Revocation of Credentials For Ethical Misconduct

At a January 2023 meeting, the AICP Ethics Committee permanently revoked George Homewood's (Virginia) AICP and FAICP credentials for violating the AICP Ethics Code. A Public Letter of Admonition was issued and charged that Rule of Conduct #6 was violated. That rule states that a certified planner "shall not deliberately commit any wrongful act, whether or not specified in the Rules of Conduct that reflects adversely on our professional fitness or the planning profession." The wrongful act involved harassment by Mr. Homewood toward professional planners who were members of the APA Virginia Chapter.

Specifically:

1. The vivid descriptions of inappropriate conversations with some of the planning professionals spoken to by the Ethics Officer clearly constitute "wrongful acts." The fact that most of these conversations occurred while conducting business as a Virginia Chapter board member makes them as equally "wrongful" as if they had happened in a professional workplace where a formal complaint process would have been in place.
2. These "wrongful acts," as described by some of the professional planners spoken to by the Ethics Officer, clearly "reflect adversely [his] professional fitness" — both as an experienced and respected professional who is looked up to as a mentor by many younger professional planners and as a chapter leader who has served on the Virginia Chapter board, including as its president.
3. These "wrongful acts," as described by some of the professional planners spoken to by the Ethics Officer, clearly "reflect adversely...on the planning profession," in that most of these incidents took place during meetings with professional planners who were members of the Virginia Chapter or at events sponsored by the Virginia Chapter. The fact that many of these planners have withdrawn from Virginia Chapter activities, due to these "wrongful acts," further reflects adversely on the planning profession (and on the Virginia Chapter).

As a result, the decision affirmed by the Ethics Committee resulted in the indefinite suspension of Mr. Homewood's membership in the American Institute of Certified Planners, which would include AICP's College of Fellows.