Governance, Preemption, and the Importance of Protecting Local Representation with Nestor Davidson

In this episode of the Trend Talk podcast, a companion series for the 2026 Trend Report for Planners, Joe DeAngelis, research manager at the American Planning Association (APA), sits down with Nestor Davidson, the Emma Bloomberg Professor of Real Estate at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. An urban law expert, Nestor delves into the complex dynamics between state and local governance, highlighting the adversarial relationships and the challenges of state preemption. Their conversation covers the importance of shared governance and the need to protect local representation, while acknowledging the shortcomings of local politics. They also explore how these issues intersect with broader environmental, political, and social trends, emphasizing their impact on cities, planners, and planning practices across the country. The 2026 Trend Report for Planners is created by APA in partnership with the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.