California
Downtown Berkeley Getting the Permeable Pavement Treatment
The city of Berkeley is undergoing a pilot installation of permeable pavement for a road calming project by Berkeley High School. The pilot has better storm water drainage, a smaller carbon footprint, and less maintenance than traditional asphalt.
High Speed Rail Opponents Appeal to California Supreme Court
Recall that recent 'great news' for the embattled High Speed Rail Authority? The appeals court ruling breathed new life into the $68 billion project as it released the lower court's hold on $9.95 billion in bond funds. Opponents are not deterred.
Plan B: Port of San Francisco Moves Forward with New Land Use Plan
Voters might not want big changes along San Francisco's waterfront—but one powerful agent there, the Port of San Francisco, is examining new ways to do the business of building in the face of pressures from sea level rise and opposition politics.
How Streets and Social Justice Intersect
A look at how streets affect health, social interaction, and economic development by Marissa Reilly, a Berkeley-based urban planner and Lillian Jacobson, a master’s candidate at MIT.
California's Proposed Traffic Impact Rules Rethink Congestion
California planning expert Bill Fulton discusses a long-awaited proposal from the Governor's Office of Planning and Research that would shift the state's traffic impact assessments away from their current focus on traffic congestion.
San Francisco Workers: Got Commuter Benefits?
San Francisco's Department of Environment will soon begin enforcing the city's mandatory commuter benefits program for the first time since the law's inception in 2009. Fines up to $500 may be levied for noncompliance after warning notices are sent.
Private-Sector Tech Innovations Make Their Way into City Halls
Can municipal governments adopt cutting-edge technology—and the culture that goes with it?
California Cuts 'Level of Service' from CEQA Requirements
The State of California has shifted from measuring "Level of Service," a grade based on how many cars pass through an intersection in a given time, to assessing overall Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) in its Environmental Quality laws.
California has the Potential to Power Itself Solely by Renewables
The new paper, "A Roadmap for Repowering California for all Purposes with Wind, Water, and Sunlight," discusses the potential clean energy future for the Golden State by 2050.
Reorienting a DOT Around Livable Streets
A city famous for its intransigent car culture is bringing in an active transportation expert to run its Department of Transportation.
Luxury Developments Moving into the Sunset Strip; Porn and Clubs, Moving Out.
The 1.6 mile stretch of Sunset Boulevard in the city West Hollywood is destined for more than $600 million in developments planned or already being built, mostly composed of luxury hotels and condominiums.
Poor Planning Decisions Exacerbate Wildfires—Should Locals be Held Accountable?
A new study by the union of Concerned Scientists faults local development policies that place homes in wildfire-prone areas for the increasing cost of wildfires. Should local agencies split the bill for the risks they've permitted?
California High Speed Rail: Federal Aid Not Required
That was the message from Gov. Jerry Brown after a state appeals court unlocked a lower court's hold on $9.95 billion of state bond funds for the $68 billion project. He exchanged words with HSR opponent House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
Construction Blocking Sidewalks in Booming Downtown Los Angeles
The construction boom in Downtown Los Angeles has had the unintended, and largely unregulated, consequence of closing access to sidewalks. The practice might be illegal under federal law.
Comparing Transit Ridership
Data journalism site FiveThirtyEight wades into the complex world of transit ridership data, looking for insights into which cities make use of robust transit systems, and which still have work to do.
The Risks and Conflicts of Interest in San Diego's Proposed Redevelopment Scheme
Before San Diego adopts a proposal to continue redevelopment using profit-based concepts, it should pause to consider the perils, argues Murtaza H. Baxamusa, an affordable housing developer and planning professor.
San Francisco's Anti-Displacement Movement: Progressives Against Progress?
The tech industry's push into San Francisco has entailed a fight for political and cultural legitimacy as well as social justice--one that shakes up conventional wisdom about conservatism, progressivism, and progress itself.
California Urbanists Grappling with Infrastructure Post-Redevelopment
An overview of how urbanists in California have shifted their thinking about repairing urban cores. The article is by Howard Blackson III, an urban designer.
'Urban Acupuncture' Prescribed for Los Angeles' Streets
Pulling from Jaime Lerner's famed expression of 'Urban Acupuncture,' Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti has chosen 15 major thoroughfares to transform into hubs of neighborhood activity as a part of the Great Streets initiative.
California Appeals Court Ruling Brings Great News for High Speed Rail
Both sides have been awaiting this ruling, which left Gov. Jerry Brown and the High Speed Rail Authority greatly pleased: the appeals court ruling releases $9.9 billion of 2008 voter-approved bond funding, though other court battles loom.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
