Professional and Pro-bono Service | Professor Rachelle Alterman

A. INTERNATIONAL

Founder of the world’s first International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights. Inaugural symposium – Amsterdam Feb. 7 2007. To promote interdisciplinary and cross-national exchange between academics in planning, law, and real estate studies. Elected President of the Association during the second international conference, Warsaw, February 14 2008, term ended February 2010.Founder of a sister-forum to enable cross learning among legal government practitioners and scholars: The International Platform of Experts in Planning Law, in cooperation with the Dutch Government and the Institute for Construction Law, The Hague.

1994 – current – Invited Observer – Council, AESOP ‑ Association of European Schools of Planning ‑ Representative of Technion (in 1989 in Leuven, Belgium, negotiated “full corresponding member” status for the Technion – the first school to be awarded this status; subsequently converted to regular member of a corresponding school).

B. ISRAEL

2015 – Member, Steering Committee, National Marine-Coastal Spatial Planning, team headed by the Ministry of the Interior’s Planning Administration.
2007 – 2009 Chair – Committee for the Nomination of the Honorary Fellows of the Israel Planners’ Association (two consecutive years). Initiator in 2007 of a new honor – Trustee of the IPA (for exemplary service to the organization).
2005 Member, Strategic Planning Committee of DESHE – an environmental NGO associated with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
2004 Founding member of the task for creating an International Association of Jewish Architects and Planners for Human Rights (temporary title).
2003, Jan – 2003, Dec Appointed by the Council for a Beautiful Israel to the Judges Committee of the first David Azrieli Prize for Excellence in Urban Planning.
2003 Member, Academic Committee. The Rural Area Research Unit, The Kibbutz Research Institute, The University of Haifa. New center established October 2003.
2003 Member of the Prize Committee for the Distinguished Planner Award, Association for Environmental Planning in Israel. Prize to be awarded Feb. 2004 at the Annual Conference of AEPI.
2003 Member of the Continuing Education committee of the Association of Environmental Planning in Israel.
2000 onward Member, Academic Advisory Committee for the Israel Institute for Land Policy (Jewish National Fund, Jerusalem).
2000 Member, NGO think-tank on the Future of the Kibbutz. Ramat Efal Institute.
1996, Nov – 2002, March Elected member of the Executive Board, Israel Association for Environmental Planning.
1994 – 1997 Member, Committee for Public Transportation, People, Nature, and Law Association (a public-action group).
1996, Nov Elected member of the Executive Committee of the Israel Association for Environmental Planning.Reelected Nov. 1998 for an additionalterm.
1996 – 1997 Appointed member, board of directors, the Israel Center for Mediation – an N.G.O. volunteer group of professionals.
1994, Dec Founding member and member of the Presidential Board, Council for Open Space Preservation in Israel.
1991 – 1992 Member, Board of Directors, Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel (Hevra Le’Haganat Ha’teva).Subsequently, member of the DESHE think tank group re. “green” planning.
1983 – 1987 National Deputy Chair of AEPI. In 1983 I initiated the Israel Distinguished Planner Award (implemented in collaboration with Prof. Baruch Kipnis and Prof. Arie Shachar). Served on the first two nominating committees. The award was granted in 1983 to Arie Sharon, Eliezer Brutzkus and Zion HaShimshoni., later to Arie Eliav and Baiga Schochat, and in 1986 (or 85) to Slyper and Raanan Weitz.
1978 – 1982 Elected member of the Executive Committee of the Association for Environmental Planning in Israel.
1978 – approx. 1985 Member of the Planning Committee, Society for a Beautiful Israel, Haifa District.

C. SERVICE – membership in Public or Government Boards and Committees

2013-14 Member, National Committee for Indicators for Quality of Life, subcommittee for Housing and Infrastructure. Appointed by the Planning Administration, Ministry of Interior.
2010-11 Appointed as a member of the search committee for the new Director (and chief planner) of the Israel National Planning Administration (Ministry of the Interior).
2007– Appointed member, National Committee on Post-Earthquake Recovery.
2005, Apr – 2006 Member, Planning Law Reform task force, formed by the Ministry of the Interior.
2003, Dec onward Member, Israel National Planning & Building Board. appointed by the President of the Technion to the Technion seat.Appointed member of the Appeals.
2003 Appointed by the Minister of Construction and Housing to a 5-person committee to advise on housing policy (not yet activated…).
2001, Jan Re-appointed by the President of the Technion as Deputy-Representative of the Technion to the statutory National Planning and Building Board. Member of the subcommittee for Appeals.
2001, Jan – 2003 Appointed by the Minister of Interior as Chair of the Statutory Investigation Committee for Boundaries Changes in the Modiin-Shoham area.
2000, July Invited by the chair of the Knesset Committee on Internal and Environmental Affairs (M.K. David Azolia) to serve as Academic Advisor to the Committee regarding a proposed private bill on Coastline Preservation.
1998 – 1999 Member, steering committee of National Outline Plan #35.
1997, Apr Member, Think-tank on “The future of rural communities” ,Ministry of Agriculture.
1997, Feb Member, Advisory Group on Acceleration of Planning Procedures, at the request of the Ministry of Construction and Housing.
1996, Jan – 1996 Appointed by the President of the Technion as Deputy-Representative of the Technion to the statutory National Planning and Building Board. Member of the subcommittee on Major Planning Subjects.
1995, May Appointed by the Minister of Economics & Planning to: sub-committee on urban and regional development, National Council for Economics and Planning (abolished in 1996).
1995 Member, steering committee, National Plan #31 – Monitoring and Update.
1994 – 1997 Director (public representative), BEZEK – Israel Telecommunications Corporation.
1994 – 1995 Member (public representative) – Haifa City municipal property committee.
1991 – 1992 Member of task team with the Renewal and Development Department of the Jewish Agency, project on “The local impacts of accelerated growth due to mass immigration.
1990 – 1992 Member, Municipal Boundaries Commission for Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan; appointed by the Minister of the Interior.
1990 Member, Municipal Commission on the Proposed Secession of the Kiryat Ha’im Quarter from the City of Haifa. Appointed by the Mayor of Haifa.
1986 – 1988 Member, Board of Trustees, Educational Facilities Institute (quasi-governmental).

D. ADVICE TO THE KNESSET (Israel parliament) legislation, government ministries and local authorities (pro-bono):

As needed ‑ Public service pro-bono advisor on planning law and procedure to various public bodies: the Knesset Committee for Internal Affairs, the Council for Beautiful Israel, Israel Assoc. for Environmental Planning, the Assoc. of the Handicapped, and various neighborhood and citizen groups. Among these:

Feb. 2015 – Head of the Israel Planning Authority, Ms. Binat Schwartz, asks for pro bono advice on planning law (meeting). Feb. 18, 2015.
Jan 2014 – Head of the Israel Lands Authority (RMI), Mr. Benzion Lieberman, requested a personal meeting to hear my opinions on the housing affordability crisis and land policy issues.
Nov. 2013 – newly elected Mayor of the City of Yehud-Monosson, Ms. Yaela, Maklis, requested personal meeting with her and her elected council to point out strategic issues and policies.
May 2012 – Ministry of the Interior, Planning Administration. Participation in a team appointed by the Administration’s head, Binat Schwartz, to develop guidelines for the newly introduced Comprehensive Plan format. Critique of the proposed concepts.
Feb. 14 2012 – Ministry of the Interior, Planning Administration, advice (pro bono) to Doron Druckman and Jonathan Rokem to comment on their new organizational Strategic Plan and for the Planning Admin.
Jan 22, 2012 – Ministry of Finance, meeting with Reuven Kogan and his colleagues from the National Budget Department regarding financial implications of the proposed new Planning and Building Law.
2011, June – Pro-bono advice at the request of the Bank of Israel regarding the ‘reasons” for the unreasonable length of time it takes to receive a building permit in Israel, and what could be done.
2011 – Pro-bono advice to the OECD – Israel referees – regarding housing policy, land policy and the forthcoming reform in the planning and building law. Requested by the OECD and the Bank of Israel.
2009, June – 2010, Dec. (approx.) – Pro-bono advice to the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the need for thorough reform to the Israel Planning and Building Law – based on my cross-national knowledge.
2009, June 9 – At the request of the Prime Minister’s Office – meeting with the representative of the OECD Public Governance Committee during its visit to evaluate Israel’s eligibility for membership. I was asked to analyze the degree of access to public participation in government decisions with particular focus on local governments and land use planning.
2005, June – Aug – Meeting with Member of Knesset Ilan Leibowitz (at his request), to initiate public action and legislation to ensure sustainable maintenance finance for high-rising (condominium) residential buildings that are becoming so prevalent in Israel. (Following my publications, public lectures and newspaper stories warning about the danger of fast deterioration of such housing in all non-luxury cases). On Aug. 16 2005 we jointly held a “think tank” meeting with invited mortgage bank CEO’s and others to hear feedback on my proposed policies. Received front-page coverage of the Real Estate Supplement of Haaretz newspaper, Aug. 26, 2005.
2004, Sep – 2005, Feb – Initiative to ensure public information, participation and local government discretionary powers in approving building permits for cellular antennas according to National Plan 36a; in cooperation with the Mayor of Herzliya Yael German and a variety of NGOs regarding possible legislation to require more transparency in the approval process for locating cellular antennas.
2004, August – Invited input to the Committee for the Preparation of a Comprehensive Constitution for Israel, on the topic of land and property rights. The Institute for Democracy, Jerusalem.
2004, Feb 4 – Invited presentation before the Knesset Constitution and Law Committee on whether it is appropriate to include the status of Israel Lands in the new constitutional law in-the -making.
2002 March – Meeting requested by the new Knesset Commissioner for the Coming Generations, Judge Shoham, re. priorities for his work in changing planning procedures and issues.
2002 Jan. 1 – Testimony to the Knesset Science Committee re. cellular antennas planning issue (see below), during an urgent meeting called by the Chair, MK Anat Maor where Israeli scientists were asked to report about the current state of knowledge regarding degree of radiation risks from cellular phones and antennas. I raise the problem of the absence of obligation to serve any public notice when applying for planning permission to construct antennas in urban areas.
2001 Dec – Invited testimony to the Knesset Committee for Interior and the Environment on the issue of public notification about planning permits for cellular antennas (National Plan no. 36). The debate in the Knesset followed a November 2001 decision of the National Planning Board that – at the Cabinet’s request – reversed the Board’s decision a year earlier, to require the cellular companies to supply a notice to neighbors when making applications for building permits to construct antennas in urban areas. That earlier decision was orchestrated by me as a member of the Board; the National Plan draft had initially been tabled for Planning Board approval without any clause requiring such public notice.
2001 May-June – Invited presentation of my research regarding the (re-proposed) “Valal” law (accelerated planning procedures that existed in 1990-1995), to the Ministry of the Interior and Ministry of Construction and Housing; interview for the Globes national newspaper, published June 3 2001.
2001 Mar – Requested by the State Comptroller General to provide my research-based opinion on planning and land-policy issues regarding the Arab Sector within Israel. In-depth meeting with their team.
2000 Jul – Invited by the chair of the Knesset Committee on Internal and Environmental Affairs (M.K.David Azolia) to serve as Academic Advisor to the Committee regarding a proposed private bill on Coastline Preservation. (Also noted under Public Service on Boards and Committees)
2000 May – Invited by the Chair of the Knesset, M.K. Avrum Burg, to a closed meeting on how to improve government policies towards the Arab sector in Israel in the planning and land-policy areas.
1998 – Invited presentation to the Knesset-initiated public Committee on Environmental Policy, regarding the anticipated (negative) impacts if the ‘Valal Law’ is reintroduced, calling for extreme streamlining of procedures and time-frames.
1997 Jan – Invited appearance before the Boaz Ronen Commission on National Land Policy.
1996 Oct – Meeting with the Minister of National Infrastructure, Ariel Sharon, to lobby for open-space preservation, with the Israel Nature Society group.
1995 – 1996 – Invited by Minister of Economics and Planning, Yossi Beilin, to two personal meetings regarding the Israel 2020 plan policies.
1994, Aug. 30 – Invited presentation to the Knesset Committee for Financial Affairs (chair: MK Gedalya Gal), on Expropriation of Land for National Roads – what can Israel learn from the international experience, Sept. 1994. (extensive coverage in the daily papers – Yediot, Globes, Jerusalem Post).
1994 – Meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Ariel Sharon, re. strategies for farmland preservation organized by the Nature Protection Society
1988-1997 – Frequent invited appearances as academic expert witness at the Knesset parliamentary Committee for Internal Affairs, re. amendments to the Israel Planning and Building Law. Amendment 23, 1986; Amendment 26 – 1988-1989; Emergency legislation and the Planning Procedures Law, June, 1990; Amendment 43, Dec. 1994-July 1995 (weekly meetings attended throughout the pre-legislative process). [Appreciation of my contribution was expressed by the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Knesset Committee and recorded in the Knesset Proceedings, July 1995].

E. PROFESSIONAL CONSULTING

My policy is to reject most consulting offers in order to reserve my time for research, academic and public service. The exceptional cases where I agree to serve as consultant are usually for public bodies, and on topics I would like to contribute to.

1969 (May – Aug) Planner, Department of Public Works, Canada Federal Government, Winnipeg Branch. Wrote plan for Churchill, Manitoba, re: phasing out of the military based community.
1970 Planner Winnipeg Metropolitan Government Re: Housing, land use, demographic analysis.
1972 Project Coordinator & member of planning team headed by Prof. M. Hill commissioned by the Israel National Planning Board on alternative sites for power plant location (the Hadera plant).
1973 – 74 Planner, Office of Arch. A. Livnat, Haifa: prepared planning briefs for 5 new neighborhoods in new towns; Commissioned by the Ministry of Housing.
1977 Consultant to the Urban Institute, Tel Aviv, on the application of a non parametric statistical model for the selection of a site for a new town in the Jerusalem area.
1977-1978 Scientific consultant to the Open University (Educational TV and Radio) on a course on Man and His Environment (urban unit).
As needed Public service pro-bono advisor on planning law and procedure to various public bodies: the Knesset Committee for Internal Affairs, the Council for Beautiful Israel, Israel Assoc. for Environmental Planning, the Assoc. of the Handicapped, and various neighborhood and citizen groups.
1980 – 81 Expert Witness re. planning law litigation for the law firm of Olshansky-Granot, Tel Aviv.
1989 Consultant to the Ministry of the Interior re. the Emergency Law proposed by the Minister of Finance, intended to shorten planning procedures (the so-called “Hundred Projects Law”.) (August-Sept. 1989). Wrote an analysis of the likely impacts of the new law, which was then successfully defeated.
1989 – 90 Consultant to team headed by attorney Yoram Barsela (Jerusalem) for the Ministry of Construction and Housing, on the development of a new planning law for Israel.
1990 Impact assessment report evaluating the effects of proposed annexation of parts of the Mateh Yehudah Regional Council to Jerusalem. Presented September 1990 to the Municipal Boundaries ad hoc Committee appointed by the Minister of the Interior, headed by Mr. Haim Kubersky. In collaboration with Prof. Shaul Amir and Mr. Amnon Frenkel. Center for Urban and Regional Studies, Technion.
1988 – 89; 1991 – 92 Consultant to the office of Hertz and Fogel (Tel Aviv) re.: The Central District Outline Plan – planning process and methods.
1994 Expert opinion on the legality of compulsory dedication of land for public services in view of the new Basic Law on Personal Dignity and Freedom. Commissioned by the Ministry of Interior as input to the preparation of an extensive amendment to the planning and building law.
1995 Pro-bono member of a task team of the Israel Nature Protection Society on strategies to encourage open-space preservation and intensify land use.
1995 Consultant to the Union of Developers and Builders – team on higher-density reuse of inner cities.
1995 -1996 Consultant to the City of Tel Aviv Planning Division on the preparation of a new strategic plan: Process, Organization, and Plan Formats.
1997 Consultant to the RFP response for National Plan # 35 – Housing and Employment – for the joint venture of the Urban Institute (Adam Mazor) and Edna and Rafael Lerman, Architect-Planners.
December 2001 participant in an RFP competition for the new outline plan for the City of Haifa. With the Boaz Barkai-Yinon partnership. As consultant on the methodology and public participation.
May 2001 – Aug 2001 Consultant to the World Bank on the lessons to be learned from Israel.s housing and land policies applied during the mass-immigration crisis in Israel in the 1990s.
Jan. 2002 – 2003 Pro Bono team member of an ECF (Economic Cooperation Foundation) thin-tank team for improving policies towards the Israeli Arab sector regarding land policy, land use planning and housing.
2002 – 2003 Consultant to the Association of Municipal Engineers on their strategies for professionalization and for developing an academic degree or continuing-education course.
2003 Appointed by the Tel Aviv District Court (with the agreement of both litigating sides) as an expert in a real-property and planning law dispute.
2003 – 2005 Consultant to the Haifa Master Plan, on public participation policy and methods.
2003 – 2005 Consultant to the Ministry of Interior on the preparation of a new Planning and Building Law for Israel. Analysis of international models and development of alternatives (applied-research outline submitted at the request of the Ministry of Interior in May 2002).
2004 – (starting July) Consultant to the City of Holon on the preparation of a new strategic plan – legal and methodological strategy.
2005 (March) Consultant to Moshav Nahalal (cooperative village) on its land policy.
2005 (June) Consultant to the UNDP – UN Office for Project Services . for the Nicosia Master Plan Bi-Communal Development Programme . Nicosia June 12-16 2005. Wrote Expert Report.
2005 – 2006 (May 05 – Jan. 2006) Consultant to the Ministry of Interior and Inter-Ministerial Committee, Israel, on comparative cross-national laws and practices regarding property rights in planning (especially compensation for “regulatory takings”).
2008 Consultant (single meeting) to the Jewish National Fund regarding its land policy.
Invited as probono evaluator: Delft University and Netherlands Ministry of Housing, Spatial Planning and Environment. Invited to be a member of 10 international experts to evaluate the new Dutch Regional Plan for the Randstadt, Dec. 15-16 2008. (Could not attend due to illness).
2009 Limited-term Consultant to the Prime Minister’s Office on a strategy to reform the Israel Planning and Building Law.
2010, February – February 2011 Invited to serve as International Expert Advisor to the OECD (along with one more expert from the USA) on an OECD team to assess the planning system and policies of Poland. Member of the field-visit Evaluation Committee.
August 2010 – current Consultant on Affordable Housing Policy for the City of Raanana Master Plan. Part of team headed by Architect Eli First that won the tender competition for the contract.
November 2010 – 2013 Appointed by the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) to serve as Expert Advisor to the Knesset Committee on Interior Affairs and Environmental Quality, regarding the new Israel Planning and Building Bill and related legislation.
June 2012 – 2013 Consultant to Rotem Strategy Corp. – a firm hired to advise the Ministry of Interior’s Planning Administration on future strategic alignment. In charge of recommending alternative formats for a future planning law for Israel, based on the comparative experiences of other advanced-economy countries.
Oct. 2012 – 2014 – Consultant on Housing Policy for the City of Kfar Sabba Master Plan. Part of team headed by Architect Eli First that won the tender competition for the contract.
Jan. 2013 – 2014 – Consultant on Housing Policy for the City of Or Yehuda Master Plan. Part of team headed by Architect Eli First that won the tender competition for the contract.
Sept. – Dec. 2015 – Consultant to the OECD to evaluate Israel’s planning and building laws and land policies.