I'm in the south. My municipal planning commission is made up entirely of developers (non elected positions appointed by a centrist mayor) and the agency that works for them (where the real planners work) is headed by a lifelong bureaucrat who rolls over for the commission because he's buddies with them. So the well intentioned planners (yes they're libs but they're trying) can't do shit bc everyone they work for is self serving. It fucking blows and major issues like affordable housing and gentrification can't get addressed even though the city staff wants it to (and it's leaders claim they care).
As an urban planner and the only actual leftist on this site, I disagree.
Community feedback meetings are always scheduled for times that the working class cannot attend. Basically, all the kulaks show up to whine about "muh neighborhood character" and in urban planners minds they equal the working class.
I know of some urban planners, and overall, the big decisions are completely out of their hands and made by politicians are their associated corporate friends.
Urban planning is about creating top down structures that people are only allowed into under specific circumstances once its finished
The peoples urbanism starts and ends with pillow fortresses
I mean, Urban Planers don't really have all that much power right? Just more of executing the city council/mayors wishes on key stuff? Not a lot of space to work ideology in.
Obviously urban planners work to meet libby mayors/councils expectations, but keep in mind they are the ones considered "experts." Local governments pay out tons to firms and will listen to them.
