San Francisco

A $350 Million Bond to Repair San Francisco's Seawall

As seas rise, San Francisco is looking to shore up its costal protection against earthquakes and extreme weather events.

January 17, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Lucas Museum Finally Finds a Home—in Los Angeles

This story has had more twists than the end of Empire Strikes Back, but it seems like it finally might end in Los Angeles.

January 11, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

More Details of Bus Rapid Transit's Expanding Reach in San Francisco

The Geary bus corridor was the #1 pick for a subway according to a Muni survey, but commuters will have to settle for bus rapid transit. A milestone was reached when the San Francisco County Transportation Authority approved the design and EIR.

January 9, 2017 - SF Gate

Bus Lane

13 Years Later—Environmental Review for San Francisco Bus Rapid Transit Project Complete

The California Environmental Quality Act-mandated review process for a proposed bus rapid transit project in San Francisco took 13 years to complete.

January 8, 2017 - San Francisco Examiner

Los Angeles Bungalow Court

Building Small to Make California Homes More Affordable

A Santa Ana small lot development could be an example of how California could become more affordable by building more dense urban-style homes throughout the state.

January 4, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Bus Lane

San Francisco's Red Carpet Transit Lanes to Continue Through March Evaluation

San Francisco's red, transit-only lanes are a demonstration project. The lanes first appeared in 2013 and were supposed to last two years, with state and federal regulators to determine whether they would continue. The state evaluation began Dec. 6.

December 30, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Van Ness Bus Rapid TRansit

Feds Put $75 Million Toward San Francisco BRT Project

The $223 million Van Ness Bus Rapid Transit project in San Francisco received a major cash infusion from the federal government this week.

December 29, 2016 - Federal Transit Administration

A orivate eye at work

Stakeouts and 'Private Eyes': Monitoring Short-Term Rentals for Tenants' Rights

The constantly moving legal lines between regulators and short-term rental companies like Airbnb have taken on some distinctly noir activities.

December 27, 2016 - Bloomberg

Uber's Self-Driving Cars Leave Hometown for Warmer, and Friendlier Climates

California's loss is Arizona's gain. That's how Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey see's Uber's decision on Thursday to haul their fleet of self-driving Volvos from San Francisco to Arizona after the company refused to secure the necessary operating permits.

December 27, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

California

Another Attempt at California's By-Right Affordable Housing Proposal

The new streamlining bill for affordable housing will not have the governor's name, but that of freshman Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, who made a name for himself as a tenacious housing advocate while San Francisco County Supervisor.

December 20, 2016 - KQED: California Report

Uber Self-Driving Car

Uber Rolls Self-Driving Cars Onto San Francisco Streets; Finds Legal Trouble

Uber chose to ask for forgiveness instead of asking for permission, rolling out self-driving cars to the public in San Francisco this week.

December 15, 2016 - The New York Times

Single Room Occupancy Hotel,

The Evolution of SROs and Supportive Housing for San Francisco's Homeless

The San Francisco Chronicle released a series of reports in a special "Beyond Homelessness" edition on San Francisco's attempts to address chronic homelessness. The city spends $112 million annually to operate 75 aging single-room-occupancy hotels.

December 13, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Street

Op-Ed: San Francisco's New Urban Design Guidelines Could Backfire

John King argues that the city's new guidelines may leave too many loopholes open, potentially defeating their purpose: well-integrated new buildings.

December 12, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco STreetcar

San Francisco Muni Hack Could Have Been a Catastrophe

The Internet of Things will continue to be a concern for cities, the ransomeware that struck the San Francisco transit system could have been much worse. A future attack will be.

December 11, 2016 - Wired

Bay Bridge

More Evidence that Bay Area Housing Prices Are Hurting the Economy

Beacon Economics projects a slowdown in job growth in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the region's high housing costs.

December 9, 2016 - San Francisco Business Times

No Luxury Condos

San Francisco Rejects Environmental Review for Lack of Gentrification Analysis

In what could be a first, but potential not a last, the power of the California Environmental Quality Act was invoked in San Francisco with regard to concerns about gentrification.

December 7, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Chariot Commuter Shuttle in San Francisco Expands 50 Percent After Ford Acquisition

Chariot shuttle service, recently acquired by Ford Motor Company, may soon be a more formidable competitor for San Francisco's public transit provider, Muni, due to an expansion to 150 vans. Expect new routes, five-minute headways, and $4 rides.

December 6, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

God Rides BART

Bay Area Sends Mixed Message on BART Funding

BART won big on election night with the passage of Measure RR, a $3.5 billion infrastructure bond measure. But the San Francisco Chronicle observes that results from two other local ballot measures suggest a mixed message on the rapid transit system.

December 2, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Cincinnati welcomes artists leaving the coasts

For the founders of young art center Wave Pool, Cincinnati offers opportunities unmatched by the coastal cultural meccas.

November 29, 2016 - Soft City

Tech SHuttle

The Downside of Removing Tech Buses from Neighborhoods

A new study has shown that moving tech shuttle stops from neighborhoods to conform to a new "hub plan" would result in a drop in bus ridership, with most former riders resorting to driving their own vehicles to their Silicon Valley workplaces.

November 29, 2016 - San Francisco Chronicle

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.