California
California Town Recommended for Dissolution
The Kern County grand jury concludes that Maricopa no longer has the resources to maintain its status and duties as an incorporated city. One example includes accepting an $8,000 loan from a tow truck operator to make City payroll.
Three Model Cities Seattle Can Learn From
Los Angeles, Cincinnati and San Francisco are tackling major urban problems quickly and effectively. This post argues that Seattle can learn much from these efforts.
Treasure Island Project Approved in San Francisco
A massive new neighborhood planned for the man-made former military site of Treasure Island in the San Francisco Bay has been unanimously approved by the city's Board of Supervisors.
Steve Jobs Pitches New Apple Campus
Last night Apple CEO Steve Jobs pitched plans for a new campus development to the Cupertino city council.
Kotkin Compares California to Iran
Calling California's attempts at environmental responsibility a "green jihad," Joel Kotkin argues that the state's "ideological extremism" has led to illogical economic and political decisions - similar to those made in the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Tea Party Sinks Planning Meeting
Public outreach on SB 375, California's climate change bill, began last month in the San Francisco Bay Area. But the East Bay Tea Party had other plans.
Janette Sadik-Khan's Take on L.A.
Sadik-Khan writes a guest blog for Streetsblog on lessons Los Angeles could learn from New York's embrace of public spaces and streets.
Streamlining the Process on Public Projects
The L.A. County Department of Public Works was in a constant battle with its contractors, until they moved from the standard "design, bid, construct" to a "design-build" model.
Jerry Brown: Planning By Wandering Around
The California governor made an unscheduled appearance in front of the state's Strategic Growth Council -- unstaffed -- to find out what they're up to.
Bike-Friendly Commuter RR Gets Bike-Friendlier
Mission Accomplished! Bike advocates had been lobbying Caltrain for a guaranteed two-bike car capacity ever since the first 'bike bump' occurred. The train San Francisco-San Jose has had a bike-friendly reputation since a 1992 pilot program.
Last Month For Hybrids In CA Carpool Lanes
In Sept. 2005, eligible hybrid vehicles could use CA carpool lanes with only one occupant as an incentive to purchase them. The expiration date was extended by legislation twice, but DMV assures the 85,000 yellow decal owners it ends July 1.
Groundbreaking Climate Change Plan
Once a bastion of sprawl, the San Diego region is now embracing one of the most significant regional planning efforts in the nation's history. It is the first region in California to draft a Sustainable Communities Strategy, as mandated by SB 375.
Understanding the Freeways of L.A.
In the latest installment of a year-long series about Los Angeles-focused books, Los Angeles Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne reads the 1981 book "L.A. Freeway: An Appreciative Essay," by David Brodsly.
Proposed Mega Project Would Curtain Iconic Hollywood Building
Revived plans to build a large mixed-use development in Hollywood next to an iconic building are awakening some concerns about the potential loss of historic character.
L.A. Metro Tracks Buses With New Tool
Los Angeles' public transit authority has joined those of other major U.S. cities in providing a real-time tool for checking to see how soon buses will arrive at specific stops.
The New Redevelopment
As redevelopment agencies face the chopping block in California, new legislation could allow tax increment financing districts to essentially replace them.
Competition Rising Among Food Trucks
Is the food truck craze "over"? The instant urbanism of the street food phenomenon is still highly popular, despite the media coverage saying the trend is facing a bubble.
Revitalization Projects in South Central L.A.
Bank of America touts their lending programs that have funded redevelopment in South Central, particularly a mixed-use development at the corner of Adams and Central that includes a Fresh N' Easy market.
Political Housing Evolution In San Francisco
Prompted by the May 24 approval by the Board of Supervisors of the massive redevelopment of the Parkmerced garden apartments, The Examiner looks at the city's evolution from protecting city character at all costs to a more urbanist approach.
TOD Grows Hesitantly Around New L.A. Station
L.A.'s newest light-rail station, at the current end-of-the-line off La Cienega, has attracted one new office building so far. The developer saw the future transit station as an amenity. Will others join him?
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
