California
Scooter Sharing to Premiere in the Bay Area
The next wave in shareable transportation is coming to San Francisco. Ariel Schwartz reports on the "Zipcar of electric scooters".
San Francisco Grows Less Diverse
Heather Knight reports on a trend concerning officials and family advocates throughout San Francico, the exodus of families with children who can no longer afford housing in a city that is becoming older, whiter and richer.
California Legislature Considers Reviving Redevelopment
Though Gov. Jerry Brown still appears to be opposed to the idea, both houses of the California Legislature are pondering the possibility of bringing back tax-increment financing in a limited form.
As Transit Takes Off in LA, Making Sure LAX Doesn't Get Left Behind
A subject that has flummoxed transit advocates and planners in L.A. for decades is how to best connect to the city's largest airport. As planning advances for billions of dollars in transit projects, Yonah Freemark explores how best to make the link.
New Head of California High-Speed Rail Engineers a Change of Course
With less than two months under his belt as the new chairman of the High Speed Rail Authority, Dan Richard has made significant shifts in strategy for the project and is generating optimism for a fresh start, reports Ken Orski.
SmartSpace: A Look Inside San Francisco's Newest Microapartments
Kirsten Dirksen reports on one housing developer's 160-square-foot vision for San Francisco singles.
A Win for Pedestrians in the Land of the Automobile
Nate Berg reports on the opening of L.A.'s first effort at a street-to-plaza conversion project in the city's Silver Lake neighborhood, which was inspired by similar street plazas created in New York City and San Francisco.
Lost in Transportation
The inconsistent signage, representing 26 different public transportation systems in the Bay Area, leaves many riders feeling lost. Julie Caine describes the confusion and improvements underway.
Framing California's Water Infrastructure Challenges
Jeff Kightlinger of the Metropolitan Water District and Phil Isenberg of the Delta Stewardship Council illustrate the state of California's water delivery system today. As population grows and infrastructure ages, an onerous task lies ahead.
Point-Counterpoint on the Transformative Potential of the City 2.0
In respective reports on this week's awarding of the TED Prize, Anthony Flint and Diana Lind promote different opinions on the potential impact of this year's winner - The City 2.0.
How to Dissolve a Community Redevelopment Agency in California
An interview with Tim McOsker, one of the three appointees charged by Governor Jerry Brown to wind down the affairs of the Los Angeles CRA, reveals an insider's experience of the complexities of respecting contracts and mandates.
Largest U.S. Municipal Bankruptcy Pending For Stockton
Stockton, a city of 300,000 in California's ailing Central Valley, may become the largest city in the U.S. to declare bankruptcy. Agreements with public employee unions and major bond creditors may be all that stand in the way of default.
Upping the Ante for Suburban Retrofitting
For the final topic in its blog series Lab Notes I, the BMW Guggenheim Lab has enlisted June Williamson to address repurposing buildings and urban infrastructure for more productive uses.
Southern California Flexes Its Manufacturing Muscle
Sam Lubell looks at the growth of Southern California as an architectural manufacturing center, reflecting larger trends in manufacturing that require higher-skilled labor to produce more sophisticated products.
Bringing the Green to Downtown L.A.
As the population of Downtown Los Angeles has grown dramatically over the last decade, the need for park space to serve that population has grown along with it. A new pocket park being built along Spring Street helps meet that need.
Los Angeles Losing Trust in its Transit Riders
After years of lost revenue from fare evaders, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is looking to implement gate-locking at Metro rail stations within six months, reports Ari Bloomekatz.
Los Angeles Facing Environmental Double Whammy
Water has played a starring part in the development of Los Angeles (for exhibit A, see the film Chinatown). Christine MacDonald explores how water may take a star turn once again, in its demise.
In California, Assessing the Obstacles to Redevelopment 2.0
Continuing their excellent coverage of the twists and turns in the California redevelopment saga, CP&DR have run two articles this week providing updates on efforts to navigate a path forward for redevelopment.
San Diego Regional Transportation Plan Faces a Legal Battle From Environmentalists
Various environmental groups have joined a lawsuit aimed at SANDAG's (San Diego's MPO) 2050 regional transportation plan for not going far enough in state mandated efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, explains Damien Newton.
CA Legislator Takes Aim at Food Trucks
A well-intentioned new bill that could nudge food trucks out of huge swaths of territory now faces backlash, explains Jonathan Kauffman.
Pagination
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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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