Planning with Purpose: Designing Communities Where Everyone Belongs

Each December, as the pace of construction slows and communities gather to celebrate the season, RGS Associates takes time to look forward. The new year is a chance to consider what lies ahead and to reaffirm what truly matters: creating thoughtful, inclusive communities where people can live, work, and belong.

That spirit of reflection and renewal will be front and center when RGS Principals Mark Hackenburg, RLA, and Alex Piehl, RLA, attend the annual Homes Within Reach conference in early December. Hosted by the Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania, the conference brings together housing professionals, developers, architects, and advocates from across the Mid-Atlantic to share ideas about how to make affordable housing a reality in every community.

For RGS, it is an event that blends learning, advocacy, and purpose.

Decades of Dedication

Mark and Alex have been attending Homes Within Reach for more than a decade. For them, the conference is about more than just professional development.

“It’s not the kind of event where we show up to talk about ourselves,” Mark said. “It’s where we listen. It’s where we learn about the challenges our clients face every day in delivering affordable housing and where we gain a deeper understanding of how those challenges change over time.”

Alex agreed. “It’s a chance to connect with people who care deeply about the same issues we do; namely, how to make housing more accessible and sustainable,” he said. “We always come away with new ideas we can bring back to our clients.”

RGS has been involved in this space for nearly as long as the conference has existed. The firm’s role has primarily focused on the early stages of development: site selection, land planning, zoning, and entitlement approvals. These are the steps that determine whether a project can move forward, and they often require balancing the vision of the developer with the needs and expectations of the surrounding community.

“Every project we work on begins with the same question,” Alex said. “‘Does it fit the site, and can it serve the people who need it most?’”

Mark added, “That is where good planning begins—understanding both the site and the people who will be calling it home.”

Planning with Empathy

The conference gives RGS a front-row seat to the evolving landscape of affordable housing. Many conference discussions focus on how developers and communities can work together to create projects that are both financially viable and socially responsible.

For Mark and Alex, these sessions serve as a reminder that good design starts with empathy.

“When we attend sessions where residents share their personal stories, it changes the way you think about what you do,” Mark said. “You hear how people’s lives have been transformed simply because they had access to stable housing.”

“That kind of story reminds us that our work isn’t just about approvals and site plans,” Alex added. “It’s about creating opportunities for people to have better lives.”

That human connection is a cornerstone of RGS’s philosophy. Whether the firm is planning a retirement community, a mixed-use project, or an affordable housing neighborhood, the goal is always the same: to create spaces that foster dignity, belonging, and sustainability.

Lessons that Transcend Project Types

Although Homes Within Reach focuses on affordable housing, the insights RGS takes away apply to every sector of its work.

“The lessons about affordability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving are relevant to all the projects we do,” Mark said. “Every conversation in our industry eventually comes back to affordability. Whether we’re working on senior housing, multifamily communities, or single-family neighborhoods, people are struggling to find homes they can afford. That’s a shared challenge.”

RGS’s experience in this space helps clients navigate the many layers of the entitlement process, which can include zoning hurdles, funding restrictions, and community concerns.

By staying informed about the latest policy and funding priorities from organizations such as the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the RGS team is able to better guide developers through the process of bringing their projects to life.

Turning Resistance into Understanding

Land planning also involves education and advocacy. For every project that receives enthusiastic support, there are others that face skepticism or outright opposition.

“There are times when we hear comments like, ‘We don’t want those people in our neighborhood,’” Mark said. “That kind of thinking still exists, and it’s frustrating. Everyone deserves a quality home and a sense of place. Our job is to help communities see how inclusive housing benefits everyone.”

Through careful design, community engagement, and clear communication, RGS works to bridge divides and demonstrate that well-planned projects can improve neighborhoods and create lasting value. Mark said that sometimes it takes patience and persistence, but the results are worth it.

“When a once-vacant property becomes a thriving part of the community, or when you see residents moving in and taking pride in their new homes, that’s what makes it all worthwhile,” he said.

Learning, Listening, and Leading

The Homes Within Reach conference is also an opportunity for RGS to reconnect with longtime collaborators, including architects, housing authorities, and developers. The conversations often lead to new partnerships and new ideas.

“We get work out of these conferences, but that’s not why we go,” Mark said. “We go because it helps us grow as professionals and as people. We come back with a better understanding of what our clients and communities need.”

That understanding is especially important during the colder months, when construction slows and planning takes center stage. December, Mark added, is the perfect time to think about how to build for the future.

“It’s a quieter time in the field, which gives us space to reflect and plan,” he said. “It’s a season for thinking about how to make our communities stronger.”

The Spirit of Giving Back

That sense of reflection extends beyond project work.

As the holiday season approaches, RGS once again prepares to make its annual contribution to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank through the region’s ExtraGive campaign.

Instead of sending gifts to clients, the firm donates on their behalf to help support families in need throughout the communities where RGS works. Last year, that contribution included a $10,000 donation presented in person by RGS team members.

“Supporting the food bank is one way we can make a difference outside of our day-to-day work,” Mark said.

“It reflects our belief that the communities we design are the same communities we’re part of. Giving back is part of who we are.”

A Season for Gratitude and Hope

For Mark and Alex, the Homes Within Reach conference serves as both a professional gathering and a personal reminder. It is a time to celebrate the progress being made in affordable housing and to recommit to the firm’s guiding purpose: creating spaces that improve lives.

“Housing is a basic need, and we all have a role to play in meeting it,” Mark said. “When we come together to share ideas and support one another, we move closer to communities where everyone can thrive.”

As the year draws to a close, RGS looks forward to continuing that mission into 2026 with gratitude for its partners, appreciation for its people, and optimism for the work yet to come.