California

'Beg Buttons' Quietly Appearing at East Bay Crosswalks
Critics of pedestrian crosswalk buttons say the devices, meant to help improve bus speeds, give pedestrians the 'absolute lowest priority' on city streets.

California, Nevada Agree on Makeshift I-15 Widening Near Las Vegas
A $12 million repaving and restriping project is intended to alleviate congestion at the state line between California and Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas.

On Housing, Cities' Traditional Political Labels No Longer Apply
Historically liberal cities belie their supposed concern for human welfare by rejecting new development. Meanwhile, more conservative cities have seized the moment to become more progressive, innovative, and inclusive.

San Diego Trolley Extension Launch a 'Rousing Success'
San Diego's new trolley extension, which serves UC San Diego and communities near the U.S.-Mexico border, saw strong ridership numbers on its opening day.

L.A.'s New Housing Element Calls for 456,000 New Homes
The newly updated Housing Element of the city of Los Angeles General Plan makes an ambitious commitment to housing construction—after decades of slow construction and a population out of scale with the city's housing stock.

Santa Monica Mountains Acquires More Land For Conservation
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired the final 150 acres of the 325-acre Triangle Ranch open space in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Study: At Least 1,500 Unhoused Died on the Streets of L.A. During the Pandemic
New research represents the first detailed picture of death among people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic.

Land Use Regulations on a Collision Course in California
The future of planning in California depends on how lawyers reconcile the Housing Accountability Act with the California Environmental Quality Act.

Cities Finding Ways to Resist State-Mandated Upzoning
The resistance to state-mandated zoning reforms, already well underway in Oregon, is now starting to whiplash through California as well.

Reimagining San Francisco for the Post-COVID Era
A San Francisco nonprofit is developing a set of recommendations for making downtown neighborhoods more flexible and welcoming to a more diverse set of users.

Once San Francisco's 'Grandest Boulevard,' Van Ness Almost Done With Another Makeover
The Van Ness Improvement project took almost two decades to cross the finish line, but it's almost there.

Assessing the Success of San Francisco's Safer Intersections Project
A campaign to improve pedestrian safety at dangerous intersections in San Francisco using traffic calming and driver education led to significant reductions in speed and unsafe left turns, according to a report from SFMTA.

California Ballot Measure Could Streamline Permitting for Water Projects
A coalition of farmers and desalination supporters is collecting signatures for a California ballot measure that would fast-track construction processes for water storage projects.

Bay Area Looks To Expand Reservoir As Drought Deepens
The expansion of the Los Vaqueros Reservoir in Brentwood would increase storage capacity and create a more reliable water supply for Northern California communities.

A Fight For the Future of People's Park
Community groups are fighting a plan to build student housing in the historic People's Park.

San Francisco Supes Reject Proposal To Turn Parking Lot Into Housing
State legislators are decrying the Board of Supervisors' decision to reject a proposal to build a 495-unit apartment building on a downtown San Francisco parking lot.

San Diego County to Pursue Partnerships to Increase Recreational Access to Reservoirs
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously this week to direct the Department of Parks and Recreation to work with outside agencies to keep regional lakes and reservoirs indefinitely open for recreational activities.

Paper Series Sheds Light On Adaptive Reuse
A series of reports from Berkeley's Terner Center assess the potential of commercial-to-residential conversions to help ease the housing crisis.

Report: San Diego Transportation Plan Won't Meet Climate Goals
A regional plan announced by the San Diego Association of Governments will fall short of the city's goals to increase alternate mode trips to 50 percent, report finds.

L.A. Shifts Homeless Policy to Clear Street Encampments
Advocates say L.A.'s new focus on clearing 'unsightly' homeless encampments is a political band-aid that won't help people find permanent housing.
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