Barry Checkoway's Paul Davidoff And Advocacy Planning In Retrospect

In Barry Checkoway’s Paul Davidoff and Advocacy Planning in Retrospect (1994), he discusses about Paul Davidoff’s role as the “father” of “advocacy planning.” He developed this concept as a counterpoint to ideas such as urban renewal programs which often resulted in economic hardships and the increasing destruction of homes than further development and building of new homes (p. 140). In Davidoff’s Advocacy and Pluralism in Planning (1965), he argues for advocacy on behalf of underrepresented groups, such as the poor and minorities, who were displaced by these types of programs. His ideas inspired the relation of agencies to provide alternative planning resources to urban communities and were guides to many who became associated with advocacy
By advocating on behalf of the poor, a greater emphasis on social planning was placed in the planning process as this also involved citizen or stakeholder involvement. Checkoway quotes a key saying from Davidoff which explains the role of the planner, according to his definition: “A planner shall seek to expand choice and opportunity for all persons, recognizing a special responsibility to plan for the needs of disadvantaged groups and persons, and shall urge the alteration of policies, institutions, and decisions which militate against such objectives” (p. 139). Ultimately, what Paul Davidoff was advocating was essentially that any type of urban planning should be geared towards becoming more inclusive and participatory with multiple stakeholders involved. Davidoff’s plan resembles a form of “governance,” in which the distribution of power and control in society is handed over to the populace in a “horizontal” form of government. Essentially, it focuses on the relationship between political or public administration and its citizens and their combined influence over public policy. Davidoff advocated a shift from the traditional emphasis on land use planning to a more socially and economically friendly planning that extends to almost everyone and their goals and objectives in
Planners are considered as having a “technical” role rather than being a political force. But as Krumholz, Davidoff and Checkoway have all pointed out, advocacy and equity planning should not be simply be regulated or faded into the shadows of planning but be on the forefront of any type of urban planning. This type of planning requires those to be involved in City Hall coalitions, engage with community stakeholders and win over key leaders in the process of developing a “governance” oriented planning process. A policy question may be constructed based on this module readings: “With the suggestions of Checkoway, Davidoff and Krumholz in mind, can there be effective ways to actually implement equity and advocacy planning methods in real life instead of just simply meditate on it as a theory?” This is an important question that would possibly take years to truly develop an effective answer as it would effectively define what is expected of a planner in light of the ideology pushing equity and advocacy for the common