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Hanna:Keelan Associates is a Lincoln, Nebraska–based community planning and research consulting firm, founded in 1978 by Becky Hanna and Tim Keelan. The Firm maintains 100+ years of professional community, county and regional planning experience and has served Communities, Counties and non-profit organizations with community and regional planning activities and affordable housing programs.

Hanna:Keelan is a “planning-centric” firm that is routinely recognized as a leader in the preparation of Community and County-Wide Housing Studies, as well as Comprehensive Plans, Zoning and Subdivision Regulations, Downtown Revitalization and Economic Development Strategic Planning.  Our Firm utilizes the most effective research methods, both qualitative and quantitative, to develop planning documents for Counties and Communities across the Midwest that are practical and useable. It has always been the philosophy of Hanna:Keelan to partner with local government, economic development and housing provider organizations to achieve a consensus that leads to economically and socially feasible implementation activities.

Citizen Participation & Community Engagement.

Community and regional planning, at any level, is most effective when it involves as much of the general public as possible.  Citizen participation and community engagement is our key to understanding community and county-wide needs in an effort to produce a plan that will not only promote community development and urban revitalization, but the strengthening of neighborhoods, the enhancement of local quality of life and promote overall community sustainability and resiliency.  Public engagement is achieved via locally-targeted surveys, focus group listening sessions and interviews with local housing professionals.

Comprehensive Planning & Zoning.

Hanna:Keelan Comprehensive Plans serve as tools to assist in planning for future stability and development in any Community and their respective Planning Jurisdiction.  Our Firm has completed 170+ Comprehensive Plans.

Our process includes the development of a general plan, which establishes specific and practical guidelines for improving existing conditions and controlling future growth.  The Comprehensive Plan presents “Goals” and “Action Steps” in the areas of Community Growth; Land Use & Zoning; Natural Resources, Community Character & Urban Design; Employment & Economy; Public Facilities, Utilities & Transportation; and Energy Conservation.

Hanna:Keelan is very knowledgeable in modern-day zoning and subdivision regulation practices.  We understand the importance of concentric growth in an effort to promote health, safety and quality of life in a Community.  Residential, commercial and industrial growth and development, as well as the preservation of surrounding sensitive land areas and public spaces is important in enhancing community, county and regional quality of life.  It is critical that Communities be kept up to date on evolving State legislation that could have an impact on future growth and development.

Community & County-Wide Housing Studies.

Housing Studies prepared by Hanna:Keelan serve as a ‘vehicle to implement’ housing development programs with appropriate public and private funding and to ensure that proper guidance is observed in developing various housing types for persons and families of all income sectors.  This includes local workforce populations, families of all incomes, elderly, minorities, students, homeless and near-homeless and persons with special needs.  Our Housing Studies include a wide range of initiatives to be implemented to advance both the development and preservation of affordable housing for all populations, income sectors and price points, which include Housing Action Plans, the identification of local, State and Federal funding sources and the creation of partnerships with local and regional housing stakeholders.

Downtown Revitalization Planning.

Downtown comercial districts serve as the heart of all Communities, regardless of shape, size and components.  It is critical for this core area to support new and retain existing businesses, professional services, industries and housing opportunities while also preserving its historical roots and characteristics.  All approaches to Downtown Revitalization must be comprehensive in nature and focus on these and other attributes, including mobility, traffic flow, public infrastructure, beautification and safety.

Hanna:Keelan utilizes this comprehensive approach when preparing Downtown Revitalization Plans.  Our Firm routinely partners with local elected leadership, “Main Street” preservation orgamizations and local developers/contractors during this process.

Community & Neighborhood Redevelopment Planning.

Hanna:Keelan utilizes local Community Development laws to guide the implementation of development and redevelopment activities.  This helps to promote general welfare and enhance the local tax base, as well as promote economic and social well-being of a Community.  Strategies include future land use policies and recommendations, residential/ commercial/industrial development initiatives, public utility replacement and the utilization of alternative energy systems.  Hanna:Keelan professionals assist local redevelopment entities in creating a time line and budget for implementation purposes in conformance with the resources and time available.