Congratulations to Cambridge’s Newest Citizen-Planners!
How can city governments benefit more from the diverse perspectives of local constituents? And how can neighbors learn more about how to contribute to the work of city planners?
Cambridge’s first-ever Community Planning Academy launched in September 2025 to provide one model to bridge common divides.
Building from earlier community ideas that arose during the Cambridge’s Neighborhood Planning Initiative (NPI) that Agency led with the City in 2023, the Community Planning Academy gathered a dozen Cambridge residents across three sessions: Planning History, Zoning, and Community Engagement. The courses were designed to develop understandings of how planning affects communities, who makes decisions, and how they can help shape their future city. Community Planning Academy participants joined interactive discussions, tested zoning games, followed along in an academy workbook, and were compensated for their time.
To read more about Agency’s work with Cambridge Planning and Design Services, click here.