2023
The Importance of People-Centered Planning with RAYO Planning
Attention all urban planning enthusiasts! In the latest episode of "Urban Planning Is Not Boring," co-hosts Sam and Nat sit down with Victoria Ferrell Ortiz, Executive Director, and Evelyn Mayo, Co-Chair, of RAYO Planning, a non-profit planning firm based in...
03.20.2023
The Finale of the USC MUP Program: Capstone
Sam and Nat sit down to discuss all things Capstone! With graduation right around the corner, the capstone project is a pivotal element of the MUP graduate program at USC. This episode dives into the project’s components and all the...
03.06.2023
Disaster Planning and Community Engagement with Dr. Santina Contreras
This week, we are so lucky to have Dr. Santina Contreras a researcher and adjunct professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy. Santina's work focuses largely on environmental justice, disaster planning, and community engagement. With a background in...
02.27.2023
Gendered Experiences on Transit with Meghna Khanna
"The role of transit in shaping urban form is as important as its role in meeting transportation needs." - Meghna Khanna In this episode, Sam and Nat chat with the amazing Meghna Khanna, a Senior Director at Los Angeles Metro. After...
02.13.2023
Let's talk about Placemaking with Dee Powell
Desiree (Dee) Powell does it ALL! From working with full-time with Congress for the New Urbanism, starting her own planning and placemaking group Do Right By The Streets (DRBTS), heading up the Sunny South Dallas Food Park activation and community...
02.06.2023
Affordable Housing Development with Peter Enzminger
In today’s episode we are joined by Peter Enzminger to discuss all things affordable housing! This episode's discussion focuses on the different elements of affordable housing development and the ways in which it is both similar and different from market-rate...
01.30.2023
Sitting Down with Kristen Jeffers (@blackurbanist)
On this episode Sam and Nat sat down with Kristen Jeffers, MPA, who is an author, speaker, podcaster and analyst to talk about their experience in the field of Urban Planning. These experiences are what ultimately led to her authoring...
01.23.2023
What is Critical Cartography? A Conversation with Dr. Annette Kim
Have you ever heard of critical cartography? After taking Dr. Kim’s course “Critical Cartography and Urban Spatial Ethnography”, Sam knew that we needed to have Dr. Kim on the show. In this course, USC students have the opportunity to consider...
01.16.2023
You Asked, We Answered
Since starting this podcast, we’ve received a lot of questions about various urban planning topics, careers in the field, ways to be involved without a degree, and our personal journeys. We decided to answer some of these questions that we...
01.09.2023
Resolutions for the New Year!
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! We are starting off the year with an episode that is a bit different from our typical content - a lighthearted discussion about our resolutions for 2023 and our goals for the...
12.19.2022
Let's talk about CEQA
If you live in California, you’ve probably heard of CEQA aka the California Environmental Quality Act. In this episode, Sam and Nat give a very high-level introduction of the CEQA process, its purpose, and opportunities for CEQA streamlining for various...
12.13.2022
Freeway Expansion: It Won’t Solve Traffic Congestion!
Sam and Nat provided you with some historical information regarding freeway development and eminent domain in the last episode. Today they are bringing you the topic of freeway expansion and why it does not work to solve traffic congestion. Referencing...
11.21.2022
What the Freeway (WTF): Eminent Domain and the Interstate Highway System
Sam and Nat are beginning a mini-series to discuss all things freeway! Today they begin the series by diving into the history of the interstate highway system and provide some information regarding eminent domain and the role it played in...
11.14.2022
What is Builder's Remedy?
Welcome back to another episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring! Sam and Nat took a couple of weeks off to focus on school, work, travel, etc., but we are BACK! In this episode, we are talking about a relatively new...
10.24.2022
Career Coaching with Kristy Kilbourne
Sam and Natalie sit down with Kristy Kilbourne, also know as @passionateplanning on Instagram, to bring listeners advice on how to navigate a career in planning. Covering topics from what employers are looking for in a potential new hire to...
10.17.2022
What is a Planning Commissioner?? A Conversation with Elizabeth Pino
Welcome back to episode 15 of Urban Planning is Not Boring! This week, we have a very special guest on the podcast! Elizabeth Pino, a community engagement specialist and Planning Commissioner for the City of Torrance, speaks with Sam about...
10.11.2022
The California Legislature Has Been Busy: A Policy Recap
Hello everyone! We are back after a brief break with our 14th episode! As you may know, the California State Legislature has been busy lately. Consequently, there has been a lot of legislation signed into law by Governor Newsom, with...
09.26.2022
Embedded Planning Praxis with Jonathan Pacheco Bell
Sam and Nat have the pleasure of sitting down with Jonathan Pacheco Bell to discuss his Embedded Planning Praxis. We discuss the importance of moving from community engagement to community partnership in planning, focusing on the premise that planning does...
09.19.2022
Life after USC with Alex Sarno
Sam and Nat sit down with their former classmate, Alex Sarno, who shares his experiences from both undergrad and graduate school. He also shares his experiences in consulting and how he prepared himself for a career in urban planning. Listen...
09.13.2022
Public Housing and the Vote to Repeal Article 34
Join Sam as she discusses the history of public housing, how public housing came to have a poor reputation, and what repealing Article 34 would mean for California. Sources: The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein California voters to decide on repeal of...
09.05.2022
Applying to Grad School? We got you.
Are you considering applying to grad school? Have you ever wondered what the process to apply to grad school is like? Look no further! Natalie and Sam answer your questions about the grad school application process. We cover everything from...
08.29.2022
The Math is Mathing: Pro-Forma Analysis with Ben Feingold
Sam and Natalie are joined by industry professional and amazing USC adjunct Professor, Ben Feingold. What are pro-formas? Why are they used in development projects? Ben Feingold takes us through the financial analysis behind various project types and gives his...
08.22.2022
A Heated Book Club - Color of Law Pt 1
In this episode, Nat and Sam discuss the first four chapters of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein...and it gets a bit heated.
08.15.2022
Grad School Survival Guide
In this episode, Nat and Sam go through some of their biggest tips for starting grad school! From finding your favorite study spots to being intentional, we chat about tips specific to beginning a Master of Urban Planning and any...
08.08.2022
Dear Zoning, You Suck
We often associate historical discussions with the past which leads us to believe there are no impacts on the present. Sam and Natalie explain exactly why not everything historical is left in the past. The co-hosts dive into the history...
08.01.2022
Zoning, RHNA, SB9…oh my!
Welcome back to Urban Planning is Not Boring! In this episode, we cover a topic that was requested via our Instagram Stories: Zoning. We begin by defining what zoning is, what is taken into consideration within zoning codes, and discuss...
07.25.2022
L.A. Mobility Culture with Gia Chinchilla
In this episode of Urban Planning is Not Boring, Sam is joined by her friend Gia Chinchilla. Sam and Gia met through Climate Action LAb, a collective that Gia founded in 2019 that aims to inform & empower Angelenos to tackle...
07.19.2022
The 15-Minute City
Have you heard of the concept of the 15-minute city? Winner of the 2021 OBEL AWARD and coined by Professor Carlos Moreno at the Sorbonne in Paris, this framework shapes the city in a new way that is centered around...
07.11.2022
A Breakdown of the USC Master of Urban Planning Program
Sam and Nat give you a breakdown of everything you need to know about the Master of Urban Planning program. From the various concentrations that you can choose from to the ability to add certificates, we have got you covered!...

What's Urban Planning is Not Boring about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Urban Planning is Not Boring episodes:

Reimagining Downtowns in a Post-Pandemic World

VMT 101: Understanding the Basics of Vehicle Miles Traveled

Beyond Home and Work: Exploring the Importance of Third Places

Spotlight on APA Inland Empire

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) East to West with Four Degrees to the Streets

Data-Driven Urban Planning: A Conversation with Federico Fernandez

Challenges and Controversies: The Homelessness Crisis and Supreme Court Appeal

A Brief Introduction to Affordable Housing

Small Steps, Big Impact: Incremental Development

Discover civicX with co:census

Exploring Equitable Zoning Reform with Urban Land Institute

Bridging Architecture and Planning with Shiva Ghomi

Unpacking MOVE Culver City's Controversy

Catching up with Sam and Nat

Intersections of Design and Planning with Shruti Shankar

Do We Need to Develop More Market Rate Housing? Exploring the Concept of Filtering

Sitting down with Strategic Actions for a Just Economy (SAJE)

Let’s Learn About Grief Urbanism with Ryy Dickerson

Our Streets Action Committee: Advocating for Safe and Accessible Streets in Los Angeles

APA National President Angela Brooks Sits Down with UPINB

The Intersection of Content Creation and Urban Planning

The Importance of People-Centered Planning with RAYO Planning

The Finale of the USC MUP Program: Capstone

Disaster Planning and Community Engagement with Dr. Santina Contreras

Gendered Experiences on Transit with Meghna Khanna

Let's talk about Placemaking with Dee Powell

Affordable Housing Development with Peter Enzminger

Sitting Down with Kristen Jeffers (@blackurbanist)

What is Critical Cartography? A Conversation with Dr. Annette Kim

You Asked, We Answered

Resolutions for the New Year!

Let's talk about CEQA

Freeway Expansion: It Won’t Solve Traffic Congestion!

What the Freeway (WTF): Eminent Domain and the Interstate Highway System

What is Builder's Remedy?

Career Coaching with Kristy Kilbourne

What is a Planning Commissioner?? A Conversation with Elizabeth Pino

The California Legislature Has Been Busy: A Policy Recap

Embedded Planning Praxis with Jonathan Pacheco Bell

Life after USC with Alex Sarno

Public Housing and the Vote to Repeal Article 34

Applying to Grad School? We got you.

The Math is Mathing: Pro-Forma Analysis with Ben Feingold

A Heated Book Club - Color of Law Pt 1

Grad School Survival Guide

Dear Zoning, You Suck

Zoning, RHNA, SB9…oh my!

L.A. Mobility Culture with Gia Chinchilla

The 15-Minute City

A Breakdown of the USC Master of Urban Planning Program

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