California
You're Never Too Young To Learn About Planning
In hopes of inspiring future civic leaders, an innovative volunteer program teaches grade school children about how a city works.
City-Subsidized Tax Breaks Rise Higher For Downtown L.A. Project
Estimates of the tax breaks required by developers of a massive mixed use cultural and business center in downtown L.A. have risen more than 50%, according to a recent report. The city-subsidized tax breaks have upset some residents and officials.
A New Face For Sacramento Carpool Lanes
In the face of a carpool system that many say is failing, highway planners in Sacramento, California, are proposing a major facelift to the carpool lane system -- creating 50 miles of new carpool lanes on dedicated road bridges.
L.A.'s MTA CEO Says TOD
The CEO of the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority recently told a crowd of L.A. city officials that increasing transit oriented development is high on his list of goals.
Making High Tech Commutes Work
Silicon Valley companies are engaging in a competition with each other to reduce the number of employees driving to work each day.
California's Golden Opportunity To Reshape Growth
With $40 billion dollars of bond money for transportation, housing and parks at his disposal, Governor Schwarzenegger could reshape the state's growth patterns and make good on his promises to reduce greenhouse gases, argues William Fulton.
L.A. River Restoration Comes With $2 Billion Price Tag
The long awaited master plan for transforming the concrete encased waterway is well received, though its projected cost remains a significant hurdle.
Dams And Power May Be Sacrificed For Salmon
To help save endangered salmon, officials are considering making costly improvements to dams on the Klamath River in California and Oregon. Removing the dams would cost less than fixing them, but removal forfeits hydroelectric power production.
California High Speed Rail On Life Support
California's governor supports infrastructure funding and fights global warming, but he has no love for high speed rail. His proposed budget may kill a high speed rail agency, and he wants a $9.95 billion rail bond removed from the 2008 ballot.
For Many, 'The End of The American Dream'
Interest-only loans and ARMs once touted as a panacea have now become the vehicle for massive foreclosures as financially distressed owners can no longer afford their expensive homes.
Gehry's Grand Scheme For L.A.
Can Frank Gehry's plan for Downtown L.A.'s Grand Avenue transform it into the cultural center civic leaders have been chasing for decades?
California's Job Growth Explodes Inland
Since 1990, inland California counties have contributed five times the job growth as coastal counties. Southern California's Riverside and San Bernardino counties accounted for 510,000 of the 1.1 million jobs added by the inland regions.
Hooray For Hollywood's Urban Renaissance
After decades of being victim to urban blight and decay, the world famous locale is experiencing a wave of redevelopment aimed at wooing back tourists and attracting new residents.
Children Living Near Highways Risk Lifelong Damage
A 13-year study by researchers from the University of Southern California finds that children living near busy highway risk lifelong respiratory problems.
Home Loan Defaults, Foreclosures On The Rise
Number of home owners defaulting on mortgage loans is rising in California.
Habitat For Humanity Encounters Affluent California NIMBYism
The Jimmy Carter charity, long identified with "sweat equity" and affordable housing, is confronting strong, residential opposition in its application to build four homes to accompany three market-rate homes in affluent Marin County west of Tiburon.
Not Much Money Have The Meters Made
Low parking meter collection rates have shocked public officials in San Francisco, where parking is so valuable people are literally killing for it.
Why Carpool Lanes Don't Work
Do we need new carpool lanes or just new rules for the existing ones?
San Francisco A Car-Sharing Mecca
Growing demand for the innovative service is sustaining three competing car-sharing companies.
Governments Subsidizing 'Server Farms'
Amid a flurry of subsidies in other states offered to companies like Microsoft and Yahoo!, Google plans to open a $600 million data center in Lenoir, North Carolina, population 17,000. The city will offer a generous tax break and a state grant.
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
