Experts predict an 80% chance of a major earthquake (seven or higher on the Richter scale) in Los Angeles that would kill up to 18,000 people. California looks better-prepared that Louisiana, but is it?
"So how effectively have the planners planned? The verdict is mixed. Following the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which killed 57 people in the Los Angeles region, California's hospitals were required by law to retrofit their buildings by 2008 to withstand major tremors; yet some 78% of them have at least one building still at risk and many are getting an extended deadline of 2013. Similarly, some 7,500 school buildings built before 1978 have yet to be brought up to standard.
On the other hand, a lot has been done, especially in earthquake-proofing the freeway network. The Southern California Gas Company claims its system, which it has been upgrading for several years, can withstand strong tremors; the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power says it could double its groundwater pumping if pipeline supplies were disrupted."
FULL STORY: Getting ready for the Big One

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.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
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