How to conceive of rebuilding places amid sudden change in a region known for its “ecology of fear?” As the city embarks on the arduous task of rebuilding, the question arises: how do we reconcile the imperatives of safety and sustainability with the deeply ingrained human desire for continuity, for a sense of rootedness in the familiar?

In an essay anticipating the rebuilding of Los Angeles, Chuck Wolfe evokes a range of regulatory approaches, the writing of the late Mike Davis, and the realities of political expediency to explore what place restoration will mean.
After referencing the importance of memories, histories, and community, he concludes:
Los Angeles's challenge is efficiently rebuilding homes and infrastructure while acknowledging how actual rebuilding transcends the physical. It's about encouraging the intangible, honoring memories, and cultivating a sense of belonging.
Paradise is fragile, says climate change and its progeny of storms, melts, heat, and drought. In this case, it's a matter of purposely reflecting on how resilience and beauty coexist amid political compromises and Davis’s ecology of fear.
FULL STORY: 'Place Shock' in Los Angeles

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.

‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ Guts EV Tax Credits
The bill eliminates federal subsidies for electric vehicle buyers and charging stations.
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