California

California Aqueduct

$13 Billion in Water Bonds Headed for the California Ballot in 2018

The legislature placed a $4.1 billion water bond on the ballot in June while a privately funded initiative hopes to qualify an $8.9 billion water bond for the November ballot. The state measure would also fund parks and trails.

November 27, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Berkeley, California

$312 Million Corridor Improvement Project Coming to the East Bay Area

Two county transit agencies, seven cities, and three regional transit agencies are joining forces to plan improvements to the growing San Pablo corridor in the East Bay Area.

November 27, 2017 - The Mercury News

Metro Map

Los Angeles to Test New 'Mobility on Demand' Partnership

The Federal Transit Administration has offered the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority a $1.35 million grant to partner with ridesharing app Via on first-last mile solutions.

November 27, 2017 - Engadget

Sacramento

Bay Area Displacement Spreads to Sacramento

A new study finds evidence that the ripple effect from the San Francisco Bay Area's housing affordability crisis has reached all the way to Sacramento.

November 25, 2017 - The Mercury News

Oakland, California

A Radical Idea to Help the Homeless: Homeowners Should Open Their Doors

The mayor of Oakland is challenging homeowners to offer their extra rooms and in-law units to the homeless, with a target to create a modest 100 new permanent supportive housing units.

November 24, 2017 - East Bay Times

More 'Free Ride Everywhere Downtown' for San Diego

The Free Ride Everywhere Downtown (FRED) shuttle system in San Diego is so popular that demand sometimes overwhelms the number of available shuttles. The city has redoubled its commitment to the system.

November 23, 2017 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Roosevelt Arch

11 States Launch Resistance to National Park Fee Changes

Eleven attorneys general have sent a letter, and a warning, to the Trump Administration: we'll battle new entrance fees in court if we have to.

November 23, 2017 - The Sacramento Bee

Uber Lyft Departure

More Cities Replacing Parking With Drop-Off Zones for Ride-Hailing Companies

More than one city has ditched parking in response to the congestion and conflicts created by ride-hailing pick-ups and drop-offs .

November 21, 2017 - CNN

Hollywood Development

Hollywood Developer Self-Imposes Rent Control on New Project

It's an unprecedented move, but developer Champion Real Estate hopes to be "part of the solution" for pricey Los Angeles.

November 20, 2017 - Curbed LA

Expo Line LA Skyline

Los Angeles Needs More Transit-Oriented Development

Development plans along the Expo Line need more density, affordable housing to achieve city goals

November 17, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Folsom Car Culture

New Poll Shows Californians Would Repeal 12-Cent Gas Tax Hike

On Nov. 1, fuel taxes increased for the first time in 23 years in California. Next November, Californians will likely decide whether to return those taxes to 1994 levels, as well as repeal other tax and fee hikes passed by the legislature in April.

November 15, 2017 - San Francisco Chronicle

Vacant Lot

Oakland to Turn Vacant Properties into Affordable Housing

Oakland pilot program to buy up vacant lots and properties, whose owners have defaulted on their property taxes, to transform them into low- and medium-income housing.

November 15, 2017 - CBS

Bridj Van

On Demand Ride-Sharing Finds New Homes

Via Transportation Inc is picking up where Bridj left off—offering on demand ride sharing in cities in California and Texas.

November 15, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

Glen Ellen, California

Could Autonomous Vehicles Save Lives in Disasters?

Autonomous vehicles could provide life-saving assistance in the event of a large-scale evacuation, if a shared fleet of autonomous vehicles is built with this purpose in mind.

November 15, 2017 - Michael R. Boswell

Tenderloin District

Rent Control's Mixed Effects in San Francisco

As California debates the future of rent control in its municipalities, a group of Stanford economists have conducted research that connects San Francisco's existing policy with higher housing costs.

November 14, 2017 - The Mercury News

San Francisco Sprawl

Investigation Reveals Abuses of Affordable Housing Program in San Francisco

Every bit of affordable housing helps in expensive San Francisco, but some residents in the city's "Below Market Rental" units are illegally renting those units for thousands of dollars a month.

November 13, 2017 - KPIX

New Orleans Fire Truck

San Francisco Has a New 'Vision Zero' Fire Truck

The size of fire trucks frustrates advocates on many sides of the public safety debate. The San Francisco Fire Department sought a solution.

November 10, 2017 - SF.Streetsblog

Carpool Lane Sticker

Momentum Builds to Ban Sales of Gas and Diesel-Powered Cars in California

The Los Angeles Times editorialized in support of legislation that is expected to be introduced next year to ban sales of internal combustion engine passenger vehicles, though they didn't suggest a date when the ban should become effective.

November 10, 2017 - Los Angeles Times

Los Angeles, California

UCLA Students Want More Say in Local Development Matters

UCLA Graduate Students Association President Michael Skiles recently announced a plan to break with the Westwood neighborhood Council and establish a new neighborhood council that speaks for the development interest of students.

November 10, 2017 - Curbed Los Angeles

Fisherman's Wharf

San Francisco Lays Out Stormwater Resilience Plan

The strategy ranges from major infrastructure investments to improved neighborhood services.

November 10, 2017 - Smart Cities Dive

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.