California

Blade Runner's Dystopian World and the L.A. of Today
The original "Blade Runner" takes place in the Los Angeles of November 2019. How does the film’s vision of the city compare with the present-day reality?

California's Priorities for Electrification and Resilience
CEC Chair David Hochschild shares the commission’s strategy for improving the current grid system and how California has been, and will continue to be, a global leader in clean energy innovation.

Santa Monica Designs Greenest Municipal Building in the World
Amber Richane, Project Manager for the city of Santa Monica's new City Services Building, on the city's commitment to building the world's most sustainable public building.

L.A. Crafting Legislation for 'Anti-Displacement Zones'
The idea that new development results in rising costs for renters in the surrounding neighborhood drives a new effort in Los Angeles.

Seasoned Developer Opines on California’s Housing Crisis
Bill Witte, CEO and chairman of Related California, discusses how state and local governments ought to respond to the state’s challenges with housing affordability, growth in homelessness, and 'missing middle' housing supply.
Silo-Breaking Sustainability or Real-Life Lorax: L.A.’s First City Forest Officer
The city of L.A.’s first city forest officer, Rachel Malarich, opines on her new role in facilitating cooperation between the city’s departments to achieve a more equitable urban canopy.

Oregon Congressman Takes on Federal Housing Policy
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Oregon) offers perspective on the U.S. housing crisis, the scale and complexity of which he argues demands affirmative federal action.

L.A.'s Strategy for 'Universal Basic Mobility'
Los Angeles Department of Transportation General Manager Seleta Reynolds emphasizes the importance of riders' perspective on access when redesigning the transit system.

Berkeley to Explore 'Idaho Stop' Policy for People on Bikes
Berkeley could decide to deprioritize enforcement of people on bikes who treat stop signs as yield signs when the intersection is free of traffic.

Controversial Redevelopment Approved in Coastal Agricultural Area
A city on the northern edge of San Diego County has approved a controversial redevelopment. Supporters tout that agricultural components of the project. Opponents of the project say developers shouldn't be breaking ground in an agricultural area.

Rose Bowl Property Ready for a Makeover
A famous local architect has been tapped to rethink the Rose Bowl's expansive property in Pasadena.

Op-Ed: Housing Could Have Fared Better in San Francisco Election
This month's election yielded mixed results on housing. The pros: a solid victory for pro-housing Mayor London Breed and two affordable housing measures. The con: likely more anti-housing sentiment on the Board of Supervisors.

Tenant Protections Expanded in Pasadena
One of the most famous suburbs in the country has expended tenant protections in the midst of the housing affordability crisis challenging much of the state.

California Town Looks to Rebuild After Wildfire, but No Clear Path Forward
Paradise, California, burned to the ground last year, and the town’s recovery has begun. But questions remain about the measures that should be put into place to prevent another disaster.

Lawsuit Would Force Central Valley City to Comply With California Housing Law
The city of Clovis, California, didn't become 70 percent white by accident, according to the plaintiffs for a lawsuit in Fresno County Superior Court.

New SFMTA Director Hired From Nelson\Nygaard
Transit advocates in California this week celebrated the hire of Jeffrey Tumlin, previously a principal with transportation consultant Nelson\Nygaard, as the new director of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency.

Suburban Houston a Testing Ground for Autonomous Delivery Tech
The story of how the autonomous delivery company Nuro has taken to the streets of Houston to map the city and test its concept.

S.F. Park Will Provide Panoramic Views of the Bay
In the northwest part of San Francisco, a new park will link the Presidio to the popular Crissy Field.

Planning and Teaching in Southern California
Elizabeth Gallardo is a planning associate with the city of Los Angeles, working as part of an ambitious effort to update the city's numerous community plans while also teaching planning courses at a nearby university.

Los Angeles Takes Steps to Grow Out Its Urban Forest
Los Angeles is rolling out a street tree inventory to complement other sustainability measures included in its own Green New Deal. The focus is on underserved neighborhoods.
Pagination
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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.
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