California's political system is broken. Local governments in California are handcuffed by Sacramento, and unable to develop their own tax structures and spending priorities.
"[W]e need to strike at the heart of the problem: the loss of local control to Sacramento. We need to give our local city halls, county seats and school boards the power and resources to shape their own futures... The framers of the state Constitution did not intend that the Legislature and governor supervise the minutiae of city councils, county supervisors and school boards. Even with the best of intentions, state officials cannot adequately meet the needs of a homeowner in Sherman Oaks or a machine shop in East L.A... The spending priorities of communities like Palo Alto and Beverly Hills are not those of Pico Rivera or Delano. One community might want to spend on building a new community center while another might focus on jobs or after-school activities for young people."
Thanks to David Abel
FULL STORY: Turn the Tide: Send Money Back to Cities
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
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
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.
