In the face of climate change, making cities "resilient" before crises strike has become a pressing concern.
Municipalities around the world are hiring Chief Resilience Officers (CRO) to focus on this objective, navigating complex bureaucracies in preparation for the "shocks and stresses" sure to come.
Through the Rockefeller Foundation's 100 Resilient Cities program, Los Angeles will receive funds to hire a CRO, although Mayor Eric Garcetti has yet to appoint the individual. Heather Joy Rosenberg, a US Green Building Council Ginsberg Fellow, writes a letter to whomever will fill this role. She notes the sobering realities in California that the incoming CRO will face, cautions him or her about the challenges Los Angeles poses, and offers suggestions for creating resilience within this metropolis.
Rosenberg speaks to the need to prepare, even against the will of the public: "Are there price tags on these efforts? Of course, but the evidence shows we’ll pay much more tomorrow if we don’t invest today. Americans overall resist planning for real disasters, and are far more willing to pay for disaster recovery than disaster preparedness—even though recovery can be a slow and difficult process costing many times more: FEMA estimates that $1 in pre-disaster preparedness could save society $4 on post-disaster recovery."
FULL STORY: An Open Letter to the Garcetti Administration’s Incoming LA City Chief Resilience Officer
The Mall Is Dead — Long Live the Mall
The American shopping mall may be closer to its original vision than ever.
Report: Las Vegas, Houston Top List of Least Affordable Cities
The report assesses the availability of affordable rental units for low-income households.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA-to-San Francisco Night Train Closer to Reality
A train operator has entered into formal negotiations with Union Pacific to move the project forward with a projected launch date of 2025.
Lawsuit Aims to Stop Dodger Stadium Gondola
A proposed aerial tram project that would shuttle visitors to L.A.’s Dodger Stadium faces backlash from environmental and community groups.
Why Parking Reform Goes Hand in Hand With More Housing
To achieve the full benefits of ‘missing middle housing’ and make way for small-lot construction, cities must rethink parking mandates.
City of Yakima
City of Auburn
Baylands Development Inc.
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.