There won't be many places left to sleep for the massive population of homeless living in the city of Los Angeles.
"A plan under consideration at City Hall would ban sleeping on streets and sidewalks within 500 feet of schools, parks, day-care facilities and some popular venues, eliminating at least a quarter of Los Angeles for homeless people trying to bed down at night," according to an L.A. Times feature by Matt Stiles, Ryan Menezes, and Emily Alpert Reyes.
The article includes an interactive map to illustrate the scope of the law, created by analysis performed by the L.A. Times team. In the whole city, there are 836 parks, 1,482 public and private schools, 1,161 day-care centers, nine special venues, and 43 homeless services that would be subject to a 500-foot buffer if the law is approved.
"Taken together, the buffers cover 124 square miles, about a quarter of the city," according to the article. "The estimate almost certainly understates the proposal's full potential."
The map allows analysis in the aggregate as well as at the neighborhood level. The article provides case studies in Venice, Hollywood, Koreatown, Downtown, Skid Row, and more.
If approved, the law would be the latest legal setback for the rights of the homeless to sleep on the streets. Los Angeles recently prohibited sleeping in cars, vans, and RVs, for instance.
FULL STORY: L.A. might ban homeless people from sleeping on many streets. What about your block?
Las Vegas Approves Homeless Camping Ban
The city of Las Vegas has approved a law that prohibits the homeless from camping in large swaths of the city. The measure provoked the opposition on most of the public in attendance at a City Council hearing this week.
Cities Still Sweeping Away Homeless Camps, Despite Legal Challenges
Denver and Los Angeles kicked the new year off by committing to the enforcement of a sleeping ban and sweeping away a large homeless encampment, respectively.
$150 Million for L.A.’s Unhoused People Go Unspent
The city returned nearly $150 million in federal funding directed to providing shelter and supportive services to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Planning for Accessibility: Proximity is More Important than Mobility
Accessibility-based planning minimizes the distance that people must travel to reach desired services and activities. Measured this way, increased density can provide more total benefits than increased speeds.
World's Largest Wildlife Overpass In the Works in Los Angeles County
Caltrans will soon close half of the 101 Freeway in order to continue construction of the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing near Agoura Hills in Los Angeles County.
Eviction Looms for Low-Income Tenants as Rent Debt Rises
Nonprofit housing operators across the country face almost $10 billion in rent debt.
Brightline West Breaks Ground
The high-speed rail line will link Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area.
Colorado Bans No-Fault Evictions
In most cases, landlords must provide a just cause for evicting tenants.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Tufts University, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy & Planning
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
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.
