California
The Tradeoff Between Speed And Convenience
While the "baby bullet" service on the Bay Area Caltrain commuter rail has attracted new riders, the resulting service cuts have also shunned others.
L.A.'s 'Persian Palaces' Spark Zoning Backlash
The construction of large, some say garish, homes built by immigrant families in several Southern California communities is prompting officials to tighten zoning restrictions.
San Francisco Unveils Major Stadium, Housing Plans
In an effort to woo the city's NHL team back, Mayor Gavin Newsom announced a planned partnership with Lennar Corp. of Miami to turn a blighted and contaminated part of the city into a new mixed-use community.
Is The Next American Dream A Condo?
With few residents able to afford a suburban home, residents of San Diego and increasingly other high-priced western cities are gradually embracing a new model for homeownership.
Meeting The Affordable Housing Challenge
Inclusionary zoning and community land trusts are two innovative methods that government and non-profits are starting to use to create affordable housing, though these, like past efforts, have their shortcomings.
A Sun Roof Over Their Heads
The sub-prime meltdown has some Los Angelenos sleeping (illegally) in their cars, and advocates for the homeless are divided about what to do about it.
Inside Southern Californian Slums
Near the California desert resorts in and around Palm Springs, huge slums have built up in trailer parks, occupied by migrant farm workers. These areas are overcrowded with thousands of people, many of whom have no access to clean water or plumbing.
The Cul-de-sac Conundrum
If most planners do not like cul-de-sacs why are so many being built in Southern California?
Adapting Habitat For Humanity To The Urban Environment
Habitat for Humanity takes its expertise in creating builder-owners in suburban settings to Los Angeles, which desperately needs affordable housing. The Planning Report interviews CEO Erin Rank.
What Would You Do With $100 Billion To Improve Transit?
As part of a series of opinions about traffic and transit, The Los Angeles Times gives one transit advocate the fantasy situation of having $100 billion to spend on rail, buses, and a host of other transportation improvements.
Old Town Pasadena Is a Victim of Its Own Smart Growth Success
Plans for condominiums and senior housing in downtown Pasadena may create traffic and aesthetic problems.
L.A. River Restoration Planning Gets Hands On
A unique gallery exhibition lets visitors build 3D plans for the future of the L.A. River out of building blocks and other small household items. Those involved say that while the work may be child's play, the ideas behind them certainly aren't.
L.A. Looking At 'Inland Port' Idea
With high amounts of truck traffic congesting freeways near the county's busy ports, County officials in L.A. are considering creating an 'inland port', where goods travel from the port by rail to be picked up by trucks far from the port complex.
Is Chicago The New 'Green' American City?
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, whose city has typically been recognized for its environmental leadership, recently visited Chicago to observe the pioneering work of Mayor Daley in implementing green building principles and gather new ideas.
Rezoning L.A.'s Industrial Bones
Developers want to transform downtown L.A.'s warehouses, factories, and grimy commercial buildings to accommodate live-work spaces. Planners and activists want to stay the course -- they say needed jobs are at stake.
Controversial Sierra Nevada Foothill Freeway Revisited
Resurrection of a 1959 plan to construct a freeway along the Sierra Nevada foothills in California's Central Valley is in the works.
Tejon Ranch: California's New 270,000 Acre Master-Planned Community
On a ranch the size of Rhode Island will live 70,000 citizens of California's new town: Centennial.
Downtown Development Rights For Sale In L.A.
Outside experts believe the City of Los Angeles is making a density mistake by selling downtown development rights.
Subsidizing Upper Middle Class Housing
With median housing prices of more than $1 million, the city of Santa Barbara, California, is looking for ways to retain its diminishing middle-class. The plan is to subsidize middle-income housing for residents making up to $177,000.
Is Downtown Renewal A 'Fool's Errand'?
The Economist reports on how San Jose, CA and Las Vegas, NV, have tried -- and failed -- to revive their downtowns.
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
