California
Southern California Landscape Proves the Golden Rule
The old saying is that he who has the gold, rules. The fact that Orange County motorists have a toll road carving through a magnificent canyon while rich folks in Malibu get to live next to scenic hillsides proves the rule, writes Bill Fulton.
Where's the Middle Ground?
Downtown Los Angeles' Figueroa Corridor is getting two new high-rises, the "all" in the area's seemingly "all-or-nothing" approach to development, says Christopher Hawthorne.
LA's Density Bonuses Thrown Out
A judge has ruled against parts of SB 1818, a density bonus law that allows taller building limits in exchange for affordable housing units.
Zoning Update in Oakland?
An antiquated set of zoning laws has been at the heart of a debate between preservationists and developers in Oakland for years, though a compromise in the form of new zoning rules may be in the city's near future.
Hooking Up Gardeners and Backyards
Wait times for a plot of land in one of Santa Monica's community gardens have grown so long that officials are instituting a new program to connect gardeners with homeowners willing to share their backyards.
HUD's Dollar Program Misses Mark, Benefits Contractors and Investors
An L.A. Times investigation reveals that HUD's 10-year-old Dollar Homes program provided little lasting benefit to the intended recipients and significant rewards to investors and contractors.
CA High Speed Rail Authority's Hopes Could Be Dashed
While the HSR Authority hopes to get at least half of the $8 billion ARRA funding, it has yet to market any of the $10 billion in bonds passed by the voters because of its budget problems. Criticism abounds.
Health and Human Services Hit Hard in San Francisco
The recession is causing San Francisco to tighten its belt. Budget cuts are falling heavily on the city's health and human services.
Urban Infill Inevitable, Says ULI Leader
William Hudnet, former mayor of Indianapolis, now with ULI, spoke at a gathering in Sacramento on the inevitable wave of urban infill, less auto-dependent development to come due to state climate protection laws AB 32 and SB 375, and regional plans.
Bemoaning San Francisco's Corporate Street Closures
San Francisco's got a number of temporary street closures planned this year. Though the prospect of these pedestrian-friendly events is seen as a good sign for the city, this piece argues that their emphasis on corporate sponsorship taints the value.
Making A 'Playborhood'
Mike Lanza, an entrepreneur in Palo Alto, CA, is using his front yard as a place for his friends and neighbors to gather and play. Julia Galef from the Project for Public Spaces brings us this story.
LA Buys its Foreclosed Homes to Refurbish and Resell
Los Angeles has begun using its $33 million in funds from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to jumpstart neighborhoods blighted by foreclosure. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan visited a South Los Angeles neighborhood Wednesday.
The Birth of the Map of the Cool
Certain parts of the city generate "buzz" -- through events, parties, or other attractions. Just how much buzz they create is hard to nail down. But a new study focusing on L.A. and New York seeks to quantify the cool factor that makes places pop.
Corn Ethanol Industry In The Tank
Low fuel prices, high corn prices, and a new CA regulation that penalizes the energy intensity necessary to convert corn to fuel are hurting the industry.
Documenting the History of L.A.
A citywide documentation project is underway in Los Angeles, where planners and preservationists (and the public) are documenting the city's important historic and cultural sites.
Tent Cities As 'Informal Urbanism'
High Country News reports on Fresno's infamous Taco Flat in this 4-pager. Seattle's Nickelsville and Portland's Dignity Village are held up as better examples of squatter settlements. Architecture and 'informal urbanism' of tent cities is examined.
The End Of San Francisco's High-Rise Housing Boom
A prominent developer predicts that all hi-rise housing will cease in the San Francisco due to the credit crisis. The result, says an urban think tank director, will be more sprawl development in the Bay Area as it presents the least financial risk.
California Desert A Hotbed for Alternative Energy
On the state's path towards drawing 20 percent of its energy from renewable sources by the end of 2010, California is focusing on its southern desert as the site of this alternative energy generation.
Retiring Environmental Hero Shaped Water Policy
An exit interview with Tom Graff, who joined Environmental Defense Fund in 1971, when the environmental movement was just getting started.
Washington Not Stimulating New Growth Patterns
For the first time since the Carter administration, Washington is in the position of paying for seemingly everything. But how will the federal government's spending affect growth in California? Not in the way you might think, says Bill Fulton.
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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
