California

A Company of Scooter Vigilantes Sparks a Lawsuit
A lawsuit by Bird and Lime against the company Scooter Removal highlights the difficult challenges required to reconcile the private interests of new mobility companies with the access to the public realm on which they depend.

Los Angeles May Bar Source-of-Income Housing Discrimination
Officials hope that improving access to housing for people who use voucher programs will help prevent homelessness in the city.

Spotlight On Bay Area Planners
At this week's American Planning Association National Conference in San Francisco, a roundtable of eight planning directors from the Bay Area discussed their cities unique situations and common challenges.

In L.A., With a Reputation Sprawl, Homes Near Transit Selling at a Premium
Homebuyers are looking for locations with quality transit access in Los Angeles, and they're willing to pay more for the option having transit nearby.

Trails and Rails Battle in San Francisco Bay Shoreline Park
Can freight trains and a scenic shoreline park along San Francisco Bay coexist, or are they incompatible uses? The East Bay Regional Park District voted to remove old rail tracks that BNSF Railway wants to reactivate. A local court may decide.

S.F. Law Would Give Nonprofits Dibs on Apartment Buildings for Sale
The legislation would make nonprofit organizations more competitive in the real estate market by letting them get ahead of speculators.

New Housing Construction Drops 41 Percent in San Francisco
Building permits aren't the same thing as new buildings, as San Francisco proved once again in 2018.

Historic Drought Plan Approved by Congress
The Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan will head to President Trump's desk for an expected signature before heading back to seven states for final ratification.

Bay Area Transportation Planners Breathing Easier After Court Ruling
A total of $4.5 billion in road and transit projects was at stake in a state taxpayer group's lawsuit against a regional ballot measure approved by voters in June 2018.

Interactive Mapping Tool Illustrates the Impact of California's Big Housing Bill
University of California, Berkeley researchers have mapped the impact of SB 50, a bill that would allow new density around train stations and bus stops in cities all over the state of California.

Toronto Streetcar Experiment Likely to Be Made Permanent
The city of Toronto did something radical and gave its streetcar its own lane on King Street as part of a pilot project launched in 2018. The results included improved service and increased ridership.

Preventing Homelessness Through Data Analysis
Predictive analytics can help identify vulnerable people early and deliver necessary services before they descend into homelessness.

Report: Modest Congestion Charge Would Produce Dramatic Results in Los Angeles
Applying a cordon toll as low as $4 in Los Angeles would result in a 20% reduction in traffic congestion and modest increases in transit ridership, walking, and biking, according to a new study from the Southern California Association of Governments.

Finding Ways for States and Cities to Work Together to Solve the Housing Crisis
The National League of Cities has a new report surveying local tools for addressing the housing affordability crisis. State partnerships are included.

Potholes Don’t Discriminate, but a Plan to Fix Oakland Streets Reveals Stark Divides in the City
The city has a plan to tackle its pothole problem that it says is equitable. But, some residents say it isn’t fair.

Will Manhattan's "Central Business District Tolling" Clear the Way for More Congestion Pricing?
Cordon pricing applied to Manhattan's Central Business District, approved by the state legislature on March 31 and signed into law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo on April 1, has the ability to be a game changer for other cities considering similar programs.

Lawsuit Aims to Block San Diego Parking Requirement Reform
A lawsuit against San Diego alleges that the City Council approved an ordinance ending parking requirements on transit corridors without performing necessary environmental review.

Editorial Calls for Drastic Actions to Fix the Salton Sea
A Los Angeles Times editorial board sheds light on the ongoing environmental disaster of the Salton Sea in California, and the lack of action by the state to mitigate the worsening impacts.

Congestion Pricing Marks the End of an Era
A New York Times article marks the historic significance of congestion pricing—gone are the days of treating roads like they're free while ignoring their costs.

Las Vegas' Growth Tied to its Dwindling Water Supply
Las Vegas has almost maximized its growth potential given projects for its future water supply—something has to give.
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