When California planned to close 70 parks this month to save $22 million, donors sprang into action to help keep them open. It turns out they needn't have, as last week it was revealed the CA Dept. of Parks and Recreation stashed away $54 million.
News broke on Friday that while the California Department of Parks and Recreation "painted a dire picture of
the system's health, soliciting hundreds of thousands of dollars in
donations in what was thought to be a desperate scramble to keep
facilities open," a trove of nearly $54 million remained untapped in two funds, report Ruth Coleman, director of the department since 2002, resigned, and her second in command, acting Chief Deputy Michael Harris, was fired.
At this time it is "unclear whether mismanagement or deliberate deceit led to the concealment of the funds," write the state attorney general's office.
"'It disgusts me,' said Myra Hilliard, who donated and helped raise money
for the Pio Pico State Historic Park in Whittier. 'Is anybody honest
about anything anymore? Here we are working so hard to keep the park
open and they have all this money they aren't telling us about.'"
Secretary John Laird of the California Natural Resources Agency, which
oversees the department, "said in a conference call with reporters that
lawmakers will ultimately decide how to appropriate the surplus."
FULL STORY: California parks department finds $54-million surplus

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