California
Will Reduced Transit Fares Bring Back Bus Riders?
While San Jose's light rail ridership has soared, its bus ridership has plummeted over 33% in six years. In an unprecedented effort to restore ridership, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority has decreased day and monthly pass prices.
Construction Begins On Nation's Largest Park For Disabled Children
In California, a huge team of volunteers is building the nation's largest playground for disabled children, equipped with slides and ramps wide enough for wheelchairs, rubber ground padding, and textured play surfaces for blind children.
Locals Oppose Scale Of Apartment Complex In National Park
The Presidio of San Francisco -- the nation's only privately-operated National Park -- has been trying for years to redevelop one of its buidings into an apartment complex. Citing local concerns, a recent proposal for 350 units has been denied.
L.A. Develops A New Tool To Grow Taller, Denser
L.A.'s sprawl is not so much a matter of choice as of policy, with even its downtown artificially limited to a 6:1 FAR. But as the city clamors for greater density, a clever plan to transfer air rights is in the works.
The Political Evolution of San Francisco's Bicycling Community
From monthly 'Critical Mass' bike rides to growing influence on city policy, SF cyclists recount their numerous victories and recent setbacks.
Tribe Appeals For Removal Of Dams
Dams have been decimating the population of salmon in Northern California's Klamath River for years, and now Native Americans who depend on the salmon are traveling to visit the owner of the dams to appeal for their removal.
Focusing On Fuels As Opposed To Auto Dependency
Two Bay Area 'voices' illustrate that lowering carbon content of fuel and increasing its efficiency hardly gets at the root of the transportation-global warming problem -- auto dependency, and offer three strategies to solve it.
Pasadena Takes Action On Affordable Housing Agenda
The city council has moved to allocate $8 million dollars to pursue five initiatives recommended by a team of consultants designed to increase the supply of affordable housing.
Plan To Increase Prison Capacity Meets Criticism
Under pressure from federal judges, California has approved plans to build 53,000 new prison and jail beds as part of a $7.3 billion construction effort. Critics say increasing capacity does not address the reasons why prisons are overcrowded.
The Paragon Of Sprawl Tries Its Hand At Urban Design
The Los Angeles Planning Department has established an Urban Design Studio to tackle the city's thousands of miles of dead streets and aesthetic blight.
Transporting Green Energy May Threaten Natural Resources
As California tries to meet its goal of 20% renewable energy use by 2010, it faces the challenge of transporting all that renewable energy without negatively affecting the state's other natural resources.
Military Wastes Pose Environmental Risks in California
Munitions, toxic chemicals, and even radioactive wasts at current and former military sites in California pose a serious environmental risk. The extent and scale is unknown as sites predate environmental standards.
Valet Your Bike?
Cities across California are taking extra steps to encourage people to use their bikes, offering such services as full-service bike stations equipped with showers, and even valet bike parking.
New Planning Rules For LA?
A new set of principles and findings to guide future planning in the city has reportedly been giving to planning staff and decision makers.
Republicans Warm Up To Fighting Climate Change
Conservative lawmakers are using climate change as a political issue. Environmentalists are not happy.
County Sued Because General Plan Doesn't Consider Global Warming
In the first suit of its kind in the state, if not the country, a Southern California county was sued by environmental groups because their general plan doesn't consider the effects of global warming. The state attorney general has joined the suit.
Myths About Solar Power
A marketing campaign hopes to educate California homeowners of how solar power works.
San Francisco Looks To Reverse Family-Flight Trend
Recently, a long-standing trend of family-flight from San Francisco seems to be reversing. The city hopes to retain more families in coming years, increasing the population of children and families back to peak amounts from nearly 50 years ago.
The Second-Most Expensive Home in The U.S.
A Beverly Hills mansion called the "Fleur de Lys" goes on the market for $125 million, making it the second-most expensive private residence in the United States.
The Grocery Store Every Community Wants
The specialty grocery store chain Trader Joe's is often wooed by communities around California -- but the chain remains secretive about its location selection process.
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
