California
When Nostalgia Impedes Progress
Urban design critic John King urges fellow Berkeley residents to embrace change and growth.
San Francisco Rezoning Makes Room for 34,000 Housing Units
To meet state-mandated housing goals, San Francisco plans to accommodate thousands of new housing units focused in the city’s west side, which has seen little growth for decades.
Transit and the ‘Big One’
Bay Area transit agencies employ rigorous protocols to ensure they’re prepared for the next major earthquake.
Offshore Wind Energy Faces Challenges on West Coast
Unique geography and high costs have stymied offshore wind energy production in California, but new incentives and innovations could soon make it more accessible.
Opinion: California Jaywalking Law a Step in Right Direction
A new law doesn’t fully decriminalize jaywalking, but bars law enforcement from issuing citations to pedestrians when crossings aren’t ‘truly dangerous.’
San Diego County Cities Lean on ADUs as Affordable Housing Solution
Some jurisdictions are making ADUs easier and cheaper to build, but rents on even small units remain high as the region struggles to meet its housing production goals.
"Imagineering" Versus Planning
The conference of the California chapter of the American Planning Association took place across the street from Disneyland this week. What Disney does for fictional landscapes, planners must do for real landscapes.
San Diego No-Fault Eviction Ban Expires
A temporary ban on evictions without cause was lifted on September 30, spurring fears that landlords will aggressively push tenants out of apartment units to raise rents.
The Death of Parking Requirements
More cities and states are recognizing the harmful impacts of minimum parking requirements, which in many cases have accelerated sprawl and raised the cost of housing construction.
$150 Million for L.A.’s Unhoused People Go Unspent
The city returned nearly $150 million in federal funding directed to providing shelter and supportive services to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Jaywalking Decriminalized in California
Another day, another historic planning-related bill signed into law in the Golden State.
Affordable Housing Now Legal By-Right on Commercial Lots in California
One of the nation's most ambitious and sweeping statewide laws intended to spur affordable housing development was signed into law in California at the end of September.
Los Angeles Tenant Harassment Law Yields No Prosecutions
A year after the law was passed, the city has failed to prosecute any of the more than 2,000 complaints filed by tenants.
Report: California Renter Protections Falling Short
New research reveals that the state’s rent cap law is stymied by a lack of transparency and toothless enforcement.
Sacramento Voters to Decide on Using Lawsuits to Reclaim Sidewalks
Measure O may be one of the first ballot measures of its kind to empower residents to take legal action against a city for illegal encampments on city property. The Sacramento City Council voted 7-2 on August 9 to place the ordinance before voters.
‘Yes in God’s Backyard’ Movement Wins in Pasadena
Houses of worship in the California city will be allowed to build housing on their properties in an effort to alleviate the city’s housing shortage.
The Great American Exodus: A Conservative's Perspective
During his keynote speech on September 11 at the National Conservatism Conference in Miami, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis describes the demographic shifts in America since he became governor in 2019 in what he calls the 'Great American Exodus.'
$100 Million to Help Fund Buffalo Bayou Expansion in Houston
Originally proposed in 2019, the Buffalo Park East Master Plan, which would extend Buffalo Bayou Park to the East End and Fifth Ward neighborhoods, is suddenly in high gear.
Rethinking Highway Expansions
The tide may be turning—albeit slowly—against new road construction and expansion in favor of more climate-friendly alternatives.
Electrifying Trucks: Will California Ban Diesel Power?
Five days after approving a landmark rule to phase out the sale of new light duty vehicles powered by internal combustion engines, the California Air Resource Board released a rule that applies to the sale of new medium and heavy duty ICE vehicles.
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
