The demolition of small homes and construction of mansions on the modest-sized lots is prompting a backlash in Southern California cities.
Bigger is not always considered better in Los Angeles, especially when it involves newly-built jumbo-sized houses that dwarf adjacent and nearby properties. "LA City Councilman Tom LaBonge has asked the planning department to come up with citywide guidelines on how big is too big. I would hope we could rethink it to allow a person to build their American dream, their castle and have them in scale with the neighborhood." LaBonge wants an ordinance that would "apply to all teardowns and to vacant lots on hillsides, replacing the temporary solutions and current hodgepodge of neighborhood-specific restrictions."
Putting an end to 'McMansionization' of neighborhoods is supported by homeowners desiring "to preserve the character of their streets by keeping out towering villas that block sunlight, eliminate views, destroy mature trees and create sightlines that invade the privacy of bedrooms and backyards."
Backers of the bigger homes see them as "improvements over the smaller, old houses...that the McMansions are replacing."
FULL STORY: Curbing the big, the bad, the ugly
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.
Can Geothermal Energy Fuel Hawaiʻi’s Future?
Gavin Murphy, a New Zealand-based consultant with experience in indigenous-led geothermal projects, argues that Hawaiʻi is poised to achieve energy independence and economic growth by respectfully developing its untapped geothermal resources.
Climate Gardening: Cultivating Resilient Landscapes in Los Angeles
TreePeople’s 4th Annual Urban Soil Symposium explored how climate gardening, soil health, and collaborative land management strategies can enhance urban resilience in the face of climate change.
Electric Surge: EV Chargers Outnumber Gas Nozzles in California
California now has 48% more electric vehicle chargers than gasoline nozzles, reflecting its rapid shift toward clean transportation and aggressive zero-emission goals despite federal pushback.
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.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
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Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
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