Ike Heard, AICP dba Heard Systems (heardsystm@aol.com)

Planning in Today's Environment

Urban planning is about more than the organization of land uses in two-dimensional space. To be effective, planning must often manage the interaction among the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. This involves constructing strategies that allow each sector to do what it does best.

In many instances, planning is about managing transaction costs and the creation of public goods that often complicate the urban landscape. This requires the research-based, ends-oriented use of best management practices from a number of disciplines.

In other instances, planning is about working with public groups to help educate and lead them toward a consensus regarding a proposed project. With more than 30 years of experience in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, I have amassed an array of skills that can help you with both these research/evaluation tasks as well as group facilitation.

The Planning Services of Heard Systems

Ike Heard, dba Heard Systems, offers a number of services including

1. Strategic and business planning for community revitalization, with an emphasis on
a) temporarily obsolete, abandoned or derelict sites (TOADS)
b) affordable, workforce and market rate housing
c) urban retail

2. Segmented market and economic evaluations, with a special emphasis on retail opportunities

3. Project predevelopment analyses including
a) detailed cash flow projections
b) housing affordability strategies
c) packaging proposals for financial support
d) community meetings and consensus building

4. Urban planning, research, and community economic development

5. Demographic projections and survey data evaluation

Awards for Community Economic Development

National League of Cities Partnership Award for University Village Shopping Center (1996)

Fannie Mae Foundation/NBA Home Team Award for Dundeen Homes, an affordable housing rehabilitation project (1997)

Fannie Mae Foundation/NBA Home Team Award for French Square, a new affordable housing construction project (1998)

U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development’s John J. Gunther Blue Ribbon in Community Development (a.k.a. the HUD Best Practices Award) for the University Village Shopping Center (1997)

Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta Community Partners Award for Dundeen Court, an affordable rental rehabilitation project (1998)

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