California

Beg Button

'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.

December 9, 2021 - Streetsblog San Francisco

A aerical view of primm, Nevada, where I-15 bisects large casinos and parking lots on a sunny day.

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.

December 8, 2021 - The Sun

NIMBY Sign

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.

December 8, 2021 - California Planning & Development Report

San Diego Trolley

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.

December 7, 2021 - Progressive Railroading

Downtown Los Angeles

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.

December 7, 2021 - Urbanize Los Angeles

A view of the Pacific Ocean and California coastline from high in the Santa Monica Mountains.

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.

December 6, 2021 - The Acorn

California Homeless

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.

December 2, 2021 - The Guardian

California State Capital

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.

December 2, 2021 - State & Local Government Law Blog

Pacific Ocean

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.

December 1, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

San Francisco Street

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.

November 30, 2021 - Smart Cities Dive

San Francisco, California

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.

November 29, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

Enhanced intersection in San Francisco

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.

November 28, 2021 - San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Desalination

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.

November 26, 2021 - Mercury News

Los Vaqueros Reservoir, Brentwood, California

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.

November 24, 2021 - Mercury News

Unofficial monument to 25 years of People's Park, Berkeley, California

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.

November 24, 2021 - Mercury News

San Francisco, California

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.

November 23, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

Poway, California

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.

November 23, 2021 - Times of San Diego

View of the National Biscuit Company Building, 1850 Industrial Street, Los Angeles from the corner of Mateo Street. It has been renovated into lofts, with a restaurant on the ground floor.

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.

November 23, 2021 - Terner Center for Housing Innovation

San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

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.

November 22, 2021 - KPBS

Los Angeles Protest

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.

November 22, 2021 - Los Angeles Times

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.