California
A Town Underwater
Almost 90% of the homeowners in Mountain House, CA, a planned smart growth community in the Central Valley, owe more on their mortgages than their homes are worth- the highest percentage in the country.
Plenty Green But Too Tall?
In what may prove a decisive test to see the political limits of what green building offers developers, a LEED Platinum, 10-story office building is proposed along San Francisco's tightly regulated waterfront - exceeding the height limit by 40 feet.
Balloons, The New Green Power
A start-up in Livermore, CA is generating buzz with its plan to generate power from thousands of aluminum-coated balloons.
Traffic Hackers
Two traffic engineers in Los Angeles hacked into a traffic light control system with the intent to influence upcoming contract negotiations.
Board Members Need to Get on Board
Not one board member of the Metrolink in Southern California is an everyday rider. But is it so bad that these members, usually politicians, are calling the shots?
California Voters Still Leaning Slow-Growth
Bill Fulton writes that despite the real estate downtown, the slow-growth side won most California land-use measures on Tuesday's ballot. But public transit did well.
'Gold Rush' for Geothermal
Warren Buffett, Google and others are investing heavily in geothermal energy development, spurred on by state incentives for renewables and higher gas prices.
Los Angeles Transit Sales Tax Passes...Barely
Los Angeles County voters narrowly approved Measure R, a half-cent sales tax measure, by 67.4% (2/3 was necessary) to fund rail and road projects, including the Subway to the Sea. The victory is seen as a huge coup for LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
SF Affordable Housing Measure Defeated
Measure B would have allotted $30 million to lower-income residents who currently can't afford to live in San Francisco.
North Bay Approves Diesel Light Rail Ballot Measure
The fourth attempt proved a charm as Marin and Sonoma county voters narrowly passed a 1/4 cent sales tax measure to build and run a diesel light rail train through both counties along with an adjacent bike path. The tax measure needed 2/3 to pass.
California's Bodysurfing Preserve
The Wedge -- a well-known bodysurfing spot in Newport Beach made famous in the 1966 surf film "The Endless Summer" -- is becoming a part of local history, thanks to a group of bodysurfing preservationists.
CA High Speed Rail Proposition Appears To Win Narrow Approval
A $10 billion high speed rail bond is winning with 52.2% voting 'Yes' with 95% of the precincts reporting. This would be the first state bond measure supporting high speed rail to be supported by voters in U.S., though it only funds 1/3 of costs.
Across From Watts Towers, Facade Improvement as Art
Artist Edgar Arceneaux is the man behind the Watts Towers Project, a collaboration of international artists to make the poverty-stricken neighborhood facing on the famed folk art structure into works of art in their own right.
Neighbors Complain and Cops Crack Down on Outdoor Exercise Hotspot
A grassy median in a tony Santa Monica neighborhood has been a hotspot for local fitness buffs looking for a nice place to workout for years. But residents tired of the constant outdoor gym that invades their street are complaining to the city.
'Decentralized Urban Farming' Takes Root in San Francisco
By planting in under-utilized backyards, farmer Trevor Paque has brought small-scale farming to more than 50 homes across San Francisco -- a decentralized farm expected to feed more than 150 families come spring.
County Enacts Far-Reaching Green Building Reform
The L.A. County Board of Supervisors recently approved a package of green building ordinances that may be the most comprehensive and far reaching green building legislation at the local level in the country.
Complete Streets Act Signed Into Law In California
Huge victory for road safety and the California Bicycle Coalition was scored when CA Gov. Schwarzenegger signed 'Complete Streets Act' in September.
What L.A.'s Transit Tax Proposal Would Mean
L.A. Times architecture critic Christopher Hawthorne and transportation reporter Steve Hymon look at a proposal to raise the sales tax in L.A. to fund public transit. They call it a good opportunity for the city's urbanism, but also a tough sell.
Legislation Edges California Closer to True Urban Planning
Recently approved legislation tying land use planning to greenhouse gas emissions is being sold as critically important by both detractors and supporters. But Bill Fulton argues that SB 375 provides only one step in an ongoing evolution.
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
