California
The Death and Life of Redevelopment in California
Kicking off their new long-form Forefront initiative, Josh Stephens writes for Next American City on the killing of the country’s largest redevelopment program, and its implications for economic and real estate development.
Survey Says: Bay Area 10-cent Gas Tax Would Fail.....Miserably!
Needing a two-thirds majority to pass, a recent survey suggests that a regional, 9-county gas tax proposal to fund transportation improvement projects in the Bay Area would only receive 43% support if it were to go to the ballot.
Los Angeles Announces Ambitious Bike Share Program
Nate Berg reports on the surprising news delivered on Sunday by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, timed to coincide with the latest iteration of CicLAvia, the city's marquee event for bicyclists and pedestrians.
LAPD Moves to Curb "Lawlessness" on Venice Beach
A rising tide of hostility along Venice's famous boardwalk has prompted residents to call on the LAPD for help, Martha Groves reports.
CA HSR Plan Approved. Next Stop: The Legislature
The Authority approved the $68 billion plan. Now the hard work begins in convincing the state legislature to sign off in order to capture the $3.5 billion allocated by the feds and begin construction from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley
Establishing a Voice for Pedestrians in Los Angeles
Nate Berg chronicles the efforts of planner and urban designer Deborah Murphy to establish a pedestrian advocacy group in one of the few large cities in the U.S. that doesn't have one.
Car-free in L.A.: It's Not as Tough as it Sounds
If you happen to find yourself in LA anytime soon, for a conference perhaps, Alissa Walker explores Nathan Landau's new book, "Car-Free Los Angeles and Southern California", which provides a wonderful guide to enjoying the city without using a car.
Organizing CicLAvia: An Experience of Public Space in Los Angeles
Days before the American Planning Association's national convention, CicLAvia's Aaron Paley describes the event's origins and evolution and explains how an open streets event in Los Angeles can transform one's sense of public space and the city.
A New Kind of Traffic Count
Ariel Schwartz introduces an innovation in site specific traffic counting: sensors that collect information about vehicle and pedestrian movement in real time.
Can Little Tokyo Survive the Growth of Downtown LA?
Big changes loom large over Little Tokyo, Kaid Benfield reports. The question is whether higher land values will steal away its character and cultural significance.
Traffic School For Bicycle Violations Proposed In San Francisco
After a cyclist fatally collided with an elderly pedestrian on a crowded Castro District crosswalk on March 29, city leaders are considering following the Bicycle Advisory Committee's recommendation to send cyclists who break traffic laws to class.
A Dating Site for Artists and Urban Canvases
Ariel Schwartz profiles ArtHERE, a matchmaking service intended to link artists with property owners eager to integrate public art into their buildings or landscapes.
What Will Happen to California's Orphaned Urban Projects?
Terry Pristin looks at the fallout from the dissolution of California's redevelopment agencies and asks what will come of the hundreds of projects in various stages of completion.
A Career Spent Capturing Architecture's Greats
The subject of his first career retrospective, noted architectural photographer Pedro E. Guerrero describes his work, lessons learned, and his inspirations, in an interview with Alexandra Lange.
Refuting Claims to California's "War on Suburbia"
Josh Stephens takes aim at the provocative claims made by Wendell Cox, "the outspoken libertarian urban scholar" in a recent essay in the Wall Street Journal, titled "California Declares War on Suburbia".
Savvy Retail and Restaurant Reuse Mark Next Phase of Dowtown LA Revival
In a feature for The Architect's Newspaper, Marissa Gluck profiles the "retro-chic makeovers" transforming downtown Los Angeles.
House to Probe California's High-Speed Rail Project
In their rush to avoid working on a long-term transportation funding measure, a congressional committee has launched a wide-ranging examination of the California high-speed rail project, reports Dan Weikel.
Straight Talk on the Dissolution of California Redevelopment Agencies
A panel of distinguished Angelenos recently discussed the missteps that led to the dissolution of California's redevelopment agencies, the hole that their closure creates, and the possible paths forward.
Planners Driving Californians Out Of State
In this opinion piece, transportation consultant Wendell Cox explains why residents are fleeing CA in droves. By not providing single family homes Cox feels most want, residents must find their quarter-acre lots elsewhere. He blames regional plans.
CicLAvia: A Celebration of the Street, Minus the Roaring Engines
Hillel Aron unravels the long and arduous journey that community activists took to make LA's newest public tradition a reality.
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
