California

Google Continues to Expand in San Jose
Google has laid the foundation for four large, and distinct, employment centers in just one city of the South Bay Area.

Report: Rebranding Needed for Next Phase of the Transbay Transit Center
A team of experts suggests that a rebranding and potentially a new entity to oversee construction will be necessary to finish phase two fo the Transbay transit center.

Preview L.A.'s New Crenshaw Light Rail Line, Opening in 2020
Curbed Los Angeles takes a tour of the Crenshaw Line, currently doing test runs in Los Angeles and Inglewood and expected to open to the public in summer or fall 2020.

Crowdsourcing Ideas for Richmond-San Rafael Bridge Replacement
The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, connecting the East Bay and the North Bay near San Francisco, is 63 years old, but a local elected official is thinking about how to replace it.

L.A. County Plans for Electrification
Los Angeles County's Minh Le discusses the county's priorities for moving forward with recent technological advancements in solar and energy storage.

Transit-Oriented Housing Development Plan Falls Flat in San Francisco
The Home SF plan was supposed to usher in a wave of new housing development on transit corridors in San Francisco. Now, 2.5 years later, that promise might finally be ready to become reality.

Another Ambitious Creek Daylighting Planned in the San Francisco Bay Area
The East Bay Regional Park District is planning to daylight Alder Creek in the Oakland Hills. Native fish and other species will benefit.

Tolls Planned for L.A.'s Busy I-405
The freeway that connects the Sepulveda Valley to the Westside of Los Angeles could soon include a toll lane.

'Good Neighbor Policy' Creates Buffer Between Industrial, Residential Uses
The final version of a "Good Neighbor Policy" adopted by Riverside County in November fell short of the original author's intentions.
Court Overrules San Jose on California Housing Law
A court ruling means a state law intended to spur affordable housing development by providing incentives for the sale of surplus public land will apply equally in every city in California.

California Migration Boosts Nevada Population Above 3 Million
Californians fleeing the nation's highest housing prices were key to Nevada's growth according to newly released Census data. The Las Vegas Review-Journal's reporter, editorial board, and readers all had something to say about the newcomers.

24-7 Public Bathroom Pilot to Expand in San Francisco
An experiment in round-the-clock public bathroom access has proven successful, and San Francisco is expanding the program.

Calling for More Humane Treatment, and News Coverage, of the Homeless
Two articles raise questions about the state of humanity, as evidenced by the way news organizations and politicians write and talk about the homeless.

New Football Stadium a Game Changer for Inglewood
The new home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Charger is almost ready for prime time. The mayor's economic development dreams are on the line as much as any championship.

Khosla Wins Surprise Court Ruling on Beach Access
The controversy over a tech billionaire blocking access to a Pacific Ocean beach is back from the dead.

Caltrans to Ditch Level of Service for Vehicle Miles Traveled
Unlike for land use regulations, state law doesn't require Caltrans to switch from Level of Service to Vehicle Miles Traveled in measuring the environmental impact of projects. The state department of transportation is making the change anyway.

Multi-Family Leads Recent Housing Uptick in California
With stronger state mandates kicking in, California housing permits rose sharply in September. But as one construction industry commentator noted, an uptick isn't a trend.

Evaluating the Results of New Protections for Affordable Housing Development
California's Senate Bill 35 is touted by affordable housing advocates and other pro-development forces as an example of what good developments can happen when local obstructions are moved out of the way by the state.

Congestion Pricing Under Discussion in San Francisco
An expanding number of major U.S. cities are exploring the idea of charging drivers to drive into certain heavily trafficked parts of town. San Francisco is the most recent to explore the idea of congestion pricing (also known as cordon pricing).

Controversial Housing Development Nixed in South L.A.
The local planning commission for South Los Angeles rejected a controversial multi-family housing development proposed for a location adjacent to a future light rail station.
Pagination
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