Can the community of Long Beach, California use examples from much larger places like San Francisco and East Village to reclaim its extensive public alleys?
Writer Jesus Hernandez explores the alleys in the Southern California coastal city of Long Beach, and considers how the city's alleys might have more than a utilitarian function:
"...Alleys make up a significant portion of Long Beach's public right-of-way space, and there is value in viewing them as more than a home for forgotten mattresses and rusted clunker cars. With some foresight and investment, they can become living lanes, lush with landscaping and filled with art, extensions of bike and pedestrian networks as well as the city's public parks. It might take some vision to scratch away initial layers of grime, but we can find examples across California and beyond from which to draw inspiration."
Thanks to Brian Ulaszewski
FULL STORY: A Better Alley

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions