Christina Chan looks at the effect of L.A.'s Small Lot Subdivision Ordinance of 2005, which opened the doors for a new style of housing somewhere in between single-family homes and condos.
"These hybrid homes provide an alternative to condominium or apartment living that is still more affordable than single-family residences in the same neighborhood. Instead of the homeowner association dues that come with condominium ownership, small lot buyers have the benefit of fee-simple ownership in exchange for adherence to restrictions that typically prohibit owners from painting their home a particular color, for instance, or significantly altering the building's exterior. The upshot is changing the residential face of LA-and offering a rare dose of optimism for the city's developers and architects."
Read the full story: Small Lots, Big Deal
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
Atlanta City Council unanimously backs $3.5 billion Beltline light rail project
The resolution was drafted after Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens pulled support for the Atlanta Streetcar extension last year.
SEPTA to bring nearby frequent transit to over 1 million new riders as part of decade-long plan
The agency's Accelerate plan will also bring frequent transit to twice the amount of jobs that are currently located near it.
NYC plants over 18,000 trees, the most new foliage in a decade
Many of the trees were planted in communities vulnerable to extreme heat.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello