A new Los Angeles initiative looks to neighborhood councils to lead disaster planning efforts that involve more residents.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti recently announced a new program called Ready Your L.A. Neighborhood (RYLAN), an effort to encourage earthquake preparedness at the local level. The RYLAN program calls for local neighborhood councils to designate preparedness officers who can lead workshops, develop plans, and facilitate other preparedness activities.
"The initiative, detailed in a brochure on the RYLAN website, covers four aspects: search and aid; care and sheltering; communications; and utility and safety. Action items for residents include taking care of children who may be home alone, monitoring FM/AM radio stations, shutting off leaking natural gas and conducting a door-to-door safety check," reports Kira Barrett.
The goal of the RYLAN program is to engage residents who are not actively participating in disaster planning activities, notes Barrett. "Research shows that a majority of people don't participate in community-led disaster-preparedness efforts; in one study conducted in California, respondents had a 16% community engagement score when working with neighbors to prepare for disasters."
FULL STORY: LA seeks neighborhood buy-in to boost earthquake preparedness
Idea Worth Copying: Japan's Theme-Park-Style Disaster Preparation Centers
Visitors to Japan’s theme-park-style disaster preparation centers can experience simulated quakes, typhoons, and fires. Perhaps a similar idea would be helpful in part of the United States?
L.A. Seeking Funding for New Transit Projects Prior to the 2028 Summer Olympics
Los Angeles officials have been working for years to deliver a suite of transit projects in time for the 2028 Olympics. Planners now hope federal infrastructure funding could reinvigorate the effort.
L.A. Mayor Proposes Guaranteed Income Program
The city could give 2,000 families $1,000 a month in what would be the largest program of its kind in the country.
Four ‘Low-Hanging Fruit’ Zoning Reforms
An excerpt from the latest book on zoning argues for four approaches to reform that can immediately improve land use regulation in the United States.
San Francisco Just Ended Single-Family Zoning
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to Tuesday to eliminate single-family zoning, but pro-development advocates say additional changes are needed to unleash a wave of construction.
Land Banking to Prevent Transit-Oriented Displacement in Los Angeles
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) will implement a new land banking program to mitigate gentrification and displacement around future transit lines.
San Francisco to Reconsider Inclusionary Zoning as Development Slows to a Crawl
Critics of inclusionary zoning frequently point to San Francisco as an example of what not to do. A sluggish year of development has some local politicians ready to reconsider the city’s program.
California Senate Committee Kills Freeway Expansion Bill
The proposed legislation would have prohibited new construction in historically underserved areas that often bear the burnt of the negative impacts of freeways.
Initiative Brings Capacity Building to Booming Rural Towns
A research and capacity building initiative based at Utah State University seeks to help fast-growing tourist meccas in the West plan for smart growth.
City of Bothell
Town of San Anselmo
Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency (TPA)
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
Harvard Graduate School of Design Executive Education
City of Apache Junction
City of Helena
Gallatin County, Montana
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.
Hand Drawing Master Plans
This course aims to provide an introduction into Urban Design Sketching focused on how to hand draw master plans using a mix of colored markers.
