The Los Angeles Times

Long considered the source of California's fiscal and land use woes, Proposition 13, passed by voters in 1978, limits increases in property tax. However, it may prove to be an 'economic stabilizer' during the current housing slump.

The number of retirement communities is growing rapidly. Author Andrew D. Blechman warns about the social cost of age-segregation.

Officials in Los Angeles have renamed the former "South Central" to remove the stigma of riots in the 1990's. But some business owners and residents say that's had a greater negative consequence than keeping the old name would have.

Southern Californians, facing some of the worst gas prices in the country, are experimenting with taking public transit, as these personal stories from the Los Angeles Times attest.

Joel Kotkin once again leaps to the defense of the suburbs as a choice, and says that urbanists who are hoping that Americans will rush back into the cities are sadly mistaken.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's half-cent increase in the county's sales tax would create $30-$40 billion for transportation projects over the next 30 years, and could go before voters in November.

This commentary from the Los Angeles Times calls for creation of a central park for the city, made by putting a "cap" over a section of freeway.

Despite the housing downturn, houses in excess of 20,000 square feet are still being built by the very wealthy — with no sign of a slowdown.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has made final a decision that says much of the Los Angeles River is not navigable, and is therefore not a river. It will retain some Clean Water Act protection, but developing on its watershed may become easier.

William Fulton reflects on the lasting impact of L.A. developer Robert Maguire III on the city.

A draft decision by the Army Corps of Engineers says that because a boat cannot navigate its waters, the L.A. River doesn't qualify as a river. Environmentalists are outraged, as hundreds of square miles of watershed are at risk of losing protection.

New research from the Brookings Institution claims that Los Angeles has the second smallest carbon footprint of big American cities -- a finding that contains a few caveats.

The video website YouTube is home to a growing number of clips that document traffic conditions in cities around the world.

A recent agreement between developers and environmental groups puts the conservationists in the unfortunate position of not being able to oppose a plan that is the epitome of sprawl, according this editorial.

Flashing lights on the walls on train tunnels that display a 15-second video to passengers have been introduced in L.A., bringing new revenue to the area's transit agency, but bothering some riders. Some say the ads intrude on public space.

A Los Angeles activist and artist has taken to placing street signs mimicking the city's no parking signs on traffic islands, declaring them parks.

Biking gets serious in New York, where the city is investing millions in a system of dedicated bike lanes.

What do you do when 96 football fields worth of space opens up in a major metro area?

In two separate examples, a Los Angeles Times columnist shows how stakeholders with money tend to win the support of local politicians more often than the less fortunate.

Environmentalists say laws have yet to catch up with greener fuel alternatives for cars.