Communities near major e-commerce distribution centers are increasingly resisting new construction, citing air pollution and other public health impacts.

Southern California communities that have for decades borne the brunt of pollution caused by the logistics industry are putting moratoriums on warehouse construction. As Ngai Yeung and Augusta Saraiva write for Bloomberg CityLab, “Calls for more stringent environmental monitoring in warehousing areas -- disproportionately home to communities of color -- have grown louder as supply-chain chaos pushed shipping and logistics issues to the top of the agenda in Southern California.”
The opposition to new construction is putting pressure on e-commerce companies that are seeing growing demand for warehouse space—1 million square feet for every $1 billion in additional online sales, according to CBRE Group Inc. Vacancy in the Inland Empire is down to 0.4 percent, with 40 million square feet of distribution centers already under construction.
The region, through which most goods imported via the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach pass on their way to destinations farther afield, has the nation’s highest ozone pollution levels. According to the article, “The moratoriums have allowed communities to explore emission-reduction initiatives, including proposals to redesign truck routes, restrict the size of warehouses and rezone some neighborhoods to create warehouse districts.”
FULL STORY: Los Angeles Warehousing Mecca Halts Expansion Just as Needs Soar

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

How Trump's HUD Budget Proposal Would Harm Homelessness Response
Experts say the change to the HUD budget would make it more difficult to identify people who are homeless and connect them with services, and to prevent homelessness.

The Vast Potential of the Right-of-Way
One writer argues that the space between two building faces is the most important element of the built environment.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk
High housing costs are pushing more seniors, many of them on a fixed income, into homelessness.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont