California

Santana Row

Innovative Approaches May Save Physical Retail

In places like San Jose, "new approaches to the storefront" are paying dividends for physical retailers willing to experiment.

March 1, 2018 - SPUR

Golden Gate

Op-Ed: Let's Make Urban Design Inspiring Again

Allison Arieff finds fault with the nation's uninspired conversation on infrastructure. When urban design projects have more emotional appeal, she argues, they can unify rather than divide.

March 1, 2018 - The New York Times

1984 Olympics

Los Angeles Investing in a Transit-Oriented Olympics

Ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games, Los Angeles is rallying around infrastructure buildout and technological advancement.

March 1, 2018 - The Planning Report

Los Angeles City Hall

L.A. Developer Caught Making Illegal Campaign Donations

Developer Samuel Leung is facing shocking counts of conspiracy, money laundering, and bribery.

February 27, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Self-Driving Car

One Giant Leap for Self-Driving Cars in California

California regulators approved new rules for autonomous vehicles, shifting the required human backup from behind the wheel to a remote location.

February 27, 2018 - The Mercury News

Wine Country Fires

Lessons on Resilience and Recovery from 2017's Worst Disasters

Dissecting successful disaster response in places like Houston and Mexico City could help California prepare for the inevitable.

February 27, 2018 - The Planning Report

beach Parking

Guess Who's Disrupting the Parking and Valet Business

Ride hailing reduces the need for parking services, as well as parking spaces, and parking companies are feeling the effects. New data comes from a major U.S. parking management company based in San Diego, thanks to the Union-Tribune.

February 27, 2018 - San Diego Union-Tribune

500 Kirkham Street

Both Sides of the Parking Spectrum

Examples from California and Texas exemplify two extremes in thinking about parking.

February 26, 2018 - Socket Site

Interstate Highway

A Traffic Solution 'Straight Out of the 1950s'

That's how the Los Angeles Times editorial board characterized the $6 billion plan by Los Angeles Metro to widen the 710 freeway. "A waste of money," they assert. Key to the solution is how to deal with goods movement from the seaport complex.

February 26, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco

Bay Area's Transbay Dilemma: Second BART Tube or Second Bay Bridge?

In December, Sen. Dianne Feinstein reactivated her call for a southern crossing over the Bay while the BART Board last week began studying a second Transbay tube. The San Francisco Chronicle editorial board opines on which is preferable.

February 25, 2018 - San Francisco Chronicle

San Francisco Street

Is CEQA the Main Impediment to Housing Construction in California?

According to a new study by UC Berkeley and Columbia University, local land use processes, specifically the approval process, rather than the California Environmental Quality Act, is the main impediment to housing production in California.

February 24, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Subway Screen Doors

'Screen Door' Pilot to Be Installed at Oakland BART Station

The 12th Street station in Oakland, California will provide an initial test of a rail transit safety technology known as screen doors. Screen doors are rare in the United States, but not in other parts of the world.

February 23, 2018 - Streetsblog SF

Long Beach to Los Angeles

Metro's Busy Blue Line Connection Between L.A., Long Beach to Close for Eight Months

One of the most heavily used rail lines in the country, the Metro Blue Line in Los Angeles County, will be closed for eight months in 2019.

February 22, 2018 - Long Beach Press Telegram

San Francisco BART Station

A Second Transbay Tube for BART: Let the Planning Commence

BART passengers could someday see a second route across the San Francisco Bay, with a parallel but totally new alignment and crossing points on the either side of the bay.

February 22, 2018 - The San Francisco Chronicle

Sunset

San Francisco's Outer Neighborhoods Fear Change from Housing Bill

Legislation from a former supervisor could transform much of San Francisco, particularly the outer-neighborhoods, by increasing heights and density along transit corridors. Opposition is growing.

February 22, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

Transit Oriented Development

Two Transit Agencies Using Their Clout to Spur Affordable Housing

More transit agencies are recognizing that it's not enough to build transit infrastructure if the people who really need it don't live close enough to use it.

February 20, 2018 - TransitCenter

Sutro Tower

Reevaluating Rent Control

Cities and researchers are reconsidering the effects of the controversial housing policy known as rent control.

February 20, 2018 - Governing

The Mission

Equitable Development in the Mission District

A local nonprofit created a real estate development wing to stem the tide of displacement in San Francisco.

February 20, 2018 - Next City

Crosswalk

California City Bans 'Distracted Walking'

It is illegal to operate a mobile phone to talk, text or listen to music while crossing the street in Montclair, California

February 19, 2018 - Daily Bulletin

Sacramento

Sacramento Streetcar Faces Uncertain Future Due to Trump Budget

The president's Fiscal Year 2019 Budget cuts the critical Capital investment Grants program run by the Federal Transit Administration. Projects lacking a full-funding grant agreement, like the Sacramento Streetcar, may fall victim.

February 18, 2018 - The Sacramento Bee

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.